We just got a new pool and have aerators on a valve with an actuator that we use to cool down the pool (see pool pad diagram below) I noticed that with the 1600 rpm setting I have on the pump 24 hours a day (which puts out 25 gpm) when opening the aerators they only spray maybe 1 foot into the pool. If I close the manual valve of the pool return, they spray about 2/3 of the width of the pool while using barely any energy (approx 200 watts and pump now reads 11 gpm with this restriction).
So I have a few ideas, please let me know which one you like best:
1) I still have Actuator B on my easy touch available. I can get an actuator for the main return and set it at 100 % open (pos A) and 20 % open (pos B). I would then create a new circuit called "Aerator Strong" that can be activated in addition to the "Aerator". I would even prefer to do 0 % open, but I figured the risk of by mistake both the aerator and the main return closing would be too high and so the 20 % open would ensure the return side can never be closed off completely. Would it be ok to run a pump with that much restriction?
2) I ask the pool builder to rebuild the aerator and return valve to be a 3 way valve. That would require a bit of spaghetti plumbing though because right now they are in one horizontal line with separate valves as they branch down into the ground. (see plumbing pad diagram below). That way I could go from 100 % pool returns to 100 % aerators without the risk of closing off all returns by mistake (and I would not have to keep the 20 % "insurance"). Here the main question is whether it would be ok for the pump to run the aerator as the only return to the pool for a while (this is what I already did manually and I got the 11 gpm at 1600 rpm)
3) I could also just keep the sad 1ft spray of the aerator and run the circuit longer at night (e.g. 10 hours) but I'm not sure if this will cool as much as running it for 4-5 hours with the strong pressure spray? When the water sprays 6-8 ft out intuitively I would think the more air time it gets, the more it cools?
4) I can increase the pump speed of the Aerator circuit to e.g. 2500 rpm. This is still not as strong as pushing all the water through the aerator at 1600rpm while using approx 1000 watts (5 times more energy). Therefore, I would like to avoid this option if possible.
I also believe to have read somewhere that the Intelliflow VST is smart enough to turn off before it would ever run with too heavy restrictions?
So I have a few ideas, please let me know which one you like best:
1) I still have Actuator B on my easy touch available. I can get an actuator for the main return and set it at 100 % open (pos A) and 20 % open (pos B). I would then create a new circuit called "Aerator Strong" that can be activated in addition to the "Aerator". I would even prefer to do 0 % open, but I figured the risk of by mistake both the aerator and the main return closing would be too high and so the 20 % open would ensure the return side can never be closed off completely. Would it be ok to run a pump with that much restriction?
2) I ask the pool builder to rebuild the aerator and return valve to be a 3 way valve. That would require a bit of spaghetti plumbing though because right now they are in one horizontal line with separate valves as they branch down into the ground. (see plumbing pad diagram below). That way I could go from 100 % pool returns to 100 % aerators without the risk of closing off all returns by mistake (and I would not have to keep the 20 % "insurance"). Here the main question is whether it would be ok for the pump to run the aerator as the only return to the pool for a while (this is what I already did manually and I got the 11 gpm at 1600 rpm)
3) I could also just keep the sad 1ft spray of the aerator and run the circuit longer at night (e.g. 10 hours) but I'm not sure if this will cool as much as running it for 4-5 hours with the strong pressure spray? When the water sprays 6-8 ft out intuitively I would think the more air time it gets, the more it cools?
4) I can increase the pump speed of the Aerator circuit to e.g. 2500 rpm. This is still not as strong as pushing all the water through the aerator at 1600rpm while using approx 1000 watts (5 times more energy). Therefore, I would like to avoid this option if possible.
I also believe to have read somewhere that the Intelliflow VST is smart enough to turn off before it would ever run with too heavy restrictions?
