Autofill

[jerryk1234]

OK, something's GOT to be done. For the second time, the pool was a little low, I turned on the spigot to top it up, FORGOT ABOUT IT, and
the pool overflowed. I am now pumping out excess water - and precious chemicals - to the retention basin at the end of my property. The worst part - this time my wife found it, not me. And she gave me X kinds of heck.

I had thought - could have SWORN - that I ordered an autofill when I specced the pool. But there is none. A detailed perusal of the contract shows - no autofill.

There is a dedicated fill line, with a valve. I understand that there is an electronic autofill available, that could control an electrical valve. Wires could be snaked through the pipe that holds the hydraulic hoses for the autocover. The pool builder has quoted me $1.5K to install such.

On the other hand, a clicky timer valve could solve the problem handily with no electronics. Turn the knob, get a half hour of water. That way, I
wouldn't forget about it. Anybody know of a quality clicky timer valve?

 

[ajw22]

BTDT, I put a large yellow sticky note saying POOL WATER ON on the door leading out to the pool.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Set the alarm on your phone for x amount of filling time. Let it bleep at you...check level...reset if necessary, rinse and repeat.

 

[Oly]

Buy a hose timer, basically a wind up timer attached to a hose bib that shuts off the water automatically after a preset amount of time. I use them on all my outdoor hose bibs for watering the trees or topping off the pool. No batteries, fool proof and not much $. https://www.amazon.com/Orbit-62034-Mechanical-Watering-Timer/dp/B006FLGHGE

 

[slickraft]

I use the wind-up hose timers for all kinds of yard things like deep watering new trees and citrus plants. I even use one for my normal garden hose in the driveway because I've been known to forget to turn it off and the hose sits under pressure all night which worries me it will pop when I'm not there and flood my street. No reason a wind-up timer won't work for your pool and it has the lowest "hassle" factor of any other solution. No batteries, no smart phone apps, no reason to write a note or set a timer in the house.

 

[Arizonarob]

The mechanical timer is a good solution, but keep in mind vacations and such. You can easily pick up a over the edge drop in autofill to use while away, or all the time if you choose.

https://www.amazon.com/Rola-Chem-Se...ocphy=9030091&hvtargid=pla-305102195449&psc=1

 

[jerryk1234]

The edge drop won't work - we keep the pool covered when we're not using it. I'm looking at mechanical timers - all the ones I see are the hose bibb kind. I'd like a robust metal one with pipe threads - guessing there is no such animal.
The class act in hose bibb timers seems to be the Gardena - costs twice as much as the rest. People say it lasts about 5 years. Unless it fails sooner.

This could be a good job for an irrigation valve and a bit of electronics. Say a 555 timer. Push a button, get a half hour. They seem to be pretty bulletproof - unless they get dirt or rocks inside.

 

[ctrav]

Do you have a sprinkler system in the backyard? I just paid the irrigation guy $250 to do it. Now my zone 9 is for pool fill...

FULL DISCLOSURE: this could be against the rules in some areas of the country. You have to research and decide for yourself!

 

[moore887]

Three of us in this hood got pools at the same time. One guy went real fancy with firebowls, waterfalls and all the fun stuff. Other guy went for all the fancy automation tied into his iPhone. I was the one who coughed up the $450 for the autofill to be put in, despite the wife and pool builder saying if I was testing the water myself I should be able to put a garden hose in it every so often. Bottom line is, the other two guys wish they had gone with the autofill for the very same reason as yourself as both have experienced overflows. Here in Florida we could close to an inch a day. One of the guys is on city water too so an overflow is going to cost him.

I'm filling off the well. I haven't done a full test on the water but I know it smells of sulphur and is as hard as nails. Interesting point made about the sprinker system and another zone. We are in the middle of having the utilities put in which comprises of a pink irrigation line of reclaimed water. That's going to be unmetered at $7 a month. I wonder could I switch my autofill onto that if the well stops working?

 

[ajw22]

Test the pink irrigation line of reclaimed water with your TF-100 to see how it would effect your chemical balance.

 

[Oly]

The TF-100 will not test for EPPPs, Environmentally Persistent Pharmaceutical Pollutants Pharmaceuticals in the environment: a growing problem

 

[ajw22]

The TF-100 will not test for EPPPs, Environmentally Persistent Pharmaceutical Pollutants Pharmaceuticals in the environment: a growing problem

That is a whole separate issue as EPPs are being found in water supplies.

He is not looking to drink that water, just swim in it.

 

[moore887]

Just read a thread on another forum.that relates directly to the cape Coral area of Florida and the irrigation water. The city says it's illegal and poses a health risk to use it to top off a pool. Apparently it's run off water from the streets so will contain oils and dirt. If our irrigation guy ever shows up to install the system we paid for, he is supposed to be putting in a filter to stop the heads from getting clogged.