Indoor Pool - Extended Absences

[mattdirks]

I did a bit of searching on the forums, but may have missed my answer...

I have an indoor SWG pool that I just had completely remodeled. Everything has been working well...pH and ORP are regulated.

I will be leaving for several months and am curious as to what I should do in order to prevent a green lake from occurring during my absence.

I currently run my VSP pump 24/7 (6 hours at 75% and 18 hours at 50%). I lose prime if I shut the pump off for too long and haven't had time to address that issue.

I can control everything remotely, but if I lose prime, I won't be able to get the pump going again.

So...the dilemma. Keep running the pump all day everyday while I am away, or deal with the water conditions upon my return. I am mostly concerned about ruining the significant investment in getting my pool back to this point.

Any thoughts or advice?

 

[Mdragger88]

What if there’s a power outage?
Unless someone can come in and deal with the equipment (not just the pump but the cleaning the filter too)
its quite a risk to just leave things running unattended for months with no intervention at all. Do you have an autofill & overflow?
If not you also risk the pump running dry as evaporation occurs.
Personally I’d just close the pool and deal with the consequences upon your return or
hire a pool service to come in weekly & check on things- you can give them explicit instructions about parameters. Basically just to check levels & equipment & report back.

 

[mattdirks]

We rarely have a loss of power, and if we do it is usually very temporary (1-2 hours max). If that happens, the system will reset and resume once the power returns.

Regarding my filter, I rarely have to backwash...being indoors, there is hardly anything to dirty the filter in the pool... especially if I am not using it.

I do have a pool filler and I also have a flow control switch...so if the filler fails (it's not mechanical) and the water stops flowing, my pump will shut off.

I did just return from being gone for 12 days and didn't have any issues...but was just considering the tradeoffs if I were gone for a longer period of time.

Sounds like the best thing to do is shut it down, save on energy costs and get it back running when I return.

 

[Mdragger88]

I would raise the fc to slam level and cover the pool if possible before leaving or hire someone to come by once a week.
A couple weeks is one thing but months is another.

 

[mattdirks]

Ok...thanks for the advice! Will raise fc and cross my fingers (unfortunately no cover... didn't seem necessary on indoor pool...but may regret that decision).

Hiring someone to come around and check an indoor pool once a week is almost impossible around here. No one seems to want to work.

 

[proavia]

You would be better served in taking the time now to address the loss of prime - prior to your departure.

 

[Newdude]

Hiring someone to come around and check an indoor pool once a week is almost impossible around here. No one seems to want to work.

No friends or family at all ?

 

[mattdirks]

You would be better served in taking the time now to address the loss of prime - prior to your departure.

I read a few other posts about this...I think a check valve in between the filter and pump should remedy the situation.

Curious about the concern of this issue...am I overlooking something? If I shut everything down, I can get things started back up without issues once I return.

 

[mattdirks]

No friends or family at all ?

Wouldn't want to burden them with that. I was the sucker to buy a house with a pool.

 

[Mdragger88]

Even if only leaving my house for a week I turn my water off at the street & have my family come check things once.
I can’t imagine months without someone checking. You’re braver than I.

 

[proavia]

I read a few other posts about this...I think a check valve in between the filter and pump should remedy the situation.

Curious about the concern of this issue...am I overlooking something? If I shut everything down, I can get things started back up without issues once I return.

How much higher is the pool pump than the pool water surface?

The pump shouldn't loose prime.
There could be a suction side or possibly a pressure side air leak.
Chances are a check valve isn't the answer.
Find the source of the air getting into the system.

 

[mattdirks]

How much higher is the pool pump than the pool water surface?

The pump shouldn't loose prime.
There could be a suction side or possibly a pressure side air leak.
Chances are a check valve isn't the answer.
Find the source of the air getting into the system.

The pump sits at deck level, so I would say 6-8" above the surface of the water.

I too didn't think that it should lose prime...and I seem to have small air bubbles coming out of the first return jet...so it makes me think the leak is there.

I just had all of the plumbing redone, but they didn't do a pressure test. I am guessing that should be my next course of action?

 

[mattdirks]

Even if only leaving my house for a week I turn my water off at the street & have my family come check things once.
I can’t imagine months without someone checking. You’re braver than I.

I did decide to shut everything down. I put a camera in the pool room before I left...but for some reason it failed to connect to my WiFi...so I am flying blind for a couple of months.

I do have someone coming in once a week to flush toilets, so she will let me know if there is some kind of catastrophe... hopefully!