No Valves on AGP

[TonyG2160]

Hello everyone, first post...great forum. I've only been here for a short while but man....there is a lot of info here! Anyway, here's my question:

We just had our pool installed last week, first one we've ever owned so we didn't really know what to look out for. When the dust settled and the pool was filled, I realized that we didn't have any shutoff valves on the skimmer or the return sides of the pool, only the flexible hoses clamped straight to the fittings on the skimmer and the return. Easy enough fix I suppose....if only I knew what kind of fittings to get. Can anyone offer any advice on what to get or perhaps a better way to do it? What I'm picturing is a couple of ball valves but I've never worked much with PVC before.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Hi Tony
here's a recent link with pics:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/finally-plumbed-my-agp-with-pvc-t20041.html
This will give you some ideas...

 

[TonyG2160]

Hi Tony
here's a recent link with pics:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/finally-plumbed-my-agp-with-pvc-t20041.html
This will give you some ideas...

Definitely like the hard piping, but for now mostly just looking to keep the flex hose and just add the valves. Does anyone have any recent experience with what exactly to buy? I hate to use the "shotgun" method of buying a bunch of stuff in the hopes of having whatever you'll ultimately need to accomplish the project. I guess maybe something like a "parts list". Should be a pretty short list, I'm just not sure about how to adapt it all.

 

[dmanb2b]

for now you can get by without the valves...if you ever need to service your filter/pump...just unhook the hose from the side closet to the pump/filter and hang it over your pool wall...you'll lose 1gal or less in the process. Eventually the flex hoses fail...which is why so many of us have hard plumbed with rigid PVC or flex PVC.

If you're dead set on getting valves...here is the type you want to buy...either should work, just be sure to use teflon tape when unscrewing and the replacing the barb fittings w valves on the skimmer and return

http://www.poolsupplies.com/cgi-bin/Commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=290045B
http://www.poolsupplies.com/cgi-bin/Commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=102729

I know I'm biased...but for another $100 bucks you can use sch 40 pipe and true ball valves with a few unions and have peice of mind...other wise I would save yourself the $30 for 2 valves plus shipping and sling the hoses over the wall if needed.

 

[zea3]

IMHO this type of flexible hose is not sturdy enough to support the operation of a valve. You would have to hold the valve in one hand and turn it off and on with the other. Otherwise you will be twisting the hoses when you try to turn the valve. You would need to attach one valve to the pump and one to the return at the wall. If you want to be able to block off the flow of water from the skimmer and the return you should be able to use a 1 1/2" threaded plug for each opening. Those will cost a few bucks each and you can get them at a pool store or a hardware store.

 

[TonyG2160]

IMHO this type of flexible hose is not sturdy enough to support the operation of a valve. You would have to hold the valve in one hand and turn it off and on with the other. Otherwise you will be twisting the hoses when you try to turn the valve. You would need to attach one valve to the pump and one to the return at the wall. If you want to be able to block off the flow of water from the skimmer and the return you should be able to use a 1 1/2" threaded plug for each opening. Those will cost a few bucks each and you can get them at a pool store or a hardware store.

Hmmmm...yeah, I think I probably agree. Those valves are pretty darn stiff. The more I think about it, I'd probably like to just go ahead and get everything situated and hard pipe everything. Soooo....updated question. What "thread" fitting is this?

 

[seabiscuit]

I have the same set up and understand what dman is saying to do if you need to service the filter, but any advice about cleaning out the basket on the pump?

I got soaked on a cold day trying to do it the first time, lost the Oring and thought I was going to lose all my water, while my granddaughter kept saying "I think you broke it". I make sure I have real help now. Before we got this pool we had a 4x18 blow up pool purchased new with all accessories for $159.00 it even came with shut offs.

So I welcome any advice besides having 3 people to plug all the holes to change the basket.

 

[zea3]

It "looks" like a standard 1 1/2" slip end connection. You should be able to use that as a starting point for your hard plumbing. When you are ready to attach the new pipes, just loosen the band clamps and slip the flex tubing off. I would keep the flex tubing that connects the pump to the filter. You may want to go ahead and get those plugs so you don't have to drain below the return to attach the new plumbing.
If you want, you can review Mike's set up in Frustrated Pool Mom's link. Sketch out how you want the plumbing to be set up then we can determine how much of each piece you will need.

 

[Bama Rambler]

That's an 1½" threaded adaptor. It's 1½" threads on one end and a hose barb on the other. You can remove it by unscrewing it from the eyeball fitting and replace it with a threaded male or female adaptor. The fitting on the bottom of the skimmer looks like the same thing.

 

[TonyG2160]

That's an 1½" threaded adaptor. It's 1½" threads on one end and a hose barb on the other. You can remove it by unscrewing it from the eyeball fitting and replace it with a threaded male or female adaptor. The fitting on the bottom of the skimmer looks like the same thing.

Are these fairly standard hardware store type fittings, or are they ba$#^rd "swimming pool" fittings that will have to be ordered?

 

[dmanb2b]

standard 1.5" sch40 male threaded fitting will do...and actually you can use such a plug on the other side of the return, just unscrew the "eyeball" on the other side and then cap it. Then you can remove the hose you have pictured.

On the skimmer side, you could potentially use a rubber plug to put in the skimmer, although I have no experience using that (sorry )

Seabiscuit...On how to clean your basket without draining the pool...just find the center of the hose between the skimmer and pump and have the little helper :lol: hold it above water level before opening your strainer basket lid

 

[rastoma]

So I welcome any advice besides having 3 people to plug all the holes to change the basket.

We save most of our plastic bags like from Walmart and other stores to use for small wastebaskets and other things. I grab 2-3 of those bags, take the basket out of the skimmer, and stuff them in the bottom of the skimmer (with pump off of course).

Turn the valve on the filter to CLOSED.

Remove pump filter basket.

One person job.

 

[seabiscuit]

Thank you both for the helpful hints, I did stuff a shamwow in it the next time I opened it. I will try putting my little helper to work, don't know why I didn't think of that. Thanks again