Is this plumbing correct for Spa Spillover

[ChristopherDB]

Hi all, really appreciate the help on this new pool build. The builder is claiming that the spa spillover should always be on but I'd rather not have it running all day long. I'd like to setup the iAquaLink automation for spillover mode. If I set the dip switch 3 to spillover I can operate the return JVA independently to achieve this but the way it's plumbed, the spillover still operates because water still gets sent to the spa drain. Is the plumbing in the attached photo correct? If so, should I shutoff the spa return with the manual 3 way valve? If I do this, then when spillover is enabled, the actuator turns 180 and shuts off the returns of the pool completely and all water is pushed through the spa jets. Would that be correct, or should some water still return to the pool? Also, if I do that and put the spa in spillover mode, then all water would return to the spa jets, but there is no check valve on that line so the raised spa will drain if I shut off the pump without turning off the spillover to turn the actuator back to the position shown in the photo to block the spa jets. Is that also an issue? Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

Is the plumbing in the attached photo correct? If so, should I shutoff the spa return with the manual 3 way valve?

Yes, the plumbing is correct. If you shutoff the spa return on the manual valve, the continuous spillover will stop.

Would that be correct, or should some water still return to the pool?

That is correct. If your pump and automation allows, you should be able to change the pump rpm when in spillover mode.

spa will drain if I shut off the pump without turning off the spillover to turn the actuator back to the position shown in the photo to block the spa jets. Is that also an issue?

True -- but do the spillover schedule such that each day you are in pool mode at shutdown. The the valve will be closed to the spa side of the actuated valve and the spa will not drain.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Chris,

The line labeled "Return Spa" is what makes the spa constantly spillover into your pool. Just shut it off.

In the Spillover mode, the water is sucked from the pool and all of it is sent to the spa... This mode is not really designed to run all the time.. You would normally just schedule it an hour of so per day just to keep your spa chlorinated.. You would also manually run it just to show off the spillway to guests.

You could add a check valve to the spa line, but I would just not schedule the pool to shut off with the system in the Spillover mode.

My pool turns on and shuts off automatically on a schedule.. I never just turn it off.. Well, unless I'm going to do some maintenance.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ChristopherDB]

Wow you guys rock! Thanks so much for the thorough response. I got everything setup today and working almost perfectly. I'm just having issues now with the VSP automatically changing RPM when going into spillover mode. When I change to spillover the RPM stays at the same Speed #1 from the VSP Speed setup. The spillover is Speed #4 which is a lower speed but when spillover is enabled, the speed does not change. AUX3 is not an option to assign to it but from my understanding it is not necessary to assign because spillover and cleaner are hard codes to their respective speed settings. When enabling the cleaner it automatically increases to the cleaner speed, which is Speed #3 so why doesn't the spillover automatically change speed as well?

I did notice that if the pump is off and I turn on spillover then the pump turns on automatically and adjusts to the correct spillover speed, but if the pump is already on and then I turn on the spillover then the speed doesn't correctly adjust.

Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

When you have multiple circuits scheduled at same time, the one with the highest rpm wins. So your base rpm should be the lowest, then use higher rpm, if necessary, for other functions, such as spillover.

 

[ChristopherDB]

Awesome, thank you!

 

[ChristopherDB]

Hi all,

My pool contractor is saying by shutting off the manual spa return valve (allowing me to control when spillover is on/off via the JVA so it doesn't always stay on all the time) that because water will be pushing through the jets of the spa, rather than the spa return drain, when operating spillover it is causing unnecessary strain on the motor.

My question is, do most spas not even have a return drain and how much efficiency am I losing by doing this? I'm being told they always configure their pools so the spillover is always operating unless in spa mode, but I don't want my spillover operating 100% of the time.

Thanks,
Christopher

 

[mknauss]

when operating spillover it is causing unnecessary strain on the motor.

That is a, wrong. You can adjust the rpm of the pump such that you get a sufficient flow but nothing close to when using the spa. And you will only do it for 30 minutes or less once or twice a day.

 

[mknauss]

they always configure their pools so the spillover is always operating unless in spa mode

Because they have no clue how automation works.

 

[ChristopherDB]

Thank you @mknauss , much appreciated. This is exactly why I had to take control of the automation part because nobody here appears to know how to correctly automate.

Since it is an 8ft spillover I have to operate at 1700RPM for a uniform spillover. That is without the jet nozzles screwed into the pipe because the builder has not provided them yet. Would it be safe to assume once those jets are installed I may need to bump up the RPM?

 

[mknauss]

Maybe, but I doubt it. At the low rate, I doubt they exhibit much additional back pressure.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Chris,

Your pool builder is just an idiot!!!

If you shut off the spillover, no water will be going to the spa when in the pool mode.

When in the spa mode the spillover is off any way.. So I have no clue what he is trying to say..

Thanks,

Jim R.