Seeking Plumbing/Equip Advice -- DIY Inground Vinyl Pool in Vermont

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S

Shango

0
Jul 1, 2018
3
Barre, VT
We will be ordering our composite wall in-ground vinyl pool this week and are seeking advice. I've been researching the forum for a few weeks and have tried to incorporate all of the valuable information you have so graciously shared.

The pool will be a simple rectangular 20'x40' with a gradual slope from 3.5' to 6', 8' plastic steps and a 6' plastic swim out seat. I've struggle the most with depth (or maybe the liner color :smile:) but after reading many, many posts I think we've settled on this depth. We will not be using the pool for diving but the kids like to search for diving toys in the deeper end and we'll add a slide next summer. The composite walls only come in 42" otherwise I would have preferred 48" walls for increased water depth in the shallow end.

I've attached a picture of the plumbing design in hopes of gathering your feedback. The plan includes 2" pipe for both returns and skimmers, Hayward 1.5hp Super Pump VS, Hayward 30" sand filter and Aquarite 40K SWG. We will also use Jandy Neverlube valves where noted, but are the in the right places or would you recommend more/less?

Is there anything we should do now to prepare for a future gas heater?

I've read conflicting information about the return designs -- should it be close looped or each return plumbed separately? The current design is somewhere in the middle but I'm not confident that's correct.

We will be plumbing a return for the future slide. Since a robotic cleaner isn't on the menu for now, should we plumb a dedicated suction port for a vacuum?

Do I have enough/too many returns and skimmers? Are they in the best places?

Thank you for taking the time to respond! We are located in Vermont and need to get moving on this project if we plan to complete it before summer is over!
pool diagram.jpg
 
Hi, welcome to TFP! I would have the builder include a valve and stub out between the filter and SWG for the heater. I like valves and unions between major pieces of equipment as it makes it easier to service them down the road. I also prefer a dedicated line for each return and skimmer in case their are problems later on. I would just use a skimmer plate to vacuum instead of a dedicated suction line. Since you include a valve for each skimmer line it will be easy to close one skimmer and vacuum from the other.
 
I used Paint with a lot of zooming, copying and pasting. It took me absolutely forever but I couldn’t figure out how to work any of the free software packages. Now I’m going to spend another week adjusting it to incorporate these great recommendations. It will be worth it though!

This is a first build so I want to make sure our plan is accurate. We own an excavation company and my husband and father-in-law are pretty handy, so I’m hoping it all goes smoothly!
 
RebelBob said:
I am no expert on this, but shouldn’t there be a drain at the bottom of the deep end?
Click to expand...

Not needed. More pools are being built with out them and many old pools, when refurbished, they are removed.

Only caveat to that is if a hydrostatic valve is needed for high water table or other surface water issues.
 
Thanks as I didn’t know that. I do sort of like the ability, however, to pull down my pool level below the skimmers using the deep end drain...I guess without it an aux pump of some sort is used.
 

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It's easy to home run all the returns to a manifold and plum them w valves. U don't need that many but knock urself out w pipework. U don't need main drains a pump in winter works fine. Downward return jets move water better u could plumb one low in deep end if ur worried. Ur design looks fine 2" manifolds w 1 1/2" lines is fine since u have 2 skimmers 2" is also good in case 1 dies down the road
 
I’d rather not plumb unnecessary return lines. How many would you recommend without a main drain? I think one positioned low in the deep end is a great idea. How many others are needed? I’ve also been reading where people recommend step jets to keep debris from collecting there - do you think that’s overkill?

Thank you!
 
I think 2 skimmers and 3 returns is all you need. I would get rid of the return between the skimmers and at least the the top step return.

I like a pressure driven cleaner versus a suction cleaner. The pressure driven cleaner does not dirty your filter with all it vacuums up. I would at least put in the line for one where your top return is now.
 
Yeah ditch the one between skimmers. I have 4 returns on a 14x30 and it's plenty. Since u have 2 skimmers I would put 3 returns on the opposite long wall to shoot across pool at them. I use a robot cleaner they r best and the returns in stairs help but won't keep them spotless. I juat take 2 min and brush into pool floor for robot to grab every few days. If u have lots of trees may be worth the stair jets. I would home run the 3 separate returns to a manifold then split a line for the stairs jets. I found it easier to set my equipment up and I made my manifolds ahead of time w valves attached. I brought my lines to the manifolds so it would be perfectly straight and spaced I'm OCD
 
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