Check Valve Help!

Jump to latest Follow Reply
T

TazJMT

0
Jun 19, 2014
111
Spotswood, NJ
Hello All,

So I put an inline chlorinator into my system last year-above ground 21 foot round pool. At the end of the season last year after only a few months, I found that my check valve had failed and it was letting the chlorine go back into the filter. I went back to the pool store and they replaced it for free. This year, I again put the check valve in (between the filter and chlorinator) horizontally (and facing the right way and all that) and tested it first by taking the plumbing and putting a garden hose into the end that would be the return end. I turned the water on and it worked perfectly, didn't let water exit on the other side (filter side), only backed up the water toward the return side. 7 days later, I had a suspicion it had failed again and took the plumbing system out and did the garden hose test again. this time, it let the water through the other side (check valve flap not engaging).

I am using trichlor pucks if that matters. Also, the chlorinator is mounted on the ground below the level of the filter and the return on the pool (via 90 degree elbows to get it down there). The brand is FLO and it is a flapper type check valve.

Is this the wrong kind? What am I doing wrong here? The pool store said they will give me another kind-the type that is always closed and needs front pressure to open rather than the flap that is always open and requires back pressure to close. But I am afraid this kind that needs front pressure to open will restrict the flow into the return because of the valve mechanism in the center of the valve (the flapper kind which is very open allows maximum flow)

Please help me, this is VERY frusterating!
 
I would recommend a Spring Check Valve. This does not rely on gravity and can be mounted in any position.

Many of the swing or "flapper" type check valves are rated for gravity flow and are not designed for a pressure piping system such as a pool.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Oh and what would happen if the chlorinated water was allowed to back up into the filter for too long? A manager-sh guy at the pool store told me that worse comes to worse it would eat at the seal in the filter head and be a $50 fix. Not that I want that, but is this accurate? For reference, I have a Hayward sand filter S166T
 
Not that It seems that this thread is getting many hits, but to add to my questions above-does it matter how close I put the check valve to the chlorinator? The pool store guy that gave it to me to replace the old one said it should be about a foot away. Mine was only a few inches.

For references, this is the one he gave me. http://www.amazon.com/Pentair-R1722...kmr1&keywords=rainbow+pentair+check+valve+pvc

It's got a spring, but it's not a flapper like the Jandy, it's kinda of like a smaller circle instead the pipe that opens up when pressure hits it. I am worried about the flow I will get from it. The directions say it can be mounted in any orientation-does that mean I can do vertical also? gravity would be working against the check valve staying closed in that situation, but the spring feels REALLY tight. I would love to keep it vertical as that wouild give me distance from the chlorinator and less visable piping as I could hide it behind the filter. I am doing this either tomorrow or the next day, so if someone sees this, that would be great
 
You can install in a vertical position. The pressure will be no different within the piping system. It may seem tight but will be ok. I have two in my system. It takes very little flow to open one up.

Distance from chlorinator doesn't matter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply