checkvalve prior to salt water generator

[Pemolis]

I have about a 4 to 6 foot section of Plumbing that comes out of the heater that I am looking to adjust and need some feedback. Currently I have plumbed in the following.

1) Check valve (old one)
2) Tab Chlorine Dispenser.
3) Pipe connection for booster pump.


I am purchasing the SWG from circupool but want to avoid the vertical installation (being finncky, I may go that way). Regardless just wanted to ask two questions.

1) If the first thing in the installation is the checkvalve (going to install a flowvis valve), will that slow down the flow of water to the SWG (its a bit of a silly question).

2) The plumbing for the booster pump, could I plumb that just about anywhere (I might do some piping rerouting to get a section just for that booster. Currently the booster is plumbed after the heater).

My current thoughts is this. With my 4 to 6 feet.

1) 6 inch section, flowvis
2) 6 inches space (just pipe)
3) 6 inch section flow switch
4) 6 inch free space (just pipe)
5) 6 inch section, tap for Stenner pump.
6) 12 inches section just pipe
7) Salt water chlorinator.
8) 6 inch section just pipe.
9) 90 degree elbow down turn
10) 6 inch pipe free
11) 6 inch possible tap for booster pump (would be vertical not horizontal).
12) 6 inch free
13) 90 degree elbow left turn and tap into drains.

(sorry couldn't figure out a visual and nowhere near plumbing atm).

Sorry for the word dump I tend to plan the entire thing out before moving forward.

 

[mas985]

1) A check valve adds head loss and will decrease flow rate but only a very tiny amount. Nothing to be concerned with. But technically, you really don't need a check valve after the heater for the SWG. It is necessary for the tab feeder but not the SWG.

2) Generally, closer to the filter the better so the pressure is higher in the booster inlet. There had been one person on the forum who had it plumbed down stream some and the booster suction line collapsed. But I think they were on lower speeds of a VS which lowers the pressure as well.

 

[Pemolis]

The booster is the last thing plumbed in the system currently. If it doesn’t really matter then I can pretty much plumb it anywhere...

But regarding the check valve... I don’t need one after the water heater if I am using a salt water generator? I am not disagreeing with you as I intend to chuck the inline chlorinator, but no check valve kind of surprised me.

 

[mas985]

But regarding the check valve... I don’t need one after the water heater if I am using a salt water generator?

No. A SWG does not generate chlorine while it is off and the water after the SWG is only 1-2 ppm higher than the rest of the water so no big deal.

A puck chlorinator is a different story. The chlorine around the chlorinator will continue to rise while the pump is off which is why a check valve is recommended after the heater. Some manufactures may still recommend them for SWGs but it is mostly because of legacy and their unwillingness to understand the chemistry of a SWG.

 

[Pemolis]

..... well that just fixed pretty much all of my concern regarding room and space issues where I intend to put the salt water chlorinator. I'll still install that specific valve but I can pretty much put it anywhere now.....

Speaking of putting that anywhere, is there any place that I should NOT put it (such as just after the pump or just after the filter).

.. well I still may adjust it as I intend to have a muriatic drip line from my stenner pump right after the flow valve... but space is much less of a concern now. Thank you.

 

[mas985]

If you ever decide to go with solar, right after the filter is the best place for a check valve.

 

[Pemolis]

I have a literal 12 to 15 foot run of straight plumbing I can plum the checkvalve to right after the pool filter and before the heater. I kind of don't want to do that but optimally its the easiest and most straight forward place to plumb into.

 

[mas985]

Why don't you want to do that?

 

[Pemolis]

I don't think I've ever seen checkvalves after a filter and before a heater (I wasnt sure if it was a issue of flow or more of why in the world would I even do that).

 

[mas985]

Like I said before, that is where you would put a check valve if you had solar so the water does not flow backward through the filter when the panels drain.

 

[Pemolis]

Like I said before, that is where you would put a check valve if you had solar so the water does not flow backward through the filter when the panels drain.

perfect. Will plum it there and save the space. Thank you.