If you were to build another pool...

[Piney]

Greetings--

Oh-- and the other thing-- coat the pool surround and patio with a good "koolkrete" coating !! We can walk on the concrete in the heat of the Texas summer barefoot-- no problems.

 

[ktdave]

Autofill and overflow - must haves!

 

[Guest]

Autofill and overflow - must haves!

i have over flow, but no auto fill, i just keep one hose in the pool and turn it on when low.

 

[Belldiver]

Still taking notes.

I'm glad this one got bumped back up again...

 

[Belldiver]

Autofill and overflow - must haves!

Dave,

What brand of these do you have and do they work well? Where are they installed? Could you shoot a picture of them when you get a chance?

Jim

 

[Piney]

UNIONS

Greetings--

One more thought-- install the plumbing around the pumps/filter/heaters/ect with unions. It'll make it MUCH easier to replace components in the future.

Our first pool had unions on all the various parts. This one doesn't so I'll have to cut the pipes should I have to service some of the items.

 

[Butterfly]

DH & I have said many times that we would raise the floor to 5' at the 'deep end'. 3' to 5' with the walk-in beach would be really nice ! Also, this may not go over very well with some, but we would lose the light in the pool and rely only on exterior lighting. The pool light is only a bug magnet.....but it does let you see every speck of dust if you should want to vacuum at night ! Anyway, good luck in your dream build!


Joyce

 

[ktdave]

Autofill and overflow - must haves!

Dave,

What brand of these do you have and do they work well? Where are they installed? Could you shoot a picture of them when you get a chance?

Jim

I'm not sure of the brand. The autofill is installed much like a skimmer, in the deck, and it has a similar cover to a skimmer cover. Inside the cover is a resevoir with float valve (like a toilet tank) and where it is plumbed at a nearby water spigot, there is a valve to shut it off. It looks a lot like THIS ONE.

The overflow drain is plumbed under the deck and has a ~5 inch wide x 2 inch tall opening in the pool wall covered by a PVC "grate". When the water level gets too high, the water passes through the grate, into the drain which is plumbed into my deck drain system that ends up at the curb in front of the house (streetside) with a pop-up head.

They have worked great so far. I'll try to remember to get some pics to give you a better idea.

 

[crabboy]

Autofill and overflow - must haves!

I have an overflow and want to block it. I could go for another 2 inches above the overflow and the skimmers would still work. It's just that much less water I'd have to add later.

The only bad thing about an autofill is it hides how much water you are loosing.

 

[Belldiver]

Autofill and overflow - must haves!

I have an overflow and want to block it. I could go for another 2 inches above the overflow and the skimmers would still work. It's just that much less water I'd have to add later.


The only bad thing about an autofill is it hides how much water you are loosing.

I work offshore oil and spend weeks away from home sometimes. I think this is a must have for me. I might look for a water meter style gauge to install inline to the autofill though to check water useage. Good thought.

It sounds like your overflow is just a little too low? I guess this should just be set right at the top of your skimmers eh?

 

[Guest]

my over flows are in the skimmers, i know this becaise theres no other place like a grate in the side of the pool , and if i forget the hose is on, say i put it in right before dinner, usally i go ant turn it off after dinner, BUT if i forget and leave it on for 5 hours it does not over flow, the highest i have ever seen it is an inch right above the skimmer, and i see that alot because i forget alot, i remember i filled it one day, forgot it turned off the hose and it rained for 3 days strait and it never over flowed.

 

[ktdave]

Belldiver,
Here are some pictures:

overflow drain - keeps the water at mid-height of skimmer

autofill (cover off)

auotfill (cover on)

Let me know if you have any more ?'s.

 

[Guest]

where does the auto fill come out, is it like another return. im just curious. also the water in there looks icky, does it come out that dirty?

 

[ktdave]

The water comes out of an inlet in the pool wall (much like a return). The water itself is not dirty. It looks like that because there is a gunite mess in there (thanks to PB).

 

[Guest]

The water comes out of an inlet in the pool wall (much like a return). The water itself is not dirty. It looks like that because there is a gunite mess in there (thanks to PB).

reason i aksed is because i saw your pool build and remember you saying you had six returns but i counted 7 jets in the side of the pool, now i know why. not im not counting teh bubblers on the beach entry.

 

[Belldiver]

Thanks for the pics Dave.

I have about a thousand questions for several TFP members here though...since I am fairly certain I'm going to try'n self contract. I need to see some pools and get it right the first time. I'll probably be a pest for awhile. I'm pouring a new patio next week and that has to get done before the pool excavation starts. I'll be ordering components sometime in the next few weeks.

Jim in Lafayette, LA