Replace valves with Jandy Neverlube valves

[cipher]

I'm looking for a bit of guidance on the best approach to replacing my current valves with Jandy Neverlube valves. I currently have 4 valves at my equipment pad:

1) Skimmer shutoff valve (before pump)
2) Vacuum shutoff valve (before pump)
3) Drain shutoff valve (before pump)
4) Shallow/Deep end return jets (after pump)

All of these can be seen in the pics I've attached. The questions I have are:

1) Should I replace the 4 current valves with 4 Neverlube valves or would I be better of combining some of these? Should I be looking at 2 or 3 way valves?
2) Should I be looking at making any other changes now given what is seen in my pics?

Thanks in advance

 

[cipher]

Any recommendations from those who have done this before?

 

[pooldv]

I would use a 3-way on the return side for sure. I'm not sure what the best way is on the suction side. I would want to to have a 3-way for the skimmer/drain and a separate 2 way for the vacuum, but with the vacuum in the middle it is a little messier.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Are you having problems with those valves, or the plumbing? If not I wouldn't replace them just to get the neverlube valves. Those appear to be full port valves, so they're not restricting the flow much if at all.

 

[cipher]

Are you having problems with those valves, or the plumbing? If not I wouldn't replace them just to get the neverlube valves. Those appear to be full port valves, so they're not restricting the flow much if at all.

There is an air leak at the bottom of the elbow connection leading to the Drain valve. Every time I turn off the pump water leaks out of this connection and turning on this valve leads to lots of bubbles. There is a smaller air leak on the skimmer side that leads to minimal bubbles. I figured since these had to be fixed I might as well replace them with the best valves available.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Since you have leaks anyway you may as well change them.

 

[cipher]

I would use a 3-way on the return side for sure. I'm not sure what the best way is on the suction side. I would want to to have a 3-way for the skimmer/drain and a separate 2 way for the vacuum, but with the vacuum in the middle it is a little messier.

pooldv, so it sounds like you are ideally recommending the following:

1) a 3-way on the return side
2) a 3-way on the suction side that combines the skimmer/drain

Besides being cheaper, what is the advantage to going with a 3-way in these two areas rather than separate 2-way valves. Isn't there more control if each line has a dedicated 2-way valve rather than combining some of them with a 3-way valve? I'm probably missing something here.