Guidance on skimmer/inlet placement

[dbh369]

We are rebuilding an old pool, which currently has zero plumbing in the walls, concrete, 40x18 ft, 30,000gal. One long wall of the pool is exposed (its on a hill) while the rest is buried. We are thinking two skimmers, opposite corners of the long sides. To minimize digging, we'd like just to excavate one side, so looking for three inlets, two on exposed long wall, and one in middle of short wall deep end (easy access there, hard on shalow end). We'll also put a draing on the bottom, exposed wall, with safety cover. So, 3 in, 3 out. Using a 1.5hp (FR) 2-speed Jandy to pump.

Comments? How deep should inlets be? Any spacing recommendations or guildelines?

TIA!

 

[dbh369]

One more question on safety hook up, I understand the drain should be connected to one other suction such that you can break vacuum if some thing our someone gets sucked in. But I also here people talking about running just their drain at times. Is this allowable per code, having valves that can be set this way?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Your plumbing plan sounds reasonable. I'd put one skimmer on the downwind side if possible.

You have to have VGB compliant drains or a SVRS device in order to be able to run only on main drains. That requires 2 main drains 3' apart hooked to a common header without any valves between them or a pump that incorporates SVRS or a dedicated SVRS device.

 

[dbh369]

On the drains, does that mean the system must be designed such that you can't possibly configure for drain only (e.g. hard plumbed to at least one skimmer line) or only that I DON"T run it that way? Its nice to have valves on all the lines...

I only plan on one drain. With the above scheme, I'd like to have valves on all skimmer and drain lines if that doesnt' cause a violation...

PS, thanks for the feedback!

 

[Bama Rambler]

If you valve each line and you only have one main drain, you'll have to either have a pump with SVRS built in or a separate SVRS device. There are several companies that make SVRS devices.