Comments on plumbing please

[Sticky]

Hi
Just over a year ago I installed a intelliflo VF , I went from having a pump 1100 watt for filtration and a 600 watt for the solar . The solar was seperate from the filter plumbing and drew in from the inlets on the left of the diagram and hot water came out from the single outlet on the left .

When I installed the VF I plumbed it so that when the solar is running, the cool water is now drawn in from the skimmer up through the panel/strips down and back out through the original deep outlet .

The problem is that the chlorinator keeps running (a simple timed dosing system) but there is no flow of water until the solar stops and if the solar runs for a few hours then theres no chlorine going in and the chlorine is building up in the pipe .

So i started thiking how I could use the two redundent solar suctions as a safety in case the skimmer got clogged also using the left over jandy energy filter to act a bit like a skimmer basket . I would also plumb the solar return into the main return adding the solar outlet to that line .

Any suggestions as valves to limit flows or balancing flow or well just any ideas at all would be welcome .

thanks
David

 

[JasonLion]

That all looks very reasonable.

You are going to want at least one check valve, probably two, but otherwise it looks great. The important check valve is after the filter, so that water coming down from the solar system can't run through the filter backwards when the pump is off. Many people also like to have a check valve on the solar return line just before it joins back up with the main return line so that the panels don't pressurize while they are off.

 

[Sticky]

Great , yes I already have a check valve on tythe pipe going up to solar after the filter and yes was also thinking about one for the return thanks for reminding me .

Thanks

 

[Sticky]

Another thing I quite like the idea of have a fine stream bubbles coming out of the deep end outlet rising to the top and creating a sparkly champange effect when they pop at the surface , could I use a venturi spa jet plumb in on the pipe leading to the deep end outlet ? could I get the bubles fine enough ?

thanks

 

[JasonLion]

It is tricky to get exactly the bubble effect you describe, but it can be done. The best thing to get is a separate venturi fitting for the deep end outlet feed pipe with a valve on the air feed so you can adjust it until it is just right.

 

[Sticky]

something like this just seal one end off so its a elbow ??

 

[Sticky]

Yes ive seen on the net where people with spas run a pipe up near the deck and use a screw cap to adjust the air flow so there could turn it off completely if desired . Well might as well try it Iam sure to get some effect at least .

If anyone else has experiance with these please add ideas .

thanks again J Lion

 

[Sticky]

Ive just got my Jandy check valve and where I was going to install it is a vertical section of the solar return , the issue is the instructions that come with the valve say that in the vertical position you need the weight of the water to keep the valve shut , so will the pressure from the pump be enough to seal it with out any hammer type effect as the pressure equalizes on either side of the one way valve or are there specsialized vales for this type of thing .

thanks

 

[Bama Rambler]

Yes, the pump pressure will keep the valve closed without issue.