Intex sand filter semi hard plumbed

[TCJ4]

So today i started semi hard plumbing the pool.i found a adapter that uses the nuts that comes with the hoses.
The adapter lets you go directly to 2" pvc.
Now i have a thru the wall skimmer and a bottom drain hooked up to the pump and also 2 return goin back to the pool.

I also used the plunger valve for the bottom drain and for one of the return.
So far i just had some minor leaks where i used the adapter with the plungervalve,but i just put some teflon tape on the plungervalve fitting and so far no leaks.

 

[bdvillanueva]

Nice job on using the drain line as a bottom feed pump imput. I'll have to try that eventually. Was the adapter you found to fit the hoses a standard 1.25" PVC union? Also, what did you use for the connection from the hose drain to the plumger adapter that came with the sand filter? Is that the "adapter B" connector from the sand filter just tighted hard over the drain fitting for the pool, or is htere something else?

 

[TCJ4]

I don't know the name of the adapter,but i just cut the nut from the hoses that comes with the sand filter and use the adapter/i think the hoses that comes with sand filter is 1.5"
The adapter lets me use any 2"pvc fitting.
I also used the big inlet and outlet that comes with the sand filter,i didn't use the B-adapters because they tend to fall off.i used the adapter also on the plungervalves because the nut that comes with the hoses fits directly in the plungervalve,

 

[bdvillanueva]

Wants to thank you for your help. I successfuly hard-plumbed my own Intex 15 foot pool 2 days ago using essentially the same technique.

In case anyone else wants to do the same and finds this thread, here's the fittings I used:

1. The connection to the pump input uses one of the nuts that I cut off the long flex-hoses that comes with the sand filter. I took one of those nuts, and dropped a 1 1/2 to 1 1/4 inch reducer bushing inside the nut (Home Depot had it). The lip on the bushing keeps it from falling clean through, and it's that lip which mates to the rubber O-ring on the pump input. I glued a 1 1/2" PVC T fitting on the back side of the bushing to hold the nut on. With that nut screwed onto my pump, the pump is now mated to PVC.
[attachment=2:17toazir]IMG_3609.jpg[/attachment:17toazir]
2. The connection from the bottom drain uses a standard hose thread to PVC thread adapter. I used Flex PVC line to run that back to my T fitting, inserting a valve inbetween so I can turn off the bottom drain input if I want to. That's all standard PVC work, and I used 1 inch line for it, since the valves and fittings were cheaper than 1.5 inch. I stepped it up right at the T fitting into the pump.

3. The connection to the skimmer uses my original lousy pump as an elbow. (Those Amazon adapters looked too terpermental) At Home Depot, I found a rubber coupling that's intended for use in drain lines (not pressure rated). Since I was using it on the input side instead of the output though, I guessed it would work. The hose clamps sealed around the end of the original pump, and a piece of 1.25" flex-PVC fit perfecty into the other side, which also sealed with a hose clamp. Viola - pump now mated to PVC. After that, I ran flex-PVC again back to my T fitting, again with a valve to control the flow from the skimmer.
[attachment=1:17toazir]IMG_3616.jpg[/attachment:17toazir]
Rubber coupling is here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00077PW22, but cheaper at Home Depot.

Finally, here's a shot of the whole setup:

[attachment=0:17toazir]IMG_3615.jpg[/attachment:17toazir]

The pool input end I haven't tackled and don't plan to, since it works fine. However, I'm getting much stronger pump output now that I have 2 inputs (bottom drain and skimmer). I'm hoping the bottom drain will cut down on the vaccuming as well.

Thanks not only to TCJ, but others whose posts I borowed from. Without this board, I would never have attempted modifying any of this stuff.

 

[TCJ4]

No problem, i have the pool up for over a month.and at first i had to vacuum daily to keep the floor clean nut since hardplumbing everything i have noticed that i can go longer without vacuuming and if i have to vacuum it's only a few spots that takes me like 5 min to complete.

I have also noticed the pressure on the tank goes down if u had to two inlet and outlet.first it was clean pressure 10 and with hard plumbed 8.

I have two returns one if half way up the wall and one is at the bottom so i can get better water movement