Plumbing Question

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D

Desterline

0
Jul 18, 2014
63
Tucson, AZ


So the main 2" suction line goes to my skimmer, the random cut off 1.5" pipe on the right goes through the side of the pool to a threaded fitting. I believe it is an abandoned connection for a suction side cleaner (kreepy kraully). I'd like to put it back into service as one anyway...

Clearly, I'll need some type of valve arrangement to be able to balance the flow from each. My first instinct was to head to Home Despot for a couple $8 valves and a Tee fitting. After a bit of considering, I can imagine someone coming by and turning off both valves... starving the pump to death. (certainly not my wonderful wife, no, never)

So I started down the rabbit hole of pool valves and I'm feeling a bit lost at sea (probably from mixing too many metaphors)

Can someone familiar with such things suggest a specific part please? Preferably one that I won't need another job to afford...

I see plenty of 1-1/2 - 2" three way valves, but it's not clear to me that they are or can be made such that "all off" is not an option.

-Denny
 
I would put a pool 3-way valve between then and move the pump over to the right a little to line up.

The Jandy Neverlube, will not allow the center port to be closed without modification. The Pentair versions have external pins that you can set to limit the travel as well.

I would suggest getting the 2-2.5" size valve to lower the restriction through them. Your 2" pipe would slip right into the valve and the 1.5" would just need a reducer put into the valve.

Although, I am not sure if they will fit between the pipes or not, but that would be ideal.

Another issue is that you are almost out of pipe on your 2" line.

- - - Updated - - -

Actually, you might have better fitment if you get the 1.5/2 size valve. Then you could turn the 90 on the 2" to the right and put the valve right inside the 2" 90 degree fitting. Then from the 1.5" pipe, you could turn 90 and put the 1.5" pipe right into the valve.
 
So, a Jandy 4715 for the 1-1/2" to 2" size or a Jandy 4717 for the 2" to 2-1/2" size?
Looks to be $32 or $45 on Amazon, is there somewhere better to buy them?

I'm also seeing them listed as "never lube" and "maintenance free", but the "customers also bought" section I'm seeing lubricant and a 12 pack of replacement o-rings... :confused:
 
The 2/2.5 is bigger and has less head loss, but I am not sure you have enough room to fit it between the 2 90s that would be off the vertical pipes. You would not need lube and orings if you get the black CPVC Neverlube valves.
 
Hmm... well it seems I have 8 1/2 inches center to center on those two pipes.
Using fitting dimensions from here http://lascofittings.sitewrench.com/assets/1824/tech40.pdf
A 2" elbow, the smaller Jandy valve, and a 1-1/2" street elbow seems about the smallest I can get it and is still more than an inch too wide. :-(

I'll dig more, but I haven't found any dimensions yet for Pentair or Hayward valves - anybody know if they're a bit smaller?

I know there's a bit of difference in different brands of fittings, and some subtleties for different schedules and such, so I'm not giving up hope yet. Though I am considering turning the valve sideways and running the cleaner line up and over the top....
 
Just to close the loop on this, here's what I've ended up with.





I can already hear half of you cringing about the rubber couplings. I'm about 99.5% sure I'm going to be replacing the pump and re-plumbing the pad before next season, I'm hoping to save the new valve and keep as much of the stub-outs as possible.

Probably most surprising was that my filter pressure went from about 6 to about 11psi after I did this. I'm attributing it to lower suction-side losses leading to greater flow.

The whole point of this was to be able to run my skimmer and my kreepy at the same time. (previously the kreepy was plugged into the skimmer) So now I have two new issues:
1) the kreepy is now running a very distinct loop pattern. I still need to play with hose lengths and balance to see if I can break the pattern.
2) the skimmer isn't nearly as effective as I thought it should be. I watched small particles slide right past the mouth within an inch of the wall. I _think_ this may have to do with the missing weir and not having the flow constrained to the surface layer, but I'm guessing at this point. (currently have the new valve set to block about 10-20% of the skimmer line, If I block less, the kreepy gets reeeaaalllllyyyy ssslllooowwww...)

I did it this morning before work and really haven't had much time to futz with it all yet.
 
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