Deck Jets - Any reason you couldn't run Pex instead of Sch40 PVC?

wgipe

Gold Supporter
Jul 4, 2020
490
Fletcher, OH
Pool Size
20000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Well.....due to pool panel supply issues, our pool install has been pushed to early April. And when I have time to think, I add things.....

I'm considering adding 4 Pentair Deck Jets to the mix. When I saw you run either 1/2 or 3/4 supply lines to them, I got to wondering....any reason you couldn't just run Pex to them? It would eliminate all of the couplings, elbows, etc., is more freeze resistant (I would still winterize them - just added protection), and the Pex runs wild be easy to route through a 4" PVC sleeve into the pool house where the equipment pad is (pool house is about half built and making progress every week). Am I nut for even thinking this? Thoughts?

Also - we will have a stamped concrete deck and a SWCG. Should I be concerned about saltwater spray being hard on the deck?

Last - does anyone know the diameter of the enclosure? Trying to decide if they would clutter up my deck.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

Wes
 
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Chlorine in potable water is seen to accelerate the brittle oxidative failure of a PEX pipe material. PEX has been found to be ok in water supplies with up to 4 ppm of chlorine. However the FC that a pool system may present can cause failures.

https://plasticpipe.org/pdf/jana-report-chlorine-testing-pex-materials.pdf

I did know that it's not UV resistant, but I had no idea that chlorine would damage it - glad I asked. Back to PVC it is.

Thank you!

Anyone have any feedback on the saltwater / stamped concrete deck? Should I be concerned about that at all?

They are intriguing for two reasons - as a way to help pull down pH, and also as a way to cool the pool if needed. We have no waterfall, sheer descent, etc., so I got to thinking that perhaps I should have a way to aerate. The kids would also love it I think.
 
Seal the concrete or use tile or pavers.

 
Another thought I had was to put in a Magic Falls instead of deck jets. That said, I'm not sure I could do that with a vinyl pool and under-track auto cover. Not sure if you could mount the falls under the cover track or if that would interfere with the liner.
 
Seal the concrete or use tile or pavers.


It will be sealed for sure. Thanks!
 
Chlorine in potable water is seen to accelerate the brittle oxidative failure of a PEX pipe material. PEX has been found to be ok in water supplies with up to 4 ppm of chlorine. However the FC that a pool system may present can cause failures.


Also PEX is not UV resistant and should not be used outdoors.


@ajw22 , That is GREAT info, I was wondering if I could use about 500 feet of PEX under the concrete deck for solar heating.... Back to the drawing board :)
 
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@wgipe - I would see if you can find someone with deck jets already, and see if possible to go listen to them. They are extremely noisy, not at all a soothing noise like a sheer or spa spillover. I have 3 of them, and the kids sometimes enjoy playing in them, but the novelty wears off quickly. I know when I am in the pool and they are on, I always feel like I'm yelling when I talk to anyone. I would most likely not do them again, on my next build.

FYI - The deck jet is about 2"-2.5" diameter. Laminars are much larger. Laminars look better, IMO, and they may be a little less noisy, not certain on that.

For aeration and cooling, I would buy or build a simple spray wand that you can connect to one of your returns. Those will cool much better than the deck jets, as the water droplets will be much smaller. I built one last season. It's in the attic right now so I can't get a pic of it. Worked pretty well to keep the water temps lower. There is a thread on here discussing those. I can't find it at the moment.

--Jeff
 
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@wgipe - I would see if you can find someone with deck jets already, and see if possible to go listen to them. They are extremely noisy, not at all a soothing noise like a sheer or spa spillover. I have 3 of them, and the kids sometimes enjoy playing in them, but the novelty wears off quickly. I know when I am in the pool and they are on, I always feel like I'm yelling when I talk to anyone. I would most likely not do them again, on my next build.

FYI - The deck jet is about 2"-2.5" diameter. Laminars are much larger. Laminars look better, IMO, and they may be a little less noisy, not certain on that.

For aeration and cooling, I would buy or build a simple spray wand that you can connect to one of your returns. Those will cool much better than the deck jets, as the water droplets will be much smaller. I built one last season. It's in the attic right now so I can't get a pic of it. Worked pretty well to keep the water temps lower. There is a thread on here discussing those. I can't find it at the moment.

--Jeff

Thanks, Turbo. I had forgotten about the return fountain idea - that may be a better, simpler option. It seems a lot of people complain about the noise.
 
+1 on the deck jets noise. If you are over 50 and male, they also urge a bodily function. :sneaky: We have them, have used them a couple times.
 
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+1 on the deck jets noise. If you are over 50 and male, they also urge a bodily function. :sneaky: We have them, have used them a couple times.
Ha! Thanks, Marty. I could see that for sure... I've been looking at the Pentair MagicFalls Arc Rain also. Do you happen to know if it's possible to install that on a vinyl liner pool with an under-track autocover (Coverstar CS3000)? In thinking through it, I go back and forth as to if it would interfere with the track system.
 
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