Create spill line between pool and old spa?

[whackit]

Hello folks,

So I have an oddball situation with a separate pool and spa that share the same equipment. There is no spillway. The spa waterline is about a foot above the pool. It works okay but needs a lot of Maintainence. Water changeovers in the spa are a manual affair and a Pain.

The spa needs a replaster and Was wondering if this is a good idea or a bad idea... running an overflow between pool and spa to create a spillway. I would need to put an overflow at the tile level in the spa. The only practical place I could get this to the pool would be into the skimmer bucket. Probably maximin 2” line. I could run our VS pump slowly to accomplish changeovers. It seems like this would work and make my pool/spa MUCH easier to maintain. Thoughts?

 

[mguzzy]

If they share the same pool equipment, do you have valving in place to pump the spa water to the pool and vice versa? I presume that is what you are asking? Post some pics of your pool equipment for the equipment guys to see.

My spa has an overflow into the pool. My neighbors does as well and his spa waterline is a foot or two above the pool waterline. So yes that possible and actually I'm surprised they didn't build it that way at the onset.

 

[whackit]

If they share the same pool equipment, do you have valving in place to pump the spa water to the pool and vice versa? I presume that is what you are asking? Post some pics of your pool equipment for the equipment guys to see.

My spa has an overflow into the pool. My neighbors does as well and his spa waterline is a foot or two above the pool waterline. So yes that possible and actually I'm surprised they didn't build it that way at the onset.

Yes the equipment is shared and valved. Easytouch panel. It’s all plumbed properly. I guess my main question is if it’s okay to dump the return end into the skimmer. I don’t really see why not. I’m leaving the pool alone so this is really the only way for me to do it.

 

[mguzzy]

I can't see why not, unless you are trying to maintain radically different chemistries in each volume. I pump (via the valves) water back an forth between the pool and spa all the time. For example once a week I'll brush the sides of the spa and then switch my valves so all the spa water is drawn out and the return is to the pool, essentially draining the spa water into the pool.. then I'll swap the valves and refill the spa. It takes 15 min.. and is a lazy way of exchanging the water to keep the chemistry consistent between the two volumes.

 

[whackit]

I can't see why not, unless you are trying to maintain radically different chemistries in each volume. I pump (via the valves) water back an forth between the pool and spa all the time. For example once a week I'll brush the sides of the spa and then switch my valves so all the spa water is drawn out and the return is to the pool, essentially draining the spa water into the pool.. then I'll swap the valves and refill the spa. It takes 15 min.. and is a lazy way of exchanging the water to keep the chemistry consistent between the two volumes.

Yes. That’s the same thing I do. About once a week we drain spa into pool and refill otherwise we get chemistry issues. I would like to avoid this and if I put a simple overflow between spa and pool I can run it In very low spillway mode via automation every day and eliminate the manual maintainence.

 

[mknauss]

Could you post a picture of the area between the spa and pool?