Diverter Valves

[therocksaz]

Hello all,

I just purchased a home with an in ground pool and there were no manuals left from the previous owner to give me any ideas as to what diverter valves do what. I can tell they used to be marked but only a few of them I can still make out and I figured out others just by messing around, but I don't want to mess around too much as I've never owned a pool before and I don't want to mess anything up. I was wondering if anyone can help me figure out what these diverter valves do? I've labeled the ones I know in the picture but the others I can't figure out. My pool has a spa, water fall and automatic suction-side cleaner.

 

[Texas Splash]

Hello and welcome to TFP! You've got just a couple valves don't you. Remember with those valves, the flat end is "closed". So the valve on the left (Pool/Cleaner suction), the cleaner suction is closed and pool suction is wide open. All of those valves do the same thing, isolating or adjust "how much" flow you want from one item to another. Spa Jets/Fountain - same thing. You can adjust how much water pressure goes to each area.

It might also be good to remember ..... the pipes coming out of the ground going INTO your pump/strainer basket are your SUCTION side. Everything that leaves the filter is your PRESSURE side and goes back to the pool and/or spa. You can slowly move some of them just to see how it effects flow. The ones with a question mark on the right though, I can't quite make-out. Maybe a waste line, bubblers, pressure line, or something else. Others may have more ideas.

Welcome to TFP!

 

[therocksaz]

Thanks for the reply and the warm welcome. Yeah, it was a little daunting when I first looked at all the equipment, how many valves it had. It seems to be a relatively simple pool, it just seemed to me like some things were missing on the suction side, like for instance it has a valve for "pool suction" but is that for the main drain, skimmer? Both I guess, as I doubt "skimmer" setting would be found on the pressure side ... so yeah, not sure what all the pressure side valves do, and maybe that's hard to determine without just messing with them, but I thought I'd give it a shot at least. I'm also looking for suggestions on things I should own/do, as a guy who's likely going to take care of this pool by himself and has exactly zero experience in doing anything pool related. I've taken a water sample to the local pool supply up the road from my house, and I think I've gotten the water cleaned up and pretty on-target as far as chemical balance (at least my test strips appear to be spot-on), and I've done a backwash/cleaning/charging of my DE filter, and skimmed it/brushed it many times, but that's all I've done aside from swim in it a couple days with my family.

 

[Texas Splash]

Here are the things I learned when starting that will serve you best (links below):
- Proper test kit. Pool store testing is typically inaccurate and they sell WAY over-priced chemicals; strip have always been off. The TF-100 is #1.
- Your area has notoriously hard water. That means a high CH and possibly CYA level from pool store products. The TF-100 will confirm
- Print and keep handy the Recommended Levels, Chemicals, and Chlorine/CYA Charts below. You will refer to them frequently.
- Lastly, make sure to read the Pool School link below. It gives you the basics in good form that you can re-read later

When it comes to your equipment, you can ask questions 24/7 and someone will be glad to help.... at least until our own pool water warms-up.

 

[kimkats]

HI! You are off to a great start! Finding TFP was your pools and wallet's best thing you could do! LOL

Pat has you well covered.

Kim :cat:

 

[triptyx]

With regards to suction from the skimmer/drain(s), check the bottom of your skimmer (remove the basket and look underneath it). A common method of getting suction from both the floor drains and the skimmer is through a diverter plate that rests in the skimmer. That plate might look kind of like this - it sits in the bottom of the skimmer:



The little flap in the right hand image (that's the underside of the plate) can be adjusted to control how much suction the skimmer is getting. What you'll see if you remove the plate is two holes in the bottom of the skimmer, one goes to the floor drain(s) and the other goes to the pump.

Edit - Can you please provide another image from a 45 degree angle? Just take the current angle and step back three or four feet to shoot it more from the front. It's really hard to see the pipe pathing on the lower right side to figure out how those pipes are laid out.