Plumbing questions

[Garet Jax]

2 inch plumbing is good, 2 1/2" is better! Use the same size coming and going, and loop the return system to balance the flow on the returns. Use large diameter pipe (1 1/2") for the return penetrations in to the pool, and have them run them in 90 degrees to the pool wall, and install directional eyeballs to direct flow. Three returns is good, 4 is probably better!

Can you please help me understand this better?

1) you say use the same size coming and going, but then say use 1.5" for return penetrations to the pool. Seems to say two different things.
2) when you say loop the systems, could you please describe what you mean?
3) when you say 90 degrees to the pool wall, do you mean that some installers make the returns meet the pool walls at something other than a right angle?
4) how deep behind the pool wall should the return extend at a 90 degree before elbowing or changing angle

Thanks a lot - new to this stuff and just trying to understand better.

 

[Bama Rambler]

1. It kinda is saying two different things. Picture a loop of piping around the pool. That would be the 2½" pipe. Then you have to get from the loop into the pool, so from the loop through the pool wall will be the 1½" pipes.

2. That means make a big loop all the way around the pool so flow can go either direction to balance the flow to all returns equally.

3. Some times they run them parallel to the wall and then stick a 90º ell right at the wall. They should run straight from the loop to the wall at 90º to teh wall. No jogs.

4. It should extend all the way to the loop.

 

[Garet Jax]

1. It kinda is saying two different things. Picture a loop of piping around the pool. That would be the 2½" pipe. Then you have to get from the loop into the pool, so from the loop through the pool wall will be the 1½" pipes.

2. That means make a big loop all the way around the pool so flow can go either direction to balance the flow to all returns equally.

3. Some times they run them parallel to the wall and then stick a 90º ell right at the wall. They should run straight from the loop to the wall at 90º to teh wall. No jogs.

4. It should extend all the way to the loop.

Nicely explained thanks. Does that mean that all returns should be at the same height in the pool so they can join the loop without a jog?

 

[jblizzle]

There is sometimes a desire to put some returns lower in the deep end ... using a jog should be fine (and required) for them. The idea is to just reduce the number of turns to lower the head loss and make all the returns equal.

 

[Garet Jax]

There is sometimes a desire to put some returns lower in the deep end ... using a jog should be fine (and required) for them. The idea is to just reduce the number of turns to lower the head loss and make all the returns equal.

Instead of putting in a jog, could we angle the loop so that instead of being horizontal it would have one side higher than the other. Then we could put the returns to the deep end on the low side and the returns to the shallow end on the high side. This would allow us to install the returns with no jogs at 2 different heights.

 

[jblizzle]

you could do that, just depends where you want the return jets. Some pools have then around toward the top and then an additional one down low. Mine are all up top.

I would think the only reason to maybe want a deep one in the pool would be if you did not have a floor drain that was partially used for circulation.