New Pump Install

[mas956]

Hi All,

New member here. We recently moved to a house with a 16,000 gallon IG pool with waterfall, Polaris 360 sweep and Pentair CCP filter. The 1.5 hp single speed Hayward is so weather- beaten that I can't get a model #, but that's okay - I plan to replace it soon with a Pentair Intelliflo and would like to get some feedback on simplifying the layout and hopefully leaving enough room on the 33" x 60" pad for a gas heater soon as well.
Here is how the pipes are laid out left to right in the picture:
1. Suction
2. Sweep (Polaris 360)
3. Waterfall by-pass; return to skimmer
4. Pool returns
5. waterfall

Three way valves:
1. Pump outflow between sweep and filter in
2. Filter outlet between waterfall bypass and pool returns
3. Pool returns.
Questions:
1. When I re-do the plumbing, do I need all three valves or can I eliminate any?
2. There is a solenoid-looking valve (defunct) on top of the waterfall bypass - I think I can cut that and the filter above it out, right? I was told it was for a chlorinator or some such I will not be using.
3. i think I can rotate the pump 90 degrees on the pad and move the filter about a foot closer to the wall/house. Will I be able to shoe-horn a heater in there or should I look to enlarging the pad?

Thanks for any and all advice!

--Mark

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

Sorry no one got back to you yet.

For your questions:
1. I am not sure ... I don't understand what the waterfall bypass is for. Why would there need to be 2 pipes running to the waterfall? If you do not need one of them, then you could likely get rid of one of the return valves.

2. Could be a check valve? Picture is too small (try hosting them on Photobucket and posting a link) What filter are you talking about, the one on the Polaris line? You need to have the pre-filter for the cleaner since you are not use water that has already gone through the main filter.

3. I would suggest enlarging the pad. It is the worst when everything is all tightly packed and then you need to try to make some kind of plumbing repair. You could get rid of some of the turns by leaving the pump as is and rotating the filter by 90 degrees so you have a straight shot in and only 1 turn out of the filter toward the return pipes.

BTW, Your username is extremely similar to one of our experts here.

 

[mas956]

Thanks for the reply, Jason! I realized after I registered that my user name was very similar to an expert on the forum. For my part, I'll try my darnedest to not provide any remotely-sounding expert advice until I've been here lonmg enough to actually do so!

I'll try and get some better photos posted to photobucket - I'm really hoping to understand the flow/piping before I start modifying things and will appreciate any input I can get improving the situation.

--Mark