Replacing Intex return with Hayward... same size hole??

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donnie5336

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May 25, 2012
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Hi all. I have an Intex Ultra Frame (i believe it's 18x52) and it came with the 1.5" lines with plunger valves, 1500 GPH pump, etc. I have replaced the pump/filter with the 2650 GPH sand filter/pump/SWG combo unit, and have installed a Hayward SP1091LX through-wall skimmer. I kept my existing water suction side outlet also, and have hard piped my pump inlet with PVC, with a Tee going to the original outlet and to my new skimmer... ball valves on each so I can use one or the other, or both. My skimmer came with a new return that is a regular eyeball type return and is 1.5" threaded on the inside. I want to install this so that I have a standard thread on my return so that in the future I can add an automatic cleaner without any extra mods. I plan to do this quickly with the pool full, so I was wondering beforehand if anyone knows if these Hayward returns go in the same size hole as my return that is already there? I don't want to take it all apart and have water gushing out just to realize that it doesn't fit. Thanks in advance for any replies. Also, does anybody know if this one regular sized return jet is going to be enough to handle the 2650GPH flow coming through? or is it going to increase the pressure on my lines and strain on my pump?

I also plan to attach some pics of my mods as soon as I get them.
 
Thanks... I'll probably wait until my wife or one of the kids are in the pool and I'll go ahead and have my bowl and razor knife out so I can trim if needed. What do you think about just having the one eyeball return? Is it going to increase the pressure and strain on my pump? The intex return seems fairly large but I want to get away from those non-standard threads

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Hi Donnie,
I think it will work fine. Strangely enough, I just received my two Hayward 1 1/2" return/inlet fittings in the mail & am ready to do the exact same thing that you are doing. I've already installed a hayward wide mouth skimmer to the left of my original intex intake & installed one hayward 1 1/2" return fitting with 3/4 " eyeball to the left of the original intex return.(each of them, I put over one section from the original or, i should say, over between the next set of upright posts.)These were installed in new areas of the pool with no intex ports.

I also installed the larger intex inlet & return fittings that came with my 2650 sand filter where the rotten glued in ports were.I had cut those nasty tubes out after tracing the new opening with the intex gasket that came with the bigger intex fitting.( i have a 15 foot by 48" easy set), Now, i want to go all 1 1/2" instead of intex's 40 mm.I had made some 40 mm to 1 1/2" adaptors which are on the intex return & inlet fittings now. I have used 1 1/4 & 1 1/2" pvc to hard plumb (almost) all the way to my new SWG & 2650 gph intex sand filter. i am still using 2 intex hoses from the pvc to the filter & SWg at this time.to see how the hole difference will be, I just set the Hayward 1 1/2' fitting up against an extra intex return fitting i have and the intex fitting is slightly larger at the gasket. I know this will not be a problem & will seal fine when i switch them out.I found that the hayward fitting i've already installed was a much better fitting design. It has two very squishy gaskets & a cork backer gasket which sealed up beautifully in the new hole i had cut for it.(and i'm a girl, ha-ha) good luck!
Mulia
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Donnie,
I'm sorry such a long confusing post i just made. The bottom line is... the intex fitting hole is slightly LARGER than the 1 1/2" hayward fitting. You won't be cutting a bigger hole. Your hole will be a little bit too big from the original intex fitting but not too big to leak!

Hope that makes sense!!

Mulia
 
Donnie
Sorry, as to your other question, would one return & two inlets increase the pressure alot? yes!!! i shut off one of my returns completely with the two inlets fully open & my sand filter popped it's gasket! no biggie, i took it apart & found sand had shot up into the o ring area. I cleaned it out well, put it back together & made sure i either keep evrything open or inlets & outlets are adjusted equally. No further gasket poppings around here!! I guess if you will only have one return, you may have to keep your two inlets half open, or play around with it.I caught it quick & didn't break anything, but i'm not sure both inlets fully open will work without the pressure popping your sand filter open.

Mulia
 
Hi,
We just did the same thing. We have an Intex Ultra frame, 9-x 18, and installed the same Hayward skimmer. The Intex holes are bigger than the Hayward, so we cut another return for it, and we are using the Intex return as a second return. We left the Intex inlet closed using the valve it came with. We installed it before the pool was full, and put in the skimmer, then cut the hole. I used the gasket of the new return to trace a hole then cut with exacto knife. It went pretty well. We have better.circulation and pressure. Our hose did blow off at first so we switched to a pvc t fitting for the two returns from the filter. Works great now. We will make a fountain out of the second return, borrowing ideas from this board. Not sure what we will do with the original Intex outlet.
Long answer to your question, but Intex is non standard size. Lots of folks here make their own converters, but I'm not that handy.
Let's us know what happens and good luck with it.
Cheers,
Liz

Northern California 9 X 18 Intex Ultra Frame Pool (mint in the box), 1 hp Hayward C-400 pump & cartridge filter Twins (Boy/Girl) 10 yrs old
 

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Thanks for all the replies. Just finished all my upgrade mods this afternoon. PVC all around and made a fountain also. I ended up cutting a new hole for the Hayward return and have two returns now. Loving it so far (and the kids really like the fountain!!). Pics to come soon!!

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Congrats on the new skimmer and fountain! Way to go!
We are making a fountain as well. How did you make yours? How many holes did you drill and how far apart?
Now your kids will swim all day and fall asleep early, exhausted from all of the fun!
Cheers,
Liz
 
I put a tee in my return line and ran pvc straight up parallel with one of the pool support legs. A 90 degree elbow at the top into another tee and one foot of pvc on each side of the tee with caps. My holes were about an inch apart, maybe a little more. I'll have to count and see but I guess somewhere around 18-20 holes total. At first I only drilled in the actual pipe but there was a small gap in the middle of my water stream so I went back and drilled holes in the tee also. Holes were drilled with a 1/8" bit. Hope to have pics up tomorrow.

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Hi donnie5336,
Thanks for the info!
donnie5336 said:
I put a tee in my return line and ran pvc straight up parallel with one of the pool support legs. A 90 degree elbow at the top into another tee and one foot of pvc on each side of the tee with caps. My holes were about an inch apart, maybe a little more. I'll have to count and see but I guess somewhere around 18-20 holes total. At first I only drilled in the actual pipe but there was a small gap in the middle of my water stream so I went back and drilled holes in the tee also. Holes were drilled with a 1/8" bit. Hope to have pics up tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Your design sounds familiar to what we did. Thanks for the info on the holes. We will probably do the same. Was it hard to drill through the tee its self? That's a great idea.
Will show pics when done.
Looking forward to seeing your pics too!
Cheers,
Liz and Dave
 
I realize this is a very old thread.. but i'm doing something similar with my current build

Is it ok to add a second hayward say 14" or 12" below the old one and only use this new one.. is it too deep for a single return setup?

I saw some just go with the wider hole and dont leak into the existing.. i'm thinking ill cap that one off and just make a new return either 12" below the old or maybe slightly to the right and 6" down, unsure
 
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