New build - Stinking Lincoln style - Pool has started being filled - 4/6/21

[melonhead1382]

After several months of research and meeting with 6 different builders, my wife and I came up with a design and finalized everything we wanted. Went into contract last week and now we wait until end of January to start building.

Here is a drawing I did on Visio and a 3D picture the PB gave me but we've made some changes since then. I'm waiting on updated pictures from the PB. It's going to be shaped like my drawing.

Here are the specs:

Length - 36'
Width - 17'
Perimeter - 106
Surface area - 529
Depth - 3.5' to 7'
Gallons - 20,279
Returns - 4
Sheer decent - 6'
Spa - 7' x 7' with 12 jets
Spa pump - (2) Jandy PlusHP 2.0 HP Booster Pump
Blower - Jandy 2HP
Spa and raised wall - 18"
Polaris 9650iQ Sport robot cleaner
Pool pump - Jandy VS PlusHP 2.7 HP
Water feature pump - Jandy Water Feature 80GPM Pump
Heater - Jandy 400,000 BTU with bypass
Filter - Jandy 580
Automation: Aqua link PS-8

There are some other upgrades as well that I'm just too lazy to list right now. LOL I will definitely post pictures along the way and post the PB drawings/pictures when I get them. We are not doing a SWG to start. We went back and forth and decided we'll do chlorine the first year and see how it goes and can always add it down the road. I'm already paying an arm and leg so it hurt me to add any more to the price.

Updated the model of the pool pump, model and number of pumps for spa, and corrected the surface area.

 

[ajw22]

How many skimmers?

@mas985 what are your thoughts on a 2HP spa pump for 12 spa jets?

 

[NCMike]

Id recommend clarifying with your PB exactly what you will be able to control with automation. the Aqua link comes in different sizes depending on how many things you want to control. I have the RS-PS12 because I wanted independent control of a lot of different things and for future expansion. What you have is probably sufficient, but its easier to switch that part out now if needed then on equipment startup day. You may want to account for an extra relay for landscape lighting as well.

 

[melonhead1382]

How many skimmers?

@mas985 what are your thoughts on a 2HP spa pump for 12 spa jets?

One. I was looking at doing two but I think one should be fine. I have open land behind me. I don't have any trees and neither of my neighbors have trees.

 

[melonhead1382]

Id recommend clarifying with your PB exactly what you will be able to control with automation. the Aqua link comes in different sizes depending on how many things you want to control. I have the RS-PS12 because I wanted independent control of a lot of different things and for future expansion. What you have is probably sufficient, but its easier to switch that part out now if needed then on equipment startup day. You may want to account for an extra relay for landscape lighting as well.

Ok that's good to know. I'm doing 5 lights total. One in the spa, one in the cabo shelf and three in the pool. 2 of the 3 in the pool will be to light the pool and I'm putting the 3rd light underneath the sheer decent and it will be facing up for decorative purposes.

 

[ajw22]

One. I was looking at doing two but I think one should be fine. I have open land behind me. I don't have any trees and neither of my neighbors have trees.

1 skimmer with 4 returns is not the best for a 20K pool. You should get 2 skimmers. With two skimmers your pool can work fine if If you have a problem with one skimmer. If something clogs your one skimmer your pool pump can run dry and be damaged.

 

[melonhead1382]

How many skimmers?

@mas985 what are your thoughts on a 2HP spa pump for 12 spa jets?

I went back through my documentation and found that I'm getting 2 pumps for the spa, Jandy PlusHP 2.0 HP Booster Pumps. I remember telling the sales rep I wanted to double the number of jets because my bones are getting old and he said I would need a 2nd pump. So I forgot I added that 2nd pump.

 

[melonhead1382]

1 skimmer with 4 returns is not the best for a 20K pool. You should get 2 skimmers. With two skimmers your pool can work fine if If you have a problem with one skimmer. If something clogs your one skimmer your pool pump can run dry and be damaged.

I went back and corrected the surface area. An old design was at 560 but it's 529. I know it's not much difference but it is a little lower. I read through a ton of posts on this website doing my research and every thing I read said to do 4 returns for sure and 1 skimmer would be enough. You don't think 2 skimmers would be overkill?

 

[NCMike]

Ok that's good to know. I'm doing 5 lights total. One in the spa, one in the cabo shelf and three in the pool. 2 of the 3 in the pool will be to light the pool and I'm putting the 3rd light underneath the sheer decent and it will be facing up for decorative purposes.

You can have all of those lights count on 1 relay, or if you want to control the spa light and pool light separately, they you would use 2 relays. Or if you want the 1 with the sheer decent to be independent of the others and only come on when the sheer is on then you need another relay possibly. I am not exactly sure my self how everything gets wired up, but just wanted to make sure you had that conversation with your pool builder about what you expected to be able to control and what he actually has planned for you.

 

[doobs41378]

I went back and corrected the surface area. An old design was at 560 but it's 529. I know it's not much difference but it is a little lower. I read through a ton of posts on this website doing my research and every thing I read said to do 4 returns for sure and 1 skimmer would be enough. You don't think 2 skimmers would be overkill?

Our pool is 21,000 gallons and we have 2 skimmers just for reference. Our old pool was 18,000 gallons and had 2 skimmers also.

 

[ajw22]

2 skimmers and 3 returns is a lot better then 1 skimmer and 4 returns. You need balance in the flow in and out of the pool.

 

[melonhead1382]

You can have all of those lights count on 1 relay, or if you want to control the spa light and pool light separately, they you would use 2 relays. Or if you want the 1 with the sheer decent to be independent of the others and only come on when the sheer is on then you need another relay possibly. I am not exactly sure my self how everything gets wired up, but just wanted to make sure you had that conversation with your pool builder about what you expected to be able to control and what he actually has planned for you.

I did have that conversation and I emailed my sales rep last night to confirm it will be big enough for what I'm doing.

 

[guinness]

I remember telling the sales rep I wanted to double the number of jets because my bones are getting old and he said I would need a 2nd pump.

Have you considered a standalone spa? There's a great thread below that discusses the pros and cons of each.

Spa Vs Stand Alone Hot Tub? Help! Save my marriage.

In the process of interviewing PB’s and narrowed down to in Central N.J. to A&S and Blue Haven. Pool will be 20x40 freedom with tanning ledge. Here is the problem. I want an elevated spa and wife is concerned about 10K more already on a very expensive project. She counters with a Hot Tub off to...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[melonhead1382]

Have you considered a standalone spa? There's a great thread below that discusses the pros and cons of each.

Spa Vs Stand Alone Hot Tub? Help! Save my marriage.

In the process of interviewing PB’s and narrowed down to in Central N.J. to A&S and Blue Haven. Pool will be 20x40 freedom with tanning ledge. Here is the problem. I want an elevated spa and wife is concerned about 10K more already on a very expensive project. She counters with a Hot Tub off to...

www.troublefreepool.com

Yeah the wife and I talked about it but it was never an option for us. The pool and spa is taking up our whole backyard along with the pool equipment so we wanted the built in spa along with the pool. We thought about not doing a spa at all but an aftermarket spa was never an option.

 

[melonhead1382]

You can have all of those lights count on 1 relay, or if you want to control the spa light and pool light separately, they you would use 2 relays. Or if you want the 1 with the sheer decent to be independent of the others and only come on when the sheer is on then you need another relay possibly. I am not exactly sure my self how everything gets wired up, but just wanted to make sure you had that conversation with your pool builder about what you expected to be able to control and what he actually has planned for you.

You were right. It wasn’t big enough. I need the 8. Thanks for catching that!

 

[melonhead1382]

The PB says there is a possibility of them taking three days to dig the pool. I'm not taking down my fence and they'll be using a conveyor belt to get smaller equipment in. If I don't need the 3rd day, then I'll use that money to get the SWGC and something else. Maybe upgraded tile or something. But I was looking at Jandy's SWGC's and I see there are two. Which one would be better for the equipment and everything I have? What's the difference between the two?

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[ajw22]

I would get the Aquapure with the PLC1400 cell. It should be more reliable and higher capacity then the Truclear.

 

[melonhead1382]

I would get the Aquapure with the PLC1400 cell. It should be more reliable and higher capacity then the Truclear.

I see this is first on their list of features. Is it really self-cleaning or is that wishful thinking? LOL

• Automatic self-cleaning feature ensures consistent operation and extended lifespan of the cell

 

[ajw22]

All SWG cells reverse polarity to try and clean scale from the cells. It is not perfect but if you maintain proper water chemistry a cell rarely needs cleaning.

 

[melonhead1382]

Question regarding lights under waterfalls. Jandy recommends two options. Putting a bench under the water fall with the lights in the bench or doing a build out. I don't want a bench so I'm going to do a build out. Has anyone done this before? Thoughts?