Equipment Renovation/Revision in SE PA

[df.pa.2112]

Hello

Bought a home last year with a 22k IG plaster pool with elevated spa. The pool was in fairly good condition as far as plaster went but hadn't had much use or care the last few years. Being a total newbie to pools and through online videos and generous help on this forum I was able get things up and running, maintain it and ultimately close it on my own last year. Lots and lots of trials and tribulations but overall it looks to have been a success.

As I prep for opening this year the neglected and dysfunctional equipment is on my list to get done. The pool had 3 pumps, the main was a rusty pentair 1.5hp, the 'accessory' (floor jet/cleaner pump) and the booster pump didn't work at all. The electric panel and timers are rusty and just need to go. I was able to purchase an intelliflow pump last year for the main and hooked it up at the end of the year to verify that it worked OK. After that I closed and things have been idle.

I am planning to get and possible install an 8 channel easy touch system. and possibly a SWG system to go along with it. Since I need to do some work on the plumbing (at least the above ground portion) I figured I would post here to see if anyone has thoughts/recommendations.

As it stands right now the suction on the pool and elevated spa run through the main pump only and controlled with Jandy valves. Since they aren't working and I am not likely to need them I am planning on removing the accessory cleaner pump and the booster.

In the next post I will include a few pictures of the equipment layout. The questions that come to mind before I finalize my plan are

1) I am fairly handy, is the Easy Touch something I should tackle or hire out?
2) Should I try to split up the plumbing for the pool and spa? Not sure this is entirely possible or a good idea but worth a thought.
3) The old plumbing has a mix of 2" and 1.5" runs off if the main pump. With the larger HP and flow of the intelliflow pump should I be upgrading all of this to 2"

Thanks for any input. As you can tell I am brainstorming at the moment, I don't really have to do any of this but now is as good a time as any if the revisions make sense.

 

[df.pa.2112]

Here are a few pics of the equipment

This first pic is more recent after I disconnected the booster and accessory pump. The last two were taken before closing

 

[df.pa.2112]

 

[Jimrahbe]

df,

If you are at all handy, then installing an EasyTouch should not be much of an issue... But you might want to take a look at the new IntelliCenter which has a lot more capabilities...

But, no matter which system you get you need to have a solid plan first...

The plumbing and the automation would be different if you want to have a pool with a Spa or if you want a pool and a spa... In order to turn off and winterize your pool and still have an operating spa, you would need to have two sets of equipment and an automaton system that controls two different sets of equipment. Not something that I would recommend, but possible,,

One problem with installing a system yourself is that Pentair's warranty is only about 60 days unless it is installed by a "professional"...

Tell me more about your "floor jets" and your accessory pump.. Do you have wall returns as well as floor returns? Are the floor returns or jets part of an in floor cleaning system? Do you have any water features?

It really won't make any difference, but I would plumb everything with 2" above ground just to make it easier to plumb.

If you decide to go with a SWCG, you need to buy an EasyTouch or IntelliCenter which includes the internal SWCG power supply.

I would think about a new filter... by going with a large cartridge filter you can get rid of the multiport valve and their associated problems.

Better to take an extra month and come up with a plan then to buy things that won't work well together.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[df.pa.2112]

Jim,

Thanks so much for the input. Very much agree on the planning.

As far as the spa I hadn't considered keeping it open longer than the pool and while it seems attractive I don't think its necessary. I don't see my tendency to 'close late' changing much in the future. I can isolate the spa and avoid the overflow into the pool. I suspect once I get this new pump running it will have plenty of power to do the pool and the spa.

Good point on the warranty time frame, not sure its worth the cost (I haven't had good luck getting honest and affordable techs in here to do any work) but still a consideration.

As for the accessory pump I cant say much about it, the previous owner left no info, the previous pool company either couldn't (or wouldn't) share what they knew. Yes it does have two wall intakes not far from the skimmer. The two white outlets in the bottom are in the middle of the shallow end and the mid portion of the deep end. Since the pump was rusted solid I could only trace the plumbing by blowing the lines with my cyclone. The outlets do not appear to be pop ups only flush white fixtures with a central disk and 4 quadrant 'vents', no apparent moving parts, possibly something could clamp on to them as a feature or accessory but nothing that we were given. I can sketch them outlets or see if I took a picture of them last year....I sort of figured they were part of a cleaning system but who knows. The pump that was on there was a 1/2 HP single speed.

I'll do some research on the cartridge filters, the current multiport is behaving just fine but is only 1.5" so I would consider upgrading that with the pluming.

I'm leaning towards going to SWCG as I use mostly liquid chlorine during the summer to keep things on the up and up. Once I got balanced it really wasn't much to add a bit day or two. Still would be nice to worry less about tending things so often.

I'll research the IntelliCenter and the cost of new cartridge system a bit more this evening. Again, thanks for the advice.

 

[df.pa.2112]

Here is a quick pic of the accessory fixtures. The floor outlet is on the left and the wall fixtures on the right



Here is once of the accessory fixtures in the bottom



Here are the wall ports

 

[Jimrahbe]

My guess is the in-floor system is more for distribution of hot water from the heater... than an in-floor cleaning system.

The problem is that either it needs to be capped off or it needs to have water flowing though it.. Otherwise, it will be a hiding place for algae...

I'd think about that when re-plumbing..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[df.pa.2112]

Yeah, they could be part of a circulation system for heated water. Although I didn't see how a heater on that circuit would serve the spa only (I assume it would have been setup to do so) The heater system was removed some time ago by the prior owners, the heater unit wasn't even around. Again, we were given limited info and got little to nothing from the prior pool company or prior owner after closing (don't even get me started there....grrr, snarl...) Needless to say I've been entirely on my own with this one, without this forum I would have bulldozed it.

In the first picture above way off to the right there are a couple of pipes (one of them capped) that I assumed were part of the heater. They are heavily contaminated with algae. I haven't done anything with those pipes as far as route tracing as there isn't even a heater present at the moment to utilize and it was low on my first year priority list of 'getting things going and functioning predictably.'

As far as circulating the water this year If I don't get all of the systems up to speed...heater, etc I still have the older single speed main pump from last year. I'll probably plumb this in to those open circuits in some way and just run it briefly on timer here and there to circulate things and keep them clean.

My priority for this year is not necessarily doing a full pad revamp but at least to get the base system up and converted over to make it more efficient and functionally predictable..If costs allow I would like to get as much done as I can..

 

[df.pa.2112]

Well I have been reading MyAzPool's thread on the IntelliCenter Review. I see what you mean on functionality...way different ballgame there.
On other notes I didn't even know that the intellichem systems existed,. I know what I would really like to have but..hmm...that budget issue. I am however becoming certain of one thing...just like every other renovation the costs are going up as the planning continues.

As above, even if I don't get it all in this year, I can plan and plumb for it and add as I'm able.