Check valve & pool heater question.

[eostrike]

Today my coworker came over to check out our new pool and give me some pointers since he has had a pool for many years. While he was looking at my check valve that flows into the heater it looks like it hardly opens up. We increased the speed from 1850 RPM to 2600 RPM and it still looked the same through the clear window. He was telling me that since it is not opening all the way that the flow rate is reduced that that I should remove it. Since he was here we took it out but I want to know if this was a mistake and should I put it back in? The flow to the pool seemed fine with it in other than it did not appear to open that much.

There is also another check valve on the spa side and the pool installed said it was not needed but he put one in anyhow. Same thing here when the spa is on that it does not open much but then again everything seems okay. I am trying to get other opinions if I need either of these as if they do not open that much I would also imagine it is less of a flow rate.

We have a Pentair 400K BTU heater and it takes nearly 30 to 40 minutes for it to heat up. Granted it is raising the temp from 64 degrees to 95 degrees and the spa is a 7' X 7' square spa so there is a lot of water. My coworker says it is taking so long for it to heat up because of the check valve on the spa side. He fills removing it will get the water to flow better and heat the water quicker.

Yesterday while in the spa after about 1 hour of use the heater and pump both turned off for around 8 minutes. We have no idea what happened there but it did come back on. Anyone ever experience anything like this?

I can only upload one picture as I am not allocated more space. The one check valve to the heater is behind the SWG on the right.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Without knowing which check valve you have it's hard to say how for it should open under the required flow. Check valves only open as far as they need to, to pass the required flow. They don't open fully unless the flow is maximum for the check valve design. Most check valves only need to open a small amount to accommodate the flows we normally see in the pool world. Especially running your VS pump that low.

 

[Patrick_B]

I can agree through my experience. My heater and flow meter checks look like they are barely open unless my pump is pretty high. You'd think by looking at them there was no way you'd have enough flow, but the opposite is true. I'm not sure removing them would be a good idea at all.

 

[eostrike]

Today my coworker came over to check out our new pool and give me some pointers since he has had a pool for many years. While he was looking at my check valve that flows into the heater it looks like it hardly opens up. We increased the speed from 1850 RPM to 2600 RPM and it still looked the same through the clear window. He was telling me that since it is not opening all the way that the flow rate is reduced that that I should remove it. Since he was here we took it out but I want to know if this was a mistake and should I put it back in? The flow to the pool seemed fine with it in other than it did not appear to open that much.

There is also another check valve on the spa side and the pool installed said it was not needed but he put one in anyhow. Same thing here when the spa is on that it does not open much but then again everything seems okay. I am trying to get other opinions if I need either of these as if they do not open that much I would also imagine it is less of a flow rate.

We have a Pentair 400K BTU heater and it takes nearly 30 to 40 minutes for it to heat up. Granted it is raising the temp from 64 degrees to 95 degrees and the spa is a 7' X 7' square spa so there is a lot of water. My coworker says it is taking so long for it to heat up because of the check valve on the spa side. He fills removing it will get the water to flow better and heat the water quicker.

Yesterday while in the spa after about 1 hour of use the heater and pump both turned off for around 8 minutes. We have no idea what happened there but it did come back on. Anyone ever experience anything like this?

I can only upload one picture as I am not allocated more space. The one check valve to the heater is behind the SWG on the right.

Without knowing which check valve you have it's hard to say how for it should open under the required flow. Check valves only open as far as they need to, to pass the required flow. They don't open fully unless the flow is maximum for the check valve design. Most check valves only need to open a small amount to accommodate the flows we normally see in the pool world. Especially running your VS pump that low.

Thank you guys, I will just put it back in. I know the one at the spa side the installer said it was not needed so I am not sure why he put it in place.