Recently found TFP and looking for some folk’s 2-cents on our pool build. We are already along the process with dig, plumbing and rebar done. County inspection scheduled for a few days from now. Any things I should look out for/ ask about prior to gunite? Pool is 18x36 Freeform with tanning ledge. 3.5ft to 6ft deep. 2 skimmers, 3 returns. Bubbler in tanning ledge and 2 sheer descents in gunite wall. 2 incandescent lights. True clear salt, jandy dev 48lb filter, jandy Flo pro 1hp pump. Jandy versatemp jrt3000r heat/chiller. Thank you for your advice!
MD inground pool
- Thread starter Towcrew
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,109
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Welcome to TFP.
Read Construction Best Practices - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
Read Construction Best Practices - Further Reading
Watering New Gunite and Concrete - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
Thank you for the info. Should I be concerned my pump is underpowered for the size pool, heater, bubble and 2 sheer descents? What information do I need to determine if my pump is the appropriate size. Thank you!
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,109
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
1 HP will probably not give you the sheer descent flow you want. A VS 2.7 HP or more pump would be better.
What size sheer descents?
What does the Installation Manual say about the GPM flow required for your desired throw?
Bubblers do not require much flow.
A heat pump restricts the flow a lot.
What do the four return pipes lead to? What size are the pipes?
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Don't want to spoil the party but the heat pump will limit your swimming in the shoulder season, early and late as the lower ambient temps render the hp ineffective. Also you would be best off with a vs pump for efficiency. I also doubt the true clear will cut it for your size pool.
The sheer descents are 12in (zodiac). If I am reading the manual right it says 12 gpm per and since there are two it should be 24gpm for a little over 1ft of throw. Two of the return pipes are 1.5in the other 2 are 2in. The 1.5in pipes go to the jets on the tanning ledge and bubbler. I am not sure where the 2in returns go to though. They are covered in stone and some dirt.
I will talk to my pb about changing out the pump to a larger vs pump. Thank you for the advice.
No I appreciate the info. Better I get this info now than when we are done. First pool so I’m in unfamiliar territory here. I was told that the heat pump would be able to expand our swim season by about a month on either end, is that not the case? The true clear manual says it is for pools up to 35,000 gallons is that not really the case? I will talk to pb about the pump for sure.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,109
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
We recommend that your SWG capacity be at least 2X your pool volume. Published SWG capacity is based on the pump and SWG running 24/7 at 100% that you may not want to do. It is best to have excess chlorine generation capacity.
For a 22K pool you should have a 40K cell.
Do you have Aqualink?
Jandy TruClear SWG - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
SWG How It Works - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
You should be the one deciding when you may want to start the season and when to end it too. Some seasons are warmer earlier then others and the same goes for the end of season and by using a heat pump you're not the boss anymore. If you have the ability for natural gas that would be the best. I have clients with both and the ones with hp's are always upset by being forced to shut down due to water temps not reaching......
Heat pumps are entirely dependent on the weather cooperating, and it varies year to year. This year for example, was warm very late into the fall and it would have worked great. If it gets cold early, or takes a long time to warm up in the spring, the heat pump may not be up to the task.
Gas heaters can have 3X the BTUs and do better for the extended season.
But In the end, you're pretty far south for having 'winters' and the heat pump will probably do well enough to make you happy with it most years.