Pumps and Deck Jets...

[DMAN11]

We are considering doing 4 of the deck jets on our upcoming pool build. I was wondering though, about running them. I have read some posts that say you need separate pumps for water features and jets, and them some say you can use your main pump for the filtering AND extras. We will not be doing a waterfall or anything like that right now, we changed our mind on that, but we are considering the deck jets. We will have the Polaris 280 w/booster, so my question is this....

Can the booster pump from the 280 be used somehow to run the deck jets and the cleaner??
OR
would it be better to use the main 1hp to run them?
OR
still yet, would we need to buy a new pump all together for the deck jets?

PB says they won't do a 2-speed pump on the pool because they are used for gunite pools not vinyl. I truly believe that's a joke, but hey,,,we can work with that for now.

What I was thinking was in about a year or two just taking that 1hp installed now and putting it on the water jets, waterfall, etc.... then buying a 2 speed or variable speed for the pool system. This would of course be later on, after the finances have a chance to recoop. We would have to figure something until then.

Any help on this one would be appreciated......?

Thanks.....

DMAN

 

[JasonLion]

As so often happens the answer isn't completely clear cut. The 1 HP pump can run the deck jets just fine, but maybe not the regular returns and the deck jets at the same time. If you want the deck jets on all the time circulation might suffer. But if you just turn them on for an hour while you are out by the pool then no problem.

The booster pump is only suitable for a pressure side cleaner, not jets. You can get cleaners that don't require a booster pump, though there are minor disadvantages.

A 2 speed pump is always a good choice for any pool.

 

[Belldiver]

DMAN,

I wish mine was up and running so I could speak from experience, and not just what I've learned here...

I have three sheer descent waterfalls(12",18",12") and 4 deck jets in my build. I am going to use one pump, the Intelliflo VF. I believe you can use one pump for filtering and/or small water features if you pay careful attention to your plumbing arrangement and can isolate various features when you do or don't want them running. This may be more difficult with a single speed pump.

I don't believe using a single pump for a pool/spa combo would be quite as effective though, and definately not if you had some very large water features. I tallied up all the flow requirements for the three sheer descents and 4 deck jets and the Intelliflo can handle them easily with room to spare.

The only drawback is that pump isn't particularly cheap. $850 or so for the Intelliflo VS and $1100 or so for the Intelliflo VF. You could get two, single or two speed pumps for the price of the Intelliflo. I've been meaning to draw up my plumbing schematic soon and post it to get some feedback. Maybe I'll get to that tonight.

Jim

 

[whoozer]

I have a four deck jet feature on my pool with my new build. I bought the intelliflo vs to control them. I have isolated mine with separate actuator valves with my automation system so I can turn them on and off. I'll just need to tweek the rpms on my pump to get it up and running at the right flow.

I'm not and expert but I question if a 1 speed pump will be sufficient for what you want.

BTW- My pool is vinyl and my pump has a variable speed. That comment he made about two speed for gunite is bogus

The money you are going to spend on a good pump will pay for itself in a couple of years if you have a high electric bill.

 

[crazycanuck]

I run two deck jets with 4 returns with a 1.5 superflo. It depends how high you want to run your deck jets. By playing with the return valves you can either run them all or isolate them to shoot 30 feet into the air.

 

[DMAN11]

Guys, and (of course gals,,,whoozer.... ),

Thanks for the info, I really felt the same way about the 2-speed pump thing. The pb says that it's just asking for trouble and they don't do the 2-speed pumps in their vinyl pools. Coincidently, none of the other builders (4 others) do the 2-speed pumps either....don't know why, but they don't.

With that said, nothing is much clearer now...hehe but I do think I may go ahead and do the deck jets with the main pump, and try it out. If it hinders the circulation as Jason says, too much, I will just have to get something else to run them, or go ahead and get myself a 2-speed pump on my own..... or better yet, Hey belldiver, you wanna come hook up one of those intelliflo pumps for me???....hehehe

Bell,,,, I wish your stuff was up and runnin too, cause I'm just gonna have to come out there and check it out when you get it going. I don't think our stuff will be too elaborate, just a single waterfall, maybe 18" or 24" to be added later, and the 4 deck jets that will be put in at install (hopefully). We still need to negotiate with pb about it, but I read where whoozer said her's cost around $400, so I'm hoping we can work around that too.

Hey crazy, do you ever have any problems? Do you run them all the time, or only while not swimming, or when not filtering, or just any old time you want without any effect?


BTW, there is a pic in the slideshow of the big blue pool with deck jets and I can't remember who's it is. I remember looking at a thread showing the whole pool, deck, fire pit, gazebo,,,,,the works. Can you guys help remind me who the owner is again?


Thanks again everybody,,,

DMAN

 

[waste]

DMAN, you are going to have the line run for the potential waterfall while the pool is being built, right? It's easier now than having to run it later.

We have 4 pools with the deck fountain jets and they all operate off of the main 1 speed pump (1 1/2 - 2hp) I know that these folks are paying through the nose for the 1 speed, but I can't talk my boss into doing 2 speed pumps :x

Can't wait to see pics of your pool! :-D

 

[DMAN11]

Thanks Waste,,,,

The info is much appreciated, but unfortunately we spoke with someone today that had the same PB as us and they had the deck jets installed at a whopping $250 each,,,,,yes EACH..... They were actually running them off of the same 1hp Hayward Pump as the main system. Seemed to work really well, and looked really nice.

Oh well, the budget beckons again. I suppose we aren't gonna be able to add another $1000 to our budget at the drop of a hat like this so I guess their out. As for the waterfall feature, getting it piped in will cost "the cost of the pipe, that's about it", says the happy PB....another $250. I think the pvc they use is gold plated or something.... (BUT hey, the lottery is tomorrow.....and who knows, if we would ever buy a ticket, we might have a chance to win....hehehe)


........."Can't wait to see pics of your pool! "..........

Thanks, I can't wait to take pics...hehe. I'm starting to think some here can't wait to see those pics too, because then I will stop asking all these DARN QUESTIONS!!!.....hehe, I hope not though. Don't give up on me everybody, still on the learning curve..... :|

Thanks Again,,,,,

DMAN

 

[whoozer]

Dman- That's why it is hard to get excited about extra things when you haven't negotiated them with pb. Sometimes I think if you start from the beginning with them about stuff the price negotiates better because they want the job. But when you sign and then ask for extras you won't get a deal because they already have the job. $1,000 for deck jets is very unreasonable so that just proves the point.

FYI- When I wanted to change my pump after signing suddenly it was a $1000.00 extra when I know full well I could get the pump online for 849$ total. Thats a 651$ markup for a pump.

Lessoned learned I guess......why do I always have to learn the hard way

 

[DMAN11]

whoozer,,,,,

Yeah, I know about the signing stuff, but that is their price no matter what. They just don't negotiate any prices. We did actually talk to them before we signed with them, that's what you guys fail to realize. We have been talking with them and others for over a year now. We even had the guy out to the house to check our back yard before we changed our mind and went with the AG pool. Then cancelled that and came BACK to these guys. You see, these guys are 11 -12 weeks out behind a waiting list right now, so MY pool won't make or break THEM, but the thing is,,,, it's my only pool. But that doesn't matter to them though. That has been their attitude all along. BUT, that's one of the reasons we liked them, we truly feel that they will do what they say. (one of the reasons for the other cancellation) If we found a pb that could come do our pool next week, THAT would be scary. These guys have been building for like 25-30 years. Father and sons along with a few others (1 crew, not sub-contractors). We looked at pools of theirs that were 1, 5, 8, 10, 12, and 13 years old, and a couple of "in progress" pools too. All are still very nice and in very good shape.

As I said, the folks we spoke to about the jets, had their pool built last year and the jets cost them $1000 then, just like it would cost us now. I'm just a little upset that they won't even give a little bit..... not just for me, but for anyone.

Almost like their a lil cocky to a point,,,"You want us, you pay for us",,,,and according to all those we spoke to, they sure seem to be pretty good, so I hope the old addage holds true,,,,"Ya get what ya pay for".....

Oh well, I guess it's get the basics and work up from their....

And oh yeah, about that "learning the hard way" thing,,,,,,your welcome, because I think I may have been the one who started that....hehehe


Thanks,,,,,,

DMAN

 

[Belldiver]

What do ya think they'd do if you installed them yourself and ran the plumbing over to the pad? You can offer to release them of liability for any problems that happen from that portion of the installation.

Except for actually digging the trenches, I did all my own plumbing and installed my deck jets. And by the way, they are $95 each from Polaris, so that's almost $400 of that $1000. An additional $600 to install them seems a little high but not alot. They were the single most difficult item to get placed correctly right behind my coping bricks. All the rest of the plumbing is really easy.

Ask them if they'd mind if you plumbed them in yourself and ran the supply over to the equipment pad. It's really not that hard, I'll be glad to give you any pointers you need. You just need one helper to hold things in place while cutting and gluing, and a little shovel work. They can be pressure tested separately if need be.

It took me about 6 hours work to plumb my 4 deck jets with a friend helping out.

Jim

 

[waste]

I'm with Jim, if you want to do it yourself, I can talk you through it - PVC is pretty easy to work with and the connections to the brass deck jets is easy to do