New pool design finalized. Open to suggestions.

[masterofnone48]

Your PB is screwing with you. There was no reason to install an inline chlorinator to use for the first 30 days. A floater could easily be used for pucks when necessary. And he provided no space to install a SWG.

In addition having two valves to turn for the heater bypass makes it error prone and easily to misset one valve and damage your equipment if you mispositioned them. Described in this wiki is how a heater bypass is done with one 3 way valve and a check valve.

Heater Bypass - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I would tell him to redo the plumbing between the filter and the return, remove the chlorinator, use a simplier one valve heater bypass, and give you a straight run after the heater where a SWG can be installed.

I think the PB screwed up by installing the chlorinator and doesn't want to admit it because the EZ touch panel that he had here was not the one for the saltwater system either. I have caught an error on every single step of the build process so far so it would not surprise me if they thought I was doing a chlorine pool by mistake.

 

[ajw22]

The SWG isn't installed yet. He is saying that the SWG will be installed later after the inital 30 days. I feel like that doesn't make any sense. Why not use a dummy cell and install it once the plaster is cured and salt is added?

Again, makes no sense. The SWG can be installed day 1 and left off for the first 30 days. That is what PBs do. They don’t come back after 30 days to install the SWG.

 

[masterofnone48]

Got all of the tile and coping installed. They did fix the spa wall and quite a few other crooked or chipped tiles. It has been a chore to get the glass tile done correctly! Decking has been poured but we need some dry days to get the cool decking applied. We are hoping for adding the tile in the spa bench and plaster tomorrow. Here are a few pics of the progress.

 

[masterofnone48]

I got my TF-100 kit and tested my fill water. I think I performed the tests correctly and I know our city water is soft.

Here are my results:
TA - 150-170
CH - 40-50
CL - 1
PH - 8.2 possibly higher?

Let me know your thoughts on what my battles will be with fresh plaster and the fill levels. I think the CH will have to be pushed higher and TA and possibly PH be lowered correct?

 

[mknauss]

You will need to add calcium. And keep some around for when you do refills for whatever reason. Including losses due to rain over flow.

Your pH will need to be controlled as per start up process. The TA will take care of itself during that.

 

[ajw22]

Your TA will naturally come down as you lower your pH. You will be lowering your pH often between new plaster curing and high pH fill water.

You will need to add calcium.

Review...

What Are My Ideal Pool Levels?

Use our tool to find ideal chemical levels for any swimming pool. Check TFP recommended levels on pH, free chlorine, cyanuric acid, and more.

www.troublefreepool.com

Recommended Pool Chemicals

Which should I buy? TFP's recommended pool chemicals are cheap, easy, and won't unbalance your pool water.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[YippeeSkippy]

The tile looks marvelous! And I like the full width steps. I have that too and it makes a nice spot for folks to gather if they don't want to get in too much further.

Maddie

 

[kimkats]

Doing tile is a art form. Some are better at it than others. I am glad to hear your guy is trying to make it right. It sure does look pretty!!!

Kim

 

[masterofnone48]

Thanks for the help and comments guys. This has been a long stressful project. I can't wait for it to be 100% done. Once they wrap everything up 100% and the plaster is cured, I will be adding the Screen Logic 2 myself so I can get the spa going on the way home from work!

 

[masterofnone48]

They came out and got the pump running and brushed the pool yesterday. Only the returns in the pool and slimmer are operating now. My spa is just sitting full of plaster dust. Shouldn’t the spa be circulating as well to filter out the dust?

Also, I was under the assumption that you should not add chlorine initially and it sounds like there are tablets rattling in the chlorinator while the pump is running. I will test when I get home and see if there is any chlorine in the pool.

 

[kimkats]

Sounds like some more valves need to be turn so your spa is being filtered as well. Might want to give them a call to ask them to come back to fix it.

 

[masterofnone48]

Sounds like some more valves need to be turn so your spa is being filtered as well. Might want to give them a call to ask them to come back to fix it.

That was my thought. I tried contacting the PB twice and got no response. I don’t want to open the spa valves incase there was a reason for them isolating it.

 

[masterofnone48]

They came out and got everything circulating. In the process of getting everything circulating they started sending the water through my heater instead of leaving it bypassed. I bypassed it again this morning since the Ph is all over and there was a ton of plaster dust sitting in the spa. It sounded like there was air in the lines at the heater or some cavitation going on when it was running.

Plaster guy came out and dressed up some of the plaster where it meets the glass tile and decided to drain the pool below the waterline tile and leave the pump running during the whole process. I got home to the pump running with the skimmer about 1/4" full! Shut it off waited for pool to fill to proper level and turned the pump back on.

I noticed some streaks in the plaster in the spa that weren't there before. I watched the camera footage back and he poured the MA directly on the entire spa and rinsed it causing streaking under the jets? I'm so fed up with these contractors coming out to address one issue and causing another.

 

[kimkats]

SAVE that film!!!

 

[masterofnone48]

SAVE that film!!!

I made sure to download it so I don’t lose it.

 

[masterofnone48]

Someone please give me your input on the equipment pad. They removed the chlorinator and installed the SWG. The way I see it, the SWG will only be chlorinating the water if I am bypassing the heater. Let me know if you need better photos to answer.

 

[mknauss]

The way I see it, the SWG will only be chlorinating the water if I am bypassing the heater.

That is correct. Do you have an automation system? Your signature does not say.

 

[kimkats]

You are correct but in a very weak defense of of them it is the place that had a long enough straight pipe. Sigh..........time for new plumbing. Get out the paper work for the SWG and find the directions about straight pipe and length of pipe before and after. THEN spend some time in re-drawing the pipes to give them an idea of what you are looking for. They may not know so.....or not care either

 

[masterofnone48]

That is correct. Do you have an automation system? Your signature does not say.

I have the EasyTouch 4 and I will be installing ScreenLogic once the PB is out of the picture.

 

[masterofnone48]

You are correct but in a very weak defense of of them it is the place that had a long enough straight pipe. Sigh..........time for new plumbing. Get out the paper work for the SWG and find the directions about straight pipe and length of pipe before and after. THEN spend some time in re-drawing the pipes to give them an idea of what you are looking for. They may not know so.....or not care either

Yea I think it’s supposed to be 12” of straight pipe before the SWG. I am going to double check.
Any ideas on a bypass with one 3 way valve. I was having a hard time coming up with a way with the space I have.