New Plaster Build, High Acid Demand

[thegizzard]

Appears the actuated valves are operating correctly.

In your Return picture, you need to turn the manual valve on the Spa Return (same side of the actuated valve as the pool return) to OFF. That will stop the spa spillover.

If I turn the manual spa return to off, will it also block the pool return which looks like it comes after the spa return?

 

[mknauss]

Turn the spa 'return' manual valve 180 degrees. The OFF should point towards the Spa 'return' line.

 

[thegizzard]

Makes sense. I just tried it and the valve stops at 90 degrees from its current position, left or right. It doesn’t allow me to turn in 180 and only block the spa return.

 

[thegizzard]

It looks like the position the spa return valve is installed does not allow me to close just the spa return. The pool return has a different orientation and can turn in that direction.

 

[mknauss]

The valve was installed incorrectly. The stops should keep you from turning off the inlet to the right. You can loosen the thumbscrew on the valve handle and lift it over the stops.

 

[ajw22]

Makes sense. I just tried it and the valve stops at 90 degrees from its current position, left or right. It doesn’t allow me to turn in 180 and only block the spa return.

Unscrew the nut on the handle and lift the handle up to get it past the stop to turn it 180 degrees.

You can remove the handle and clip off the stops.

 

[thegizzard]

Unscrew the nut on the handle and lift the handle up to get it past the stop to turn it 180 degrees.

You can remove the handle and clip off the stops.

I tried this but it looks like the handle only goes on in one position. The pool is brand new so I don't want to clip anything off if I can avoid it.

Can I follow these instructions and install the valve correctly?

I am not sure what will happen if I remove those 8 screws. It sounds like the top cover of the valve will come off and I can re-install it 90 degress left from its current position. This will change the inlet from the bottom to the right... I think.

Can I do this myself? Any precautions I need to take? Service mode? Filter off?

 

[mknauss]

You can reposition the internals if you like. Might want to have some pool lube (Pool Lube - Further Reading) on hand to lubricate the orings.

Disable the pump. I assume your equipment is above the water level of the pool. If so, the water will drain to the pool. Might open the air release on the filter first to let everything drain down before taking the valve apart.

 

[flynwill]

To expand on mknass's reply I had to do this operation on on the cleaner valve for my own new pool. Once everything is shut down you take out the 8 screws you can see on the top of the valve, You can then lift internals up, rotate them 90 degrees counter-clockwise (so the stop now prevents you from shutting off the pump flow from the left) and re-install the screws. If you have the lube handy it won't hurt, but probably isn't really needed with a brand new valve.

 

[ajw22]

I tried this but it looks like the handle only goes on in one position. The pool is brand new so I don't want to clip anything off if I can avoid it.

Can I follow these instructions and install the valve correctly?

With all due respect to Marty, the valve is not incorrectly installed.

The only two positions that make sense for the SPA RETURN is with the handle up or down. The handle needs to be able to rotate 180 degrees. The SPA RETURN is either full open or closed.

The 90 degree positions block the pool return or dead head the pump.

In a situation like this you clip off the stops.

If thought had been give to this setup the SPA RETURN would have been placed at the end of the manifold where the valve could not block the pool returns. Or a T and a 2 way valve could have been used like on the POOL RETURN line.

 

[thegizzard]

And just like that… we’re done. Spillover working correctly.

As you have suggested I will adjust the schedule of the spillover to run a couple of times a day and I expect my Acid demand problem will be greatly reduced.

Thank you all for taking time for me on New Years Day to solve my little mystery. I very much appreciate it and will continue to preach the gospel of TFP.

Funny my pool builder never mentioned spillover mode to me. You would think anyone with this system would want to control it. Oh well. You guys saved me a bunch of acid! I was on track to use > 6 gallons a month. I’ll report back with the change in acid demand.

 

[dimora]

With new plaster you just keep on feeding it acid as it needs.

Agree with the above. Use baking soda to get TA to around 60-70. Don't forget that you have to make a correction to TA as a function of CYA. Test kit tells you the ratio. Then feed it acid every day to target 7.6-7.8 PH. My 32,500 gallon plaster/gunnite pool drank 28-32 ounces of Muriatic acid every day initially for the first 6 months - then started to stabilize. Now we only have to add acid once every few days.

 

[ajw22]

Agree with the above. Use baking soda to get TA to around 60-70.

TA down to 50 is ok. Don’t be quick to raise TA. Let the TA find its natural equilibrium.

TA - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Don't forget that you have to make a correction to TA as a function of CYA.

No TA corrections are needed when using PoolMath and TFP recommendations.

 

[thegizzard]

Interim update. Spillover off has reduced my MA demand considerably. A bit hard to measure exactly due to Freeze Protection on my Waterfall kicking in overnight. Either way, MA demand is down to around 12 oz / day. Everything else appears to be balanced. More to come when the weather warms up.

 

[thegizzard]

Update. I moved the JVA from my Vacuum line to my second spa return so I now I can use the spillway and the waterfall at the same time.

Spillway on:



Spillway off:



Much better.