Advice on svrs and pool safety

[grottoguy]

I am in the process of building a pool in NJ, but haven't picked my PB yet. My pool will be about 1100 -1200 square feet, have a variable speed pump (probably Jandy), a Aqua Comfort AC-150 Heat Pump, a Polaris 280 with 3/4 booster, a Rockwall and Grotto (inside Grotto there will be 6 Jacuzzi jets and blower), 2 Laminar Jets, 2 LED Bubblers in a sunshelf, 2 Ledlights in pool and one in Grotto, Jandy PDA P8 remote control, 90% Quartz finish, Zodiac SWF 185 GMP waterfall pump, Levelor K1100 autofill, and Autopilot Digital SWG. My pool will have 2 skimmers and (as of now) 4 returns. All piping is 2 inch PVC (and I think all returns and skimmers are homeruns), but am considering enlarging piping to 3 inch. I have a lot of questions, but my first one is about safety. The Main pool pump will have 2 main drains (i.e., 2 drains linked to each other at least three feet part) and the other two pumps will each have 2 side suctions (so a total of 4 suctions).

Would making the main pool pump a SVRS reduce the risk of entrapment? Would an SVRS create too many aggravating tripping issues? What about giving the main pump three main drains and each of the other pumps three side suctions? I know two is standard and sufficient for Code, but I have read that having extra drains (i.e., more than 2) reduces the chance of entrapment, since if both got blocked, the third would have enough flow (assuming installed correctly) to prevent entrapment.

Any opinions on how best to increase safety (beyond what Code may require)?

This is my first post, so I apologize if I made any mistakes.

Thanks

 

[RobbieH]

The purpose of the design of new main drain grids and the reason for two main drains is to reduce (or eliminate) the risk of entrapment. SVRS should not be necessary.

Welcome to TFP!

 

[SunnyOptimism]

Any opinions on how best to increase safety (beyond what Code may require)?

Thanks

Welcome to TFP!!

Safety tip you might consider -

1. Gate your pool area with a non-climbing, self-latching gate and keep it locked (look up Magna-Latch) at all times with yourself and another adult only having keys or combinations;
2. Alarm your external doors (like ADT) so that you get an audible tone anytime someone opens a door or window;
3. Pool-code deadbolt locks on all exterior doors (dead-bolts hung 30" from top of door);
4. Swim lessons (private or group) for any child in the family not considered a good swimmer;
5. If infants in house, consider Infant Swim Rescue (ISR) Training
6. Red Cross CPR training for adults with emphasis on child CPR techniques for drowning

And the overall #1 safety tip that costs you no money and anyone can implement -

Never, under any circumstances, allow any child to swim in a pool without an adult present.

 

[jblizzle]

Never, under any circumstances, allow any child to swim in a pool without an adult present.

For that matter, never let anyone swim alone ... accidents and medical problems can happen to anyone.

 

[grottoguy]

Thanks Robbie

Do you see any benefit in having three (instead of two) suctions for my other pumps?

 

[RobbieH]

I don't, but I don't want to recommend either. I only have one main drain, and it doesn't worry me.

 

[SunnyOptimism]

The purpose of a split drain is to eliminate any naturally occurring vortex that could form when using a single drain. Adding a third drain does not increase the anti-vortex property much.

Also, by splitting a drain, you split the flow and reduce the overall suction at each drain. As well, if one drain gets covered then all the flow and suction transfer to the other drain. Having a third drain reduces that suction further but it is really quite small to begin with when two drains are used.

I believe someone posted their experiment with swimming down to the MDs and trying to place their body over the drain and feeling almost no suction whatsoever.

I too have a water feature that has split wall drains on a 1.5HP pump and I have to say I can hardly feel the water flow at all even with the pump running full bore. I once found a scorpion entrapped at those wall drains but I was happy to see it drowned.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[grottoguy]

Thanks. Is there any advantage in having main drains five feet apart instead of three. It seems like the law is they must be at least three feet apart but that all builders put them exactly three feet apart.

 

[jblizzle]

There would be less risk, but I don't think there is an advantage.

 

[mas985]

You could just eliminate the main drains. They really don't do much anyway:

http://www.poolinspections.com/manuals/drains/pools-without-drains.pdf

 

[grottoguy]

Thanks. Mark. I had seen that but my builders insist on a main drain system. One said it was required by code

 

[mas985]

I would confirm that yourself. Sometimes equalizer wall ports can be used instead of main drains and still satisfy the requirement.