It does matter where it happens, and I would do it just as you describe that it is done. Replumb it how it is.
Help me fix my plumbing
- Thread starter wwerdna
- Start date
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- Tags
- plumbing layout
Thanks for that - I'll stick with the current arrangement where the plumbing changes size in just those 2 places.
I finally got it all replaced - I'm on vacation this week and it took me 1 full and 2 half days to complete it. Called Marina Pool for a robot that's arriving next week and now I just have to hold my breath and hope that everything holds when the pool is opened next week (not that it shouldn't, but it's a lot of pvc joins that I glued for a first-time project!)
Sorry, was hurrying to post before heading back out to the pool to do lots of digging (lagoon style == lots of dirt ending up in the pool, which we're trying to prevent). Anyway, here's pics as I was going. No criticism of my work please - it was my first time. It's not the greatest layout, but I was trying to work with the pipes as they were without having to add too many extra weird angles to try and spread things out). At least everything is above ground level and none of the valves or plumbing is cracked!
Tuesday morning - old pipework cut off and first set of diverter valves glued on
Tuesday mid afternoon - suction side plumbing done! Including my first error (note the coupling on the second valve from the left). I'd glued that T on first and lined everything up by eye, only to find that it wasn't level and was going to cause increasing issues on the right hand side. So recut to make it right.
Tuesday evening - one waterfall (that hadn't been attached since we moved in - had been cut off at the valve. Pipework seemed intact so I've reconnected it) and the spa returns plumbed in.
Wednesday evening (spent the morning doing other yard work, so spent about 3 hours in the afternoon on this). Connected the 2 pool returns, the other waterfall and the new return (previously the Polaris return - that's the one that involves the horizontal pipe running behind the other pipes because I couldn't figure out any other way to make it fit in the space I had)
Thursday lunchtime - hooked up to the plumbing coming from the heater (added a bypass to the those lines so that we can try Jacks Magic to see if we can get rid of some staining without destroying the heater) and finally done. Also removed the Polaris pump.
Now I just need to fill in my hole (I lost count of the number of times I slid into it while I was staring at a particularly troublesome piece of pipe). And return a bunch of extra PVC fittings that I bought from Home Depot just in case (whenever HD start taking returns again). One question I have remaining - I removed the polaris pump but I have the electrical cable running back to the Intermatic timer still connected (I've got a lock on that box so no-one tries to turn it on). Is it better to remove that cable entirely (I'm guessing yes, but that would involve more digging as some of the conduit is buried so I just covered up the end and left it for now)?
Tuesday morning - old pipework cut off and first set of diverter valves glued on
Tuesday mid afternoon - suction side plumbing done! Including my first error (note the coupling on the second valve from the left). I'd glued that T on first and lined everything up by eye, only to find that it wasn't level and was going to cause increasing issues on the right hand side. So recut to make it right.
Tuesday evening - one waterfall (that hadn't been attached since we moved in - had been cut off at the valve. Pipework seemed intact so I've reconnected it) and the spa returns plumbed in.
Wednesday evening (spent the morning doing other yard work, so spent about 3 hours in the afternoon on this). Connected the 2 pool returns, the other waterfall and the new return (previously the Polaris return - that's the one that involves the horizontal pipe running behind the other pipes because I couldn't figure out any other way to make it fit in the space I had)
Thursday lunchtime - hooked up to the plumbing coming from the heater (added a bypass to the those lines so that we can try Jacks Magic to see if we can get rid of some staining without destroying the heater) and finally done. Also removed the Polaris pump.
Now I just need to fill in my hole (I lost count of the number of times I slid into it while I was staring at a particularly troublesome piece of pipe). And return a bunch of extra PVC fittings that I bought from Home Depot just in case (whenever HD start taking returns again). One question I have remaining - I removed the polaris pump but I have the electrical cable running back to the Intermatic timer still connected (I've got a lock on that box so no-one tries to turn it on). Is it better to remove that cable entirely (I'm guessing yes, but that would involve more digging as some of the conduit is buried so I just covered up the end and left it for now)?
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,480
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I would disconnect the Polaris power wires at the timer even if you leave the wire abandoned in ground.
I just wanted to say a big thanks for all the help I got on this project. The pool was opened a week ago and was very green and dirty, so today's the first day I feel like it's properly open because the whole thing is clear and mostly blue. All of the plumbing is working perfectly (I slept terribly the night before opening in case I'd messed something up) and tonight I was able to have both waterfalls running which will be great if we're sitting by the pool on a warm evening. Don't think I could have done it without the TFP encouragement!
So 2 months later and I can't believe how different my pool is behaving this year. We had 2 trees cut down at the same time as my replumbing, so the pool now gets sun from 11-6, rather than the 3-6 that it got last year. I'm finding that my chlorine use is up because of all the sunlight. The pool is at least 10F warmer, hanging around 78-80F, rather than the 68F baseline we had the previous 3 years - in part because of the sun, but also because my leaking valve (which started this saga) must have been leaking a lot more water than I thought and the autofill must have been continually adding cold water. The pool is filled from our well, so I had no idea of the water usage. But I can certainly see the reduction in heating oil usage for the pool heater!
In previous years I never had an issue with CYA levels (again because of the continual water replacement), and just put tablets in a chlorinator. This year I've got the chlorinator on half strength so I know there's a minimum amount of chlorine going in, and then I'm using "liquid shock" for the rest. I've also had to buy muriatic acid for the first time!
I'm very glad that I've previously read lots of posts on TFP so I was able to deal with each new behavior as it came up. The pool has certainly been a lot more fun. Now if only we could find a complete solution to the biting black flies that like to bother us at about 4pm...
In previous years I never had an issue with CYA levels (again because of the continual water replacement), and just put tablets in a chlorinator. This year I've got the chlorinator on half strength so I know there's a minimum amount of chlorine going in, and then I'm using "liquid shock" for the rest. I've also had to buy muriatic acid for the first time!
I'm very glad that I've previously read lots of posts on TFP so I was able to deal with each new behavior as it came up. The pool has certainly been a lot more fun. Now if only we could find a complete solution to the biting black flies that like to bother us at about 4pm...