Need help with Lights! New Pool Build in Minnesota. First Time Builder, need your awesome advice! Pick the plans apart!

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compman723

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Aug 11, 2016
8
Rockford
New pool build, most likely ordering from Royal Pool soon. Hopefully! I really need help with lights, does anyone have ideas?

  • STD Chlorine (Not SWG) pool, vinyl liner (I had a previous 16x32 Doughboy that I learned from pool school) hoping for the same luck
  • 20x44 Latham 14 gauge steel panels, Walls are 42" deep with 8' deep end
  • full width open steel top steps, they recommended open top?
  • heavy duty adjustable 12 gauge steel a frame braces
  • 42" deck support braces
  • deep end corner swimout benches on each side
  • APC 365 vinyl cover in light gray
  • 1/8" wallfoam
  • Latham Stardust Blue 20 mil liner
  • 2x Hayward Wide Mouth Skimmer
  • 4x Returns
  • 2x Main Drains
  • Pentair Intelliflo 3 HP Pump
  • Pentair SD80 Sand Dollar Filter
  • Raypak 266k Propane heater
  • Automatic Chlorinator
  • 2" ridgid pvc everywhere with individual home runs for every plumbing fixture
  • LIGHTS????? I am scared by everyone complaining on reliability. I am a gadget person and like the color options but don't know what would work best. We are also installing our pool with the full width steps on the house side so not sure how to deal with the lights and brightness.

I am an avid DIY and have done most things, just not a pool :) I am hoping this will be another fun project. We are planning to do a brushed concrete pool deck to finish things off. Please be as critical as you can! I am an engineer and love the details but am struggling with finalizing things.

Thank you!
 
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Go SWG from the start. Puck chlorinator with a heater will kill the heater, by-pass or check valve or not. Full stop.
With a vinyl liner, I would not install main drains.
Go with the biggest cartridge filter (420 o4 520) and gas heater (400K) you can install. Can you use NG? Propane is *expensie*.
 
PoolStored said:
Go SWG from the start. Puck chlorinator with a heater will kill the heater, by-pass or check valve or not. Full stop.
With a vinyl liner, I would not install main drains.
Go with the biggest cartridge filter (420 o4 520) and gas heater (400K) you can install. Can you use NG? Propane is *expensie*.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info!

With SWG what would you recommend for a generator? Is everything compatible with it?

I was on the fence on main drains, will the pool still clean good enough without?

Curious why cartridge filter over sand?

I will check into a 400k heater, unfortunately propane is all we have out where we live.
 
This is my gold standard for DIY builds. He detailed everything so well :

New DIY Inground pool build - Arkansas (Picture Heavy) - Outdoor Kitchen Complete!!!

Ok...well I am a little late starting this thread. We decided last spring it was time to take down the above ground pool and put one in the ground. I had been planning to do an IG pool for 5 or 6 years. I had a local pool company give me a bid even though I was 90% sure I was going to do it...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

We are well divided on main drains. I use mine frequesntly to brush farm dust instead of vacuuming. They aren't needed for circulation but do come in handy. With a pump about water height, i can also drain the pool just below the skimmer quickly for closing each winter.
 
Newdude said:
This is my gold standard for DIY builds. He detailed everything so well :

New DIY Inground pool build - Arkansas (Picture Heavy) - Outdoor Kitchen Complete!!!

Ok...well I am a little late starting this thread. We decided last spring it was time to take down the above ground pool and put one in the ground. I had been planning to do an IG pool for 5 or 6 years. I had a local pool company give me a bid even though I was 90% sure I was going to do it...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

We are well divided on main drains. I use mine frequesntly to brush farm dust instead of vacuuming. They aren't needed for circulation but do come in handy. With a pump about water height, i can also drain the pool just below the skimmer quickly for closing each winter.
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Thanks for the info NewDude!

What salt water generator do you have? It looks to be about same size as what we are planning to build.
 
Pentair IC60, possibly still available with the new IC plus 60s out. It's the age old debate if the tried and true or being the betta tester with the new bells and whistles are a better decision. Like you didn't have enough to agonize over. Lol.

The circupool RJ60+ is also a beast if automation isn't going to be in the picture. You buy the RJ45+ on discountsaltpools and 'upgrade' to the 60 for $10 more. Or circupool usually sells it for a similar price in the end with no sale. Check both if going that way.

Here's another DIY build from one heckuva determined lady

INEXPERIENCED OB Steel wall vinyl liner inground pool under construction in north texas

First things first….after all this weeks and questions I finally started my installation :):)…… I am sure I am going to have millions of questions, but my main ones right now are 2……. 1- foam on the walls….. if I remember correctly, I made a conscious decision not to order it when I order my kit...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
compman723 said:
Curious why cartridge filter over sand?
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Sand filters are fine. I'd still get the largest you can get.
Sand requires backwash (which removes water from the pool). A large cartridge can likely go the season without backwash. They also filter out smaller particles than sand.
If you do get a cartridge, have them put a 3 way diverter between the pool pump and filter so you can pump to waste.

Filter type is more personal preference.
www.troublefreepool.com

Pool Filter Comparison

Your pool's filter is a vital part of your equipment pad. We'll take a look at each type of filter and list the pro's and con's of each.
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

Cartridge Filter Use and Care - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

Sand Filter Use and Care - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
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+1. My PB gave me one when I didn't know nothing about nothing. I didn't use it often but in came so in handy when I did that it was non negotiable when we moved and build another pool.

Vac to waste was huge at opening or after storms. Draining a couple inches of rain was equally nice taking minutes. Like 4. I still would have been untangling the 100 ft extension cord, then digging the submersible pump and hoses out. :ROFLMAO:


The 500 sq ft carts was also non negotiable and I spent hours locating it myself during the shortages. I had web surfing, calls and emails far and wide and probably spent half a work week just on that.
 
Minn Guy here - you've gotten great advice above. I was a tablet guy for decades, and the life changer was going salt water, and a big cartridge filter. My sand was too small for the pump/pool - so that was a big factor, which I fought for years unknowingly. Went from hours per week, and weeks of nasty looking water, to weeks of staring at the pool with nothing to do except for 15min-1/2 hr "check the chem" time per week. A big plus to the vac to waste - you will appreciate it when closing for the winter, and you have to lower the level some. Ditto on keeping a main drain - it allows you to keep lowering, even when the level is lower than the skimmers.
 

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compman723 said:
Does anyone have any simple advice on lights?
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I didn't want to replace expensive LEDs every couple of years so I put the old school 500W bulb in. Then I put a Blue lens cover on it. The link is the multipak. I only wanted blue for $14. Lol.

If i ever open the light up, I'll put one of the LED multicolor Floodlightbulbs in it that are now about $100. (I saw as low as $35) I won't mind replacing that every couple of years. LED technology just isn't up to par. The electronics heat up and fail.
 
Newdude said:
I didn't want to replace expensive LEDs every couple of years so I put the old school 500W bulb in. Then I put a Blue lens cover on it. The link is the multipak. I only wanted blue for $14. Lol.

If i ever open the light up, I'll put one of the LED multicolor Floodlightbulbs in it that are now about $100. (I saw as low as $35) I won't mind replacing that every couple of years. LED technology just isn't up to par. The electronics heat up and fail.
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I love this idea because I won't be boxed in. I need to install my lights on the long side of the pool. If I were to go with Amerilite's do I need 2 or 3?
 
That looks good! I unfortunately can't put it under diving board
Newdude said:
I'd say 1. It does just fine the old school way under the diving board. (Shown in blue)

View attachment 641615

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That looks good! I unfortunately can't place under diving board because that would shine at house. Our pool is perpendicular to the house with the deep end is farthest away. I believe I need to put them on the side? I'll keep reading, thank you!
 
After I typed that it hit me that I can't speak to how bright the LED floodlights are. You may want more of them if not using the 500W with the snap on lens cover.

I don't put much stock on the shining at the house stuff. More often than not, if the lights are on, youre not in that part of the house and/or staring at the pool from it. You're in the pool or by the pool.

Then every window in the house has curtains/blinds if it did happen to be an issue that one time.

Then then we never turn it on anyway because its the skeeterbringer9000. :roll:
 
Okay so I read a bunch and it seems for the 44 ft long pool, with also the most likely chance that I will be going the LED substitues in the Amerlite housing. I should be going with 3 of them on one side. 1 light placed 5 ft from each end and 1 light placed in the middle. What does everyone think?
 
compman723 said:
What does everyone think?
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I think you're our guinea pig here. I have seen considerably different lumens depending on the brand, but don't know how much I believe the generic brands claims. 3 could be obnoxious or not enough depending on said claims.
 
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