Need Help - Re-Plumbing My Equipment Pad

[mculik5]

First-time pool owner. Purchased the house last August. Pool equipment pad was a total disaster. All different kinds of piping, leaks, ugly, timer didn't work, pump and filter sitting on the ground, etc. Fortunately, the filter (Hayward sand) is fine.

I'm having having a new concrete pad poured and am re-plumbing the entire thing. I'm going to follow the advice of this forum and go with the BBB method this year, so I won't be re-installing the Hayward off-line chlorinator. We don't have a heater, and I purchased a Doheny Discovery to replace the boost-pump-powered Polaris. For reasons of reducing energy consumption and simplifying wiring, I decided to replace the aging Hayward pump with a Pentair SuperFlo VS that includes a built-in timer. So...the pad should be VERY simple when I'm done. I've included a picture of what it will look like.

Questions:

1. For reasons of convenience, I may consider adding a SWG in the future. In order to best prepare for that possibility now, it seems like I should include a long section of horizontal return pipe after the filter (say, 24"). Is that a good idea?
2. How are SWGs powered? I read one manual that talked about hardwiring a transformer. Is this the usual method? Are they 110V?

3. I've looked a many pictures of equipment pads, and it seems that many include individual suction shutoff valves in addition to the diverter valve. My pool is below my equipment. Why would I need shutoff valves before the diverter valve? When would I ever need to have both suction pipes shut?
4. Same question on the return side. If my pool is below the equipment, why would I ever need to close the return?

5. Anything you'd do differently than what I've drawn?

Thanks.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Questions:

1. For reasons of convenience, I may consider adding a SWG in the future. In order to best prepare for that possibility now, it seems like I should include a long section of horizontal return pipe after the filter (say, 24"). Is that a good idea? Excellent plan!

2. How are SWGs powered? I read one manual that talked about hardwiring a transformer. Is this the usual method? Are they 110V? Mine is on the pump timer. When the pump turns on, so does the SWG. Others have it situated on its own timer, especially when they have variable pump speeds to choose from. I don't know nuffin' about it having a transformer???

3. I've looked a many pictures of equipment pads, and it seems that many include individual suction shutoff valves in addition to the diverter valve. My pool is below my equipment. Why would I need shutoff valves before the diverter valve? When would I ever need to have both suction pipes shut?
4. Same question on the return side. If my pool is below the equipment, why would I ever need to close the return?
You would never want both suction pipes closed at the same time. Yet you might want to increase/decrease suction on the skimmer or main drain at times such as when vacuuming or draining water. Or perhaps you have a pressure side cleaner that needs more *ooomph* to make it run, so you divert more water to that return and less to the other wall returns. Valves are a wonderous thing and provide you options!

5. Anything you'd do differently than what I've drawn? Looks okay to me..... but I have two return pipes (one for returns and another for that pressure side vacuum which I don't use except for fountains or fun stuff) If one thing were to leak or break you could always divert to another.

Thanks.

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Maddie