Need Help Identifying Valves

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C

cowboy22

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May 10, 2017
11
Lewisville, TX
[FONT=&quot]Need some help identifying valves on a new build I "inherited". Pool has not been filled yet. Pool has a spa, two skimmers, bubblers on tanning ledge. I assume those on the left are for the skimmers, bubblers and cleaner? Main concern is identifying drains and what the smaller PVC on the far left is for.
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The pipes in front of your pump all "pull" water from somewhere - the skimmer(s), spa, main drain, etc. It's just a matter of closing them one at a time (if not marked) to see which one it effects. Now the tall stack of pipes going down into the ground on the left are your "return" pipes to things like (spa, bubblers, return jets, water feature(s), etc. Same principle in that you have to turn a valve a little at a time to see which product it effects. Once you find out, mark the pipes for future reference. :)

Oh ..... and WELCOME TO TFP! :wave:
 
Thanks for the quick response! Any idea what the smaller pipe on the left is? Doesn't seem to be connected to anything and assume it isn't part of the main system since my pressure has remained the same and it is only capped with a piece of duct tape.
 
It could also be just a chase way for an air switch at the spa to turn the blower on and off. My PB installed one before we upgraded to automation (it's just cut off at the ground now) - it would have had a tube in it to operate the on/off for the air blower.

Can you post another picture with more of the top of the equipment. There is a 2" pipe that sneaks through those on the return side - it goes to the back of the pad, then somewhere we can't see - is that perhaps an air blower?
 

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I think if I was in your shoes, I'd figure out a way to map out each pipe.

The suction ones would be easy... open the pump basket and stuff a garden hose into the inlet pipe and work the various valves to see where water spits out inside the pool. Or compressed air. Or a shop vacuum used either as a vacuum or as a leaf blower.

The return ones might be do-able with air pushed in from the pool end and have a helper work the valves to figure out which shuts off which and also run around feeling for air to see which ones are linked.
 
Richard320 said:
I think if I was in your shoes, I'd figure out a way to map out each pipe.

The suction ones would be easy... open the pump basket and stuff a garden hose into the inlet pipe and work the various valves to see where water spits out inside the pool. Or compressed air. Or a shop vacuum used either as a vacuum or as a leaf blower.

The return ones might be do-able with air pushed in from the pool end and have a helper work the valves to figure out which shuts off which and also run around feeling for air to see which ones are linked.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a good idea. Everything is currently capped and the system is pressurized for starting. Would that affect trying it out that way?
 
After a bit of poking around, I may have figured a couple things out. First, I was mistaking a vacuum port for an autofill port! So the ports in the pool are the two returns, an autofill port and the vacuum. Which may answer my other question regarding the smaller PVC pipe by the equipment which I am now going to assume is to be hooked up to my water for the autofill. Getting closer to figuring all this out!
 
Getting there. How will you operate the air blower for the spa? You adding automation? Is there a switch of some kind near the spa? The good news is the pressure that the plumbing has held for the many days.

Should be an interesting story about how you "inherited" this pool that is partially built.
 
GDN said:
Getting there. How will you operate the air blower for the spa? You adding automation? Is there a switch of some kind near the spa? The good news is the pressure that the plumbing has held for the many days.

Should be an interesting story about how you "inherited" this pool that is partially built.
Click to expand...

Good question. As far as the story, this was a fixer upper a family member got in over their head on (but it looked so easy on TV!). In looking at the blower, there is no automation. It is wired directly to a dual timer box (looks like one timer controls the booster pump and everything else on the other). Suggestions? Or will the blower be running every time the pump is running? I also noticed the pump is wired into the timers but also has a small control pad that looks like it came with the pump.
 
GDN said:
Getting there. How will you operate the air blower for the spa? You adding automation? Is there a switch of some kind near the spa? The good news is the pressure that the plumbing has held for the many days.

Should be an interesting story about how you "inherited" this pool that is partially built.
Click to expand...

And yes, there is a switch near the spa. I just checked and there are three switches. I'm fairly certain two are for the pool light and spa light. Third possibly controls the blower?
 
It would be hopeful that the third switch is for the blower so you don't have to go all the way to the pad to turn it on and off. Also do you have any waterfalls or other features? If not, what is the booster pump for? Possibly a pressure side cleaner?

On the wiring of the main pump, is the main pump a variable speed? You noted it has it's own control panel, if so it is likely a variable speed pump which should get power all of the time, then you control when the pump comes on and at what speed through the control panel built in. The air blower would not be on the whole time the pump is on, only when you want bubbles in the spa.
 
GDN said:
It would be hopeful that the third switch is for the blower so you don't have to go all the way to the pad to turn it on and off. Also do you have any waterfalls or other features? If not, what is the booster pump for? Possibly a pressure side cleaner?

On the wiring of the main pump, is the main pump a variable speed? You noted it has it's own control panel, if so it is likely a variable speed pump which should get power all of the time, then you control when the pump comes on and at what speed through the control panel built in. The air blower would not be on the whole time the pump is on, only when you want bubbles in the spa.
Click to expand...

Can't tell you how much I appreciate the help. You are correct regarding the pump. It is a variable speed. My concern was that every time the timer kicked the equipment on that the blower, assuming it had no switch, would come on. But to your point, looks like the pump is controlled by it's control panel and not the dual timer. Also, there are no water features. Looks like the booster pump is for the pressure side cleaner
 

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