Ideas for plumbing intex bottom drain to pump for solar

[mrmacdad12]

I would like to use the pre-installed drain to supply water to a 1000g/hr intex pump to run my solar.

The new intex 637R pump I have uses new 1" hoses, a step down from 1.25" from previous years.

I was going to use the supplied fitting that screws into the drain (pic2) then add a inline shut off (pic1) then the garden hose.(not shown) (threading on the drain in the pool is very odd ball)

need ideas to go from the garden hose to the pump inlet hose or inlet itself. I have both 1" and 1.25" hoses at my disposal, along with the plastic reducing bushings that came with the 1.25" hoses.

The 3rd picture is something I found on the WEB pretty much doing the same thing but has no shut off. (I want a shut off)

Also having a little leakage with my output going in to my solar collector, ill take picture tomorrow showing where problem is, its a real frankenstein!

 

[mrmacdad12]

So I attempted to use the drain plug adapter (pic 2) above with the shut off attached (pic 1) FAILED!!!!!!!!!!

I did find something that I think is going to work very well.

The garden hose style stuff was a good idea but I think it would have been very restrictive since the valves are much smaller then the hose diameter itself.

I got to go to the store to get some more stuff so I can try my next idea.

 

[Charlie_R]

Check out some of the ways I've done things ..... here.

 

[mrmacdad12]

Will the 637r pump pull up and over the top rail? I want to pull water from the bottom hence reason for using existing drain plug but if the hose was to come off it would let all water out of pool.

 

[Charlie_R]

Yes, it will, if you are careful with priming it. I didn't have any problems once I figured that out.

You could even get a replacement large fitting and plunger valve, install that, and use a fernco or short piece of bicycle tube to go between the valve and 1" pvc pipe kinda like this:









Yes, those are cheap Dollar General pool noodles used to insulate the return pipe. I've found that it does make a difference over the 20' of pipe back to the pool.

Please do understand that I'm the kind of guy that is very likely to use what I have on hand rather than buy specialty products. However, this system seems to be working for now.

 

[mrmacdad12]

UPDATE!

Pleased to announce that day 1 was a success with new setup!

will have pictures tomorrow!

BRING ON THE SUNSHINE!

Going to attempt to run the pump without the filter, see how that works. I have my larger sand filter to do the filtering. Plus I never liked cleaning those paper filters anyways.

 

[Charlie_R]

I run my 637R without a filter, mainly for the better flow rate through the heater. I've never liked draw through filtering, anyway. Good way to starve a pump and burn it out if the filter gets clogged.

 

[mrmacdad12]

Pics as promised!







For the connection to the pool drain plug fitting I used the reducing bushing found in the older Intex 637R pump hoses. I added a cut piece of rubber from my old smaller wall connections which were laying around lol and hose clamped onto the drain fitting. for connection to the PVC the reducing bushing slide firmly onto the 1inch PVC then hose clamped. The newer 637R pump came with 1inch hose which goes onto the 1 inch PVC with a hose clamp and no bushings needed.

 

[mrmacdad12]

I'm def not getting 1000/gal-hr flow rate id say prob more like 200 at most. Im only running 1 collector of 200ft black poly. I think im going to make a second collector and use the return that doesnt go to the collector and then I will have a second solar feed instead of 400 foot and 1 feed. we shall see. maybe a 3rd feed and collector who knows. this will be a on going cheap project.

 

[mrmacdad12]

Water started at 68* Sat morning, got up to 74*. Covered pool overnight.

Water started at 71* Sun morning, got up to 76* pool is currently covered now.

Going to shoot for 80* tomorrow, pool will be un-covered around 7am and heater will be running till 3pm.


As for adding a second collector, I will have to purchase some more material. more on that later!.

 

[Charlie_R]

That's working quite well for you. Congrats!

 

[mrmacdad12]

Thanks for the help, and some ideas. working great!

Pool hit 80* today so im def impressed! appox 12* in 3 days. ill take it!

Figured id add a few thing to make the solar heater a little better. I managed to re-use the smaller strainer that was included with the pool that I wasn't using. I used it over the inside plug so the rubber flap plug doesnt suck shut when the pump is running, had a pool full of kids for 3 days and it never moved it just sits there. Also got this timer cheap, less then 10 bucks. It operates opposite of what I need (dusk-dawn) but I just put a piece of electrical tape over the photoeye so it works as just a timer for me. 6hrs is what I use, on at 9am (manually) off at 3pm (automatically) the sun doesnt hit the coil good until 830-900 and it starts to get shadowed by the pool starting around 3pm





I think I may build another collector this weekend, a couple rolls of poly is like 25 bucks and I already have the other half of my plywood and still some paint. I will have to redo my output plumbing, I was thinking remove my T fitting and install a cross fitting using another valve and run the non heated return off the middle. think it might just work!