Has anyone figured exactly how many GPM the Intex plunger valves and large hoses will flow. I can't take anymore of this swapping and cleaning filters every 2 days.
Flow rates of Intex plunger valves and hoses.
- Thread starter UPSguy
- Start date
I'm not useing the plunger valves on my pool so I never really thought about it.
Questions.
Why are you wanting to know what the flow rates are if you are just cleaning dirty filters?
Are you wanting to upgrade to a stronger pump?
Are you fighting algae?
Post a set of pool numbers.
FC:
CC:
TC:
PH:
TA:
CH:
CYA:
Salt:
I am not trying to be a jerk, so I'll apologize in advance as I'm sure this will come out terribly wrong. What does posting my numbers have to do with wanting to know how many GPM the stock plunger valves will flow. My numbers are right were they should be and the water is very clear now that I'm running the stock pump 24/7.
I am curious as I see you guys doing a great job hard plumming the intex pumps. I am looking at getting away from the intex pump. We were thinking of upgrading to a 27' pool before the end of the season but am now thinking why waste a perfectly good pool? Nothing wrong with the pool, just the POS pump/filter. So I was thinking that if the stock plunger valves and hoses would flow enough water I'd get the part listed earlier at In the Swim that adapts the the stock intex fitting to a 1.5" thread for drop in a real pump and filter.
Again, please excuse my reply, just getting ready to go to bed after my 12 hour night and the question just hit me wrong. YOu are doing a GREAT job with your fitting threads.
I am curious as I see you guys doing a great job hard plumming the intex pumps. I am looking at getting away from the intex pump. We were thinking of upgrading to a 27' pool before the end of the season but am now thinking why waste a perfectly good pool? Nothing wrong with the pool, just the POS pump/filter. So I was thinking that if the stock plunger valves and hoses would flow enough water I'd get the part listed earlier at In the Swim that adapts the the stock intex fitting to a 1.5" thread for drop in a real pump and filter.
Again, please excuse my reply, just getting ready to go to bed after my 12 hour night and the question just hit me wrong. YOu are doing a GREAT job with your fitting threads.
I had to re-reply, was off to bed but wanted to make sure there's no hard feelings here as I love this forum. I'm worried about hard pluming the pool because with my son and 2 or 3 of his little friends in the pool wanting me to throw them around the walls get moving pretty good. Worried about ripping the fittings right out of the liner if hard piped. My current thinking (changes rapidly the more I learn from you all here) is to go ahead and get the pump and filter I'll put on the "real" pool and install it on the Intex now. Time in my day being as short as it is I also don't want to go through the effort making hard lines to have them not be useable with the new pool later. If I can use the stock fittings that would be great but wanted to know the flow rate so I don't accidently blow them off the pool when nobody is looking with a real pump hooked up.
As for my numbers
FC 2
AL 100
Ph 7.6
CH 100
cya 60
salt 3160
Again, please excuse my previous snappy answer.
As for my numbers
FC 2
AL 100
Ph 7.6
CH 100
cya 60
salt 3160
Again, please excuse my previous snappy answer.
There is no such thing as a flow rate for a fitting like that. Flow rates come from the combination of the pump and all of the plumbing fittings taken together as a system. You can't speak about a flow rate for a single fitting taken alone. Therefore your question as stated doesn't make any sense. We are trying to find out more about your situation so we can help you figure out why you need to clean your filter so frequently.
With CYA at 60 and a SWG the minimum FC level is 3. Your FC level is only 2. That could result in a low level algae problem, which could be clogging up your filter much more quickly than usual. A CYA of 60 is also a little lower for use with a SWG. We recommend CYA be between 70 and 80 with a SWG.
Your existing fittings can be used with a larger pump. They are not idea for the higher pressures that a larger pump will create, and won't last as long in that situation as they would otherwise, but they should hold up more than long enough to last till you get a new pool.
With CYA at 60 and a SWG the minimum FC level is 3. Your FC level is only 2. That could result in a low level algae problem, which could be clogging up your filter much more quickly than usual. A CYA of 60 is also a little lower for use with a SWG. We recommend CYA be between 70 and 80 with a SWG.
Your existing fittings can be used with a larger pump. They are not idea for the higher pressures that a larger pump will create, and won't last as long in that situation as they would otherwise, but they should hold up more than long enough to last till you get a new pool.
True there isn't a "flow rate" for an individual fitting like that but there has to be some flow restriction within the valve body itself as it's not 1.5" thru the valve like the hoses are.
No hard feelings here.
As Jason said your question really didn't sound right. Having to clean your filter that often sounded like you have a possible problem going on with the water in your pool. Not having any description of your water led to my questions and asking for your numbers.
The plunger valves are very restrictive. I would not use them if you upgrade to a bigger/stonger pump. As for the actual fittings on the pool, they will work just fine with any pump. The opening of the fittings are at least 1.5" and have no obstructions in them.
If you don't want to go the Hard Plumb Route I would at least ditch the plunger valves and replce with standard PVC ball valves. They are non restrictive and you can still shut off the flow of water if you need to.
As Jason said your question really didn't sound right. Having to clean your filter that often sounded like you have a possible problem going on with the water in your pool. Not having any description of your water led to my questions and asking for your numbers.
The plunger valves are very restrictive. I would not use them if you upgrade to a bigger/stonger pump. As for the actual fittings on the pool, they will work just fine with any pump. The opening of the fittings are at least 1.5" and have no obstructions in them.
If you don't want to go the Hard Plumb Route I would at least ditch the plunger valves and replce with standard PVC ball valves. They are non restrictive and you can still shut off the flow of water if you need to.
If you connected a large enough pump you could pass a huge amount of water through that fitting, way way way way more than you would ever use with a residential swimming pool.
Saying "flow restriction" is closer to the right idea, but still misses the mark. There is no restriction on the maximum flow, rather think of it as resistance to flow. The fitting resists flow a little, but the actual flow depends on the total resistance in the entire plumbing system and how hard the pump is pushing against that resistance. In this case, the resistance of the valve is relatively small compared to the total resistance of the plumbing system, so not usually worth worrying too much about unless you are being energy conscious and trying to optimize overall system efficiency.
Saying "flow restriction" is closer to the right idea, but still misses the mark. There is no restriction on the maximum flow, rather think of it as resistance to flow. The fitting resists flow a little, but the actual flow depends on the total resistance in the entire plumbing system and how hard the pump is pushing against that resistance. In this case, the resistance of the valve is relatively small compared to the total resistance of the plumbing system, so not usually worth worrying too much about unless you are being energy conscious and trying to optimize overall system efficiency.
OK, I must have really been tired, I never sleep till 4:15. Mark, certainly glad there is no hard feelings as I have truly enjoyed many of your posts. I started running the intex pump 24/7 to try getting rid of the very fine silt like dirt on the bottom from one of my other posts. I also used someones suggestion and put some pantyhose around the outlet when I vaccumed and haven't had any dirt laying on the bottom since. You guys might be right, I might have a slight algee problem since the filter doesn't really seem dirty when I when it starts slowing down.
I really wasn't trying to solve any water chemisty problem with this thread since I didn't think I had one (maybe I do). I was just trying to ask in my inept way (even worse when I'm tired) if I could hook up a real pump and filter to the intex fittings with out blowing them right off the side of the pool or causing the real pump undue stress trying to pump through the small fittings.
Let me try asking this in a slightly different way please. If I hooked up some efficent (to be determined with your help) 3/4hp pump to a 200 sq' or larger filter, would the fittings and hose be up to the task?
Again, thank you for your help and sorry for my smart @#$ first response, I really do love this forum and have found this to be the most friendly, hospitable group on the web.
I really wasn't trying to solve any water chemisty problem with this thread since I didn't think I had one (maybe I do). I was just trying to ask in my inept way (even worse when I'm tired) if I could hook up a real pump and filter to the intex fittings with out blowing them right off the side of the pool or causing the real pump undue stress trying to pump through the small fittings.
Let me try asking this in a slightly different way please. If I hooked up some efficent (to be determined with your help) 3/4hp pump to a 200 sq' or larger filter, would the fittings and hose be up to the task?
Again, thank you for your help and sorry for my smart @#$ first response, I really do love this forum and have found this to be the most friendly, hospitable group on the web.
I just measured the inside of the intex fittings and they are a 1 7/8" opening. I have another standard return fitting and it has a 1 1/2" opening. So with that being said, you will no problem hooking up a bigger/stronger pump. No need to worry. Like I said before, hook up a standard ball valve to the fittings instead of using the Intex plunger valves.
Keep us posted on what you decide to do.
Keep us posted on what you decide to do.
As a temporary solution till we decide what pool we are going to buy and when, could we pull the junk B filter out of the pump and hook up a real filter?
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