We survived recent major refurbishments to our 49-year- old pool and patio environs, which included replacing the entire screen enclosure, upgrading the deck with concrete pavers, resurfacing the pool interior (plus new tile, coping, and skimmer), and replacing the old DE filter with a cartridge filter. While everything looks great and the water is fabulous – thanks to TFP Pool School, Pool Math, and these forums! – we have some problems left to solve (if only I had discovered TFP earlier, might not have had any problems!)
Because of miscommunication with the paver installer, our pool equipment now sits below grade, plus the new deck drain brings a lot of water runoff into this area as well. When we get a good rain (and our Central Florida rainy season is coming up), the pool pump and motor will be flooded. DH and DS have a plan to elevate the pool equipment pad but that involves cutting the plumbing lines. We’ve been told that the diverter valve needs replacing, plus the pump is 11 years old and pump motor is 7 years old (and loud), so we are considering replacing them all together when we have everything disassembled for the elevation project.
But we may need to make some plumbing corrections, too. We have 2” pipes coming from the pool (one main drain, one skimmer) to the filter equipment. The pipes change to 1 ½” coming into the diverter valve. The pump has 1½” connections in and out (it’s a Pinnacle/Pentair PFII-P1-1.5 HP, with an A.O.Smith Centurion 1.5 HP/SF 1.10 motor). The pipes change back to 2” leaving the pump going to the filter (Pentair cartridge CC150). Pipes from filter back to the pool are also 2”.
First question: Is this plumbing arrangement OK, or should the 1½” plumbing be changed to 2”?
Second question: The pool equipment tech says we need a smaller pump and motor and is recommending ¾ HP. How do we figure out what we need? Any recommendations on type or brand?
Third question: The new cartridge filter (Pentair CC150) runs at a very low psi of 5. It’s been operational for 2 months now, and the psi is consistent; I clean it at 6 psi. We’ve had a DE filter for 35 years, so I’m not as familiar with a cartridge filter – is this an acceptable operating pressure for this type filter? Is the low pressure related to the plumbing arrangement?
Thanks for access to the wealth of knowledge and experience on this site, and for any recommendations! It's my first post and first time using Photobucket, hope it worked.
Because of miscommunication with the paver installer, our pool equipment now sits below grade, plus the new deck drain brings a lot of water runoff into this area as well. When we get a good rain (and our Central Florida rainy season is coming up), the pool pump and motor will be flooded. DH and DS have a plan to elevate the pool equipment pad but that involves cutting the plumbing lines. We’ve been told that the diverter valve needs replacing, plus the pump is 11 years old and pump motor is 7 years old (and loud), so we are considering replacing them all together when we have everything disassembled for the elevation project.
But we may need to make some plumbing corrections, too. We have 2” pipes coming from the pool (one main drain, one skimmer) to the filter equipment. The pipes change to 1 ½” coming into the diverter valve. The pump has 1½” connections in and out (it’s a Pinnacle/Pentair PFII-P1-1.5 HP, with an A.O.Smith Centurion 1.5 HP/SF 1.10 motor). The pipes change back to 2” leaving the pump going to the filter (Pentair cartridge CC150). Pipes from filter back to the pool are also 2”.
First question: Is this plumbing arrangement OK, or should the 1½” plumbing be changed to 2”?
Second question: The pool equipment tech says we need a smaller pump and motor and is recommending ¾ HP. How do we figure out what we need? Any recommendations on type or brand?
Third question: The new cartridge filter (Pentair CC150) runs at a very low psi of 5. It’s been operational for 2 months now, and the psi is consistent; I clean it at 6 psi. We’ve had a DE filter for 35 years, so I’m not as familiar with a cartridge filter – is this an acceptable operating pressure for this type filter? Is the low pressure related to the plumbing arrangement?
Thanks for access to the wealth of knowledge and experience on this site, and for any recommendations! It's my first post and first time using Photobucket, hope it worked.
