Adding a spa blower to an existing blower-less setup. Lots of questions. TIA

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sterfry1988

Well-known member
Jun 22, 2018
54
Austin, TX
Thanks in advanced, lots of questions below really appreciate the value of this community(so far been lurking). I've linked to images to hopefully help with some of my questions.

We purchased the home which came with the pool. We are new to caring for a pool but are eager to learn and have been updating it as we can!

We replaced the old equipment when we moved in. We replaced a pool pump and a spa pump with one Intelliflo VST pump and replumbed with valves to enable the spa and pool to use the same pump.

One problem we have is that the spa does not really have any sort of bubbles just any that are a consequence of the water being sent into the spa.

One tech suggested that the jet covers on the spa were too wide, they are recessed into the concrete and he wasn't able to remove them at the time.

However another installation tech said that was not true and showed a pipe that could be used to add a blower. We tested this by using the "blow" feature on a shopvac attached to the pipe and the bubbles in the spa are what you would expect. He explained that water can sit in the pipe and block the air from getting in to the spa line.

Ideally I would not have to use a shop vac to blow my spa :)

When it comes to choosing a wattage and HP for the blower what should I consider?
I have noticed both 240v and 120v I would like something that is quiet and energy efficient(Image of our pool subpanel, which is fed by 80amp/220v from the main)

The spa has 6 jets in the spa. When the pipes are set to suck from the spa and return to the spa it appears that only 4/6 of the jets actually propel water.

The spa is located about 20 feet from the Intelliflo pump(Image of layout) and they are on the same level more or less.

If we were to add a blower would this allow us to run the pump at lower RPMs as well? Right now we are running the Intelliflo around 3450 RPMs when using the spa and it's a bit noisy.

The pipe I would connect the shop vac and blow is 1 1/2" . There is another 1 1/2" pipe that was capped off, could this be the mystery of the 4/6 jets working in the spa?

There is also a random seized valve that is near the spa, any idea what this could be used for? One tech said maybe for air? How would I unseize/replace the valve, I tried WD-40-ing the valve for about a week without luck.

Images:
Layout of Pool showing spa/pool/pool equip
Pool Equip Plumbing with shop vac blow pipe circled
Random valve that can't turn near spa

Thank you again!
 
Most spas (including mine) do not need a blower unless you have lots of jets. 6 normally can pull enough air on their own.

Can you remove the internals of the jets and check the o-rings?

The pipe you show that you pushed air through with the shop vac should be pulling air when the pump is ramped up.

The two jets that are not working, see if they are closed. Most jets you can turn and pinch off the flow.

The valve, not sure.
 
The Jets are recessed in the concrete I was unaware that they had orings. The spa and pool were built in the 80s. I'm able to fit my finger in the Jets so I don't think they're closed. If I blow the pipe while the spa is running the bubbles will continue even if I stop the shop vac. Could water be settling in the air pipe? Any idea what the other capped off 1.5" pipe could be?
 
Interesting that it pulls air after the shop vac is shut off. Tells me that the jets need to repaired so that water does not get in the Hartford loop so easily. Can you drain the spa enough to get a good look at the jets?

I have a tool that fits the jet body such that it engages some notches so I can unscrew the jet internals.

The other capped off pipe. For a pressure or suction vacuum? Any outlets in the pool not being used, capped off, etc?
 
mknauss said:
Interesting that it pulls air after the shop vac is shut off. Tells me that the jets need to repaired so that water does not get in the Hartford loop so easily. Can you drain the spa enough to get a good look at the jets?

I have a tool that fits the jet body such that it engages some notches so I can unscrew the jet internals.

The other capped off pipe. For a pressure or suction vacuum? Any outlets in the pool not being used, capped off, etc?
Click to expand...

Yes I can drain the spa and get a good look at the jets. All jets in the pool work. There are what look like two drains in the spa maybe it could be suction to the other drain?

I'll take some pictures of the jets in the spa.
 
Two drains in a spa have been required since the Virginia Graham-Baker Act was enacted by the federal government.

See if you can determine if the jet internals can be removed.
 
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Shared album - Sterling Taylor - Google Photos


Video above of the Jets when my valves are in suck from spa return to pool. You'll notice there is still plenty of water returning to the spa. The tech who installed the valves set the return valve where it's in a diagnol position I am thinking this was to prevent me from sucking the spa dry and burning up the pump?

Pic of valves here Shared album - Sterling Taylor - Google Photos

Also you can see how the Jets are recessed how should I go about removing one? Shared album - Sterling Taylor - Google Photos

- - - Updated - - -

Shared album - Sterling Taylor - Google Photos


Video above of the Jets when my valves are in suck from spa return to pool. You'll notice there is still plenty of water returning to the spa. The tech who installed the valves set the return valve where it's in a diagnol position I am thinking this was to prevent me from sucking the spa dry and burning up the pump?

Pic of valves here Shared album - Sterling Taylor - Google Photos

Also you can see how the Jets are recessed how should I go about removing one? Shared album - Sterling Taylor - Google Photos
 
Have you ever run the spa in full spa mode? That would be with the suction from the SPA only and return to the SPA only.

The valve alignment you show is for daily maintenance so that the spa gets some return flow to sanitize it. You do not need that much if you are seeing bubbles out of the return.
 
I got a jet off. And yes when using the spa I have it return and suck to the spa. Here is one of the Jets Shared album - Sterling Taylor - Google Photos

The nut and ball of the jet Shared album - Sterling Taylor - Google Photos

The same Jets 5/6 are on when the valve is set to fully return to the spa as when in the diagnol maintenance position. Video of Jets Shared album - Sterling Taylor - Google Photos

When putting my hand on the blower pipe I feel no suction from the pipe.

- - - Updated - - -

Video of the Jets @ 3450 rpms Shared album - Sterling Taylor - Google Photos
 
What you show are not jets. They are return eyeballs. I do not know if the body they are screwed on to is a jet body or normal return.

So water only comes out of the 5/6 jets?

That valve you showed earlier may be in play on all this.

- - - Updated - - -

If you plug the end of the blower suction pipe do the bubbles go away?
 

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Yes water only comes out of 5/6 Jets.

For plugging the pipe you are asking if after I get some bubbles going if I plug it will they end? I will test that. I'll also mention the bubbles that continue after the shop vac is off eventually lessen and I'll get out of the spa and turn the shop vac back on. Even immediately after the vac is off the bubbles are quite less.

For the valve are you referring to the stuck red one? How could I unstick it? I'm assuming this requires breaking the deck up ? What would you suggest?
 
If water is coming out of only those two returns, then something has the other jets turned off.

That extra line could come into play. You have a pressure side vac and normally we find those odd capped off lines as abandoned pressure side vac lines.

The valve appears to be a brass gate valve. It might be able to be repaired from the top. You would need to be able to unscrew the top of the valve off. Otherwise, the deck has to be broken up.
 
sterfry1988 said:
We replaced the old equipment when we moved in. We replaced a pool pump and a spa pump with one Intelliflo VST pump and replumbed with valves to enable the spa and pool to use the same pump.

One problem we have is that the spa does not really have any sort of bubbles just any that are a consequence of the water being sent into the spa.
Click to expand...

Your pics show the spa "jets" above the seating shelf. Do you have any jets/returns on the wall below the seating shelf?

Confirm that your spa has some type of waterfall flow from your spa to your pool?

My spa at the corner of my pool has two returns below the seating shelf. They are connected with the pool returns on the same pump and flow when the pool flows. They can also be isolated with motorized Jandy valves so that the pool flow is off and all flow is through the spa alone.

In addition I have 6 jets above the seating shelf like you have. Those jets are connected to a separate pump and can be turned on when desired. I also have an air bubbler that comes out of those same jets. So I can have water, or air, or both, or nothing from those jets while in spa mode.

I don't know how your pool and spa where plumbed before you moved from two pumps to one. It sounds like did not get what you wanted. Another pump, maybe an air blower, some motorized jandy valves, and replumbing can probably get you what you want.
 
mknauss said:
If water is coming out of only those two returns, then something has the other jets turned off.

That extra line could come into play. You have a pressure side vac and normally we find those odd capped off lines as abandoned pressure side vac lines.

The valve appears to be a brass gate valve. It might be able to be repaired from the top. You would need to be able to unscrew the top of the valve off. Otherwise, the deck has to be broken up.
Click to expand...

I will uncap that line and blow some air into it to see what happens.


When looking at the blueprint I think that valve that is stuck is a fill valve.

- - - Updated - - -

ajw22 said:
Your pics show the spa "jets" above the seating shelf. Do you have any jets/returns on the wall below the seating shelf?

Confirm that your spa has some type of waterfall flow from your spa to your pool?

My spa at the corner of my pool has two returns below the seating shelf. They are connected with the pool returns on the same pump and flow when the pool flows. They can also be isolated with motorized Jandy valves so that the pool flow is off and all flow is through the spa alone.

In addition I have 6 jets above the seating shelf like you have. Those jets are connected to a separate pump and can be turned on when desired. I also have an air bubbler that comes out of those same jets. So I can have water, or air, or both, or nothing from those jets while in spa mode.

I don't know how your pool and spa where plumbed before you moved from two pumps to one. It sounds like did not get what you wanted. Another pump, maybe an air blower, some motorized jandy valves, and replumbing can probably get you what you want.
Click to expand...

The spa will flow into the pool. There are no jets underneath the seat the only components under the seat are the light and suction components.
 
sterfry1988 said:
Mystery pipe solved. I got the cap off it is plumbed to the jet that has no water. The other pipe I had been blowing my shop vac in is plumbed to 4/6 Jets.
Click to expand...

So what you can do is replumb so that the existing pump feeds the pool and that mystery pipe. That maintains a constant flow to sanitize the spa and the one jet acts like a spa return.

Then you install a second pump and maybe an air blower that can turn on all the other spa jets when you want.

Put in some motorized Jandy valves so you can turn off the pool skimmer and returns and just run the spa when you want. You need some simple automation to allow pool mode, spa mode (pool pump with one return flowing into the spa only), or spa mode with jets (both pumps running and all jets flowing).

There is a reason the original design had one spa jet with an independent feed from the others. Somewhere the original design got simplified into a one pump system.
 
Of the 5/6 Jets that work in the spa one is already a constant return. What would the benefit of a dedicated spa pump be when the system is already plumbed to work with the one pump by moving the return/suction valves? For the pipe that is plumbed to 4/6 Jets would a blower work here? Right now it seems like that would be the path of least resistance to get consistent on demand bubbles?
 
sterfry1988 said:
Of the 5/6 Jets that work in the spa one is already a constant return. What would the benefit of a dedicated spa pump be when the system is already plumbed to work with the one pump by moving the return/suction valves? For the pipe that is plumbed to 4/6 Jets would a blower work here? Right now it seems like that would be the path of least resistance to get consistent on demand bubbles?
Click to expand...

I am at a loss to understand exactly what you want that you don't have.

If you just want air bubbles and no stronger jet flow you can add a Spa Blower to your line like https://www.jandy.com/en/products/accessories/qt-blower or https://www.jandy.com/en/products/accessories/pool-spa-blower
 

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