Anybody done this with creative use of valves and/or unions at pumping station?
My system is very simple. A couple of days ago I finally realized just how much of an energy HOG the booster pump for Polaris is. It is a 3450 rpm pump (I've been told that there are booster pump that have an even higher SFHP than mine), and I've been running it for years a minimum of 10 hours a day, year round, to keep my pool clean in our EXTREME environment. That's a lot of electricity. I'm looking to shave about $150 a month off my electric bill monthly even though the Intelliflo VF has to rev up a bit to give adequate suction. With clean filter, and main drain shut down about 1/2, connecting suction through skimmer the pump only has to get a little above 2300 rpm for good suction. As system is manual I have to go down and turn the valve by hand, which I don't like to do at night, (under deck and snakes) so I've left the main drain open last night. I didn't measure rpm last night.... will do tomorrow after I backwash.
The dedicated pressure line for Polaris 280 is 1.5" as is all other plumbing until after valves at pumping station which is 2".
I'm now using my Tracker 4X (Just like the POOLVERGNUEGEN - The Pool Cleaner) and it actually cleans the tiny dust better than the Polaris in much, much, much less time and doesn't stir it up on the bottom of pool. In summer most of my debris is the tiny dust, sand and silt.
I don't want to permanently discontinue using the Polaris as I really need it in messy fall and winter with all the blowing leaves from the woods. It does the best picking up leaves and other larger plant debris of the four cleaners I have or have used in the recent past. With assistance from two Pool Skims, of course.
Can't I just do some creative simple plumbing at pumping station so that I can switch over the return to a vac port and back. Use either valves or slip unions? When I had the Nature 2, commercial canister, a pool guy plumbed it for me so that I could take it out in winter and replace that section with one piece of pipe and a couple of 90s. The canisters kept freezing in winter even with pool water moving.
By having a dedicated suction port I can leave the cleaner in when it is not running (which I do already) and not have to undo it and redo it at the skimmer two or three times a day. And my skimmer would remain functional the whole time.
Even if the VF pump has to rev up some it still is less rpm than the booster pump and much more efficient.
I'm going to do it but would like some opinions on the best way. I would love to use valves so that I could easily choose between the two cleaners and just have to change out the return fitting especially after summer storms put more plant debris in the pool than normal days.
I already have one brand new Jandy, three way, never lube 2".
Thanks, gg=alice
My system is very simple. A couple of days ago I finally realized just how much of an energy HOG the booster pump for Polaris is. It is a 3450 rpm pump (I've been told that there are booster pump that have an even higher SFHP than mine), and I've been running it for years a minimum of 10 hours a day, year round, to keep my pool clean in our EXTREME environment. That's a lot of electricity. I'm looking to shave about $150 a month off my electric bill monthly even though the Intelliflo VF has to rev up a bit to give adequate suction. With clean filter, and main drain shut down about 1/2, connecting suction through skimmer the pump only has to get a little above 2300 rpm for good suction. As system is manual I have to go down and turn the valve by hand, which I don't like to do at night, (under deck and snakes) so I've left the main drain open last night. I didn't measure rpm last night.... will do tomorrow after I backwash.
The dedicated pressure line for Polaris 280 is 1.5" as is all other plumbing until after valves at pumping station which is 2".
I'm now using my Tracker 4X (Just like the POOLVERGNUEGEN - The Pool Cleaner) and it actually cleans the tiny dust better than the Polaris in much, much, much less time and doesn't stir it up on the bottom of pool. In summer most of my debris is the tiny dust, sand and silt.
I don't want to permanently discontinue using the Polaris as I really need it in messy fall and winter with all the blowing leaves from the woods. It does the best picking up leaves and other larger plant debris of the four cleaners I have or have used in the recent past. With assistance from two Pool Skims, of course.
Can't I just do some creative simple plumbing at pumping station so that I can switch over the return to a vac port and back. Use either valves or slip unions? When I had the Nature 2, commercial canister, a pool guy plumbed it for me so that I could take it out in winter and replace that section with one piece of pipe and a couple of 90s. The canisters kept freezing in winter even with pool water moving.
By having a dedicated suction port I can leave the cleaner in when it is not running (which I do already) and not have to undo it and redo it at the skimmer two or three times a day. And my skimmer would remain functional the whole time.
Even if the VF pump has to rev up some it still is less rpm than the booster pump and much more efficient.
I'm going to do it but would like some opinions on the best way. I would love to use valves so that I could easily choose between the two cleaners and just have to change out the return fitting especially after summer storms put more plant debris in the pool than normal days.
I already have one brand new Jandy, three way, never lube 2".
Thanks, gg=alice
