Converting from IG Vinyl to ??? and relocation of filter

[Sunny John]

Well a new season upon us here in the Northern Hemisphere, and I for one am happy about that.

I have an IG Vinyl pool whose liner will most likely need to replaced next year (10 years).
Wondering if it is possible/desirable to convert it to - what? Plaster? Something else?
I did not install the pool, but the last time the liner was replaced I observed the walls were
stainless steel (or galvanized aluminum?), the hopper and floor are of course sand. I'm thinking
I already have a hole in the ground, and if I want to change the shape, etc....this might be
the time to do it.

Separate from that, how difficult is it to relocate the mechanicals? The pump/filter are in an
area I'd like to use for something else. There is electricity in the "new" area, because there's
an underwater light at that end of the pool.

I'd only do the relocation as part of the liner replacement or conversion.

Thanks!

 

[JasonLion]

Changing the shape of the pool will cost very nearly as much as building a brand new pool. The only savings is some excavation, but the existing pool structure needs to be removed which cancels out that savings, and any equipment you are keeping, which is usually only a very small fraction of the cost of a build. You could change the depth in various parts of the pool or add stairs or resurface the deck without too much trouble. But an actual shape change is a major job.

Moving the equipment pad is not too bad but it will still be significant. You have to get access to the pipes somewhere that isn't under the deck and re-route them to the new location. Plus you will need to run a new electrical line. The pump draws a lot of power and there is no way it can run off a circuit put in to power a light. That means trenching, plumbing, and electrical, way less then building a new pool but not trivial.

 

[skinsfan44]

Moving the equipment pad is not too bad but it will still be significant. You have to get access to the pipes somewhere that isn't under the deck and re-route them to the new location. Plus you will need to run a new electrical line. The pump draws a lot of power and there is no way it can run off a circuit put in to power a light. That means trenching, plumbing, and electrical, way less then building a new pool but not trivial.

Out of curiosity, is there a max distance you can move the pump/filter before performance suffers? If you move it a certain distance, will you need a larger pump? Or, since it is a closed system, it can be as far as you want?

 

[JasonLion]

The further the pipe need to run from the equipment pad to the pool the more energy it takes to move the water through the pipes. At some point the energy required is more than the pump can provide and you need a larger pump. You can minimize this effect by using larger diameter pipes. Larger pipes have less friction and less energy is lost when pumping water through them.

Performance suffers right away, but it may not be a big deal if the distance is small. How quickly you get to the point of needing a larger pump depends on many details of your plumbing and is a little tricky to calculate.

 

[Sunny John]

Thanks. Another reason I was looking to move the equipment is to help with water circulation. The pool is
more or less rectangular, 18x36. The skimmer inlet and returns are on the same (long) wall, which I guess is
normal. However, aiming/re-aiming the two eyeball jets on the returns still creates a dead zone (ie no water movement)
at the deep end of the pool. I was thinking that by relocating the skimmer at the deep end, I'd get better circulation,
since there would be an active inlet there. Plus the prevailing wind/breeze is from the shallow end to the deep end...