New pool owner has questions please

[Kaylee34]

FYI == you should test your CYA in the bright sunshine with the sun to your back. But for now (winter), you can use the 30 ppm result you just got.

CYA - Cyanuric Acid Test

Cyanuric acid (CYA) is the chemical name for the product commonly called “pool water stabilizer” … Read more…

www.troublefreepool.com

I will do that this weekend when I’m finally home in the daylight.
I know doing it inside even under daylight bulbs isn’t accurate and I do want to be as much as possible. I’ll be retesting everything then.

Given the huge assortment of pool store chemicals left behind, and my own neglect, I was expecting the chems to be way, way off. Rather shocked the CYA isn’t through the roof. If the dog hadn’t eaten the puck floater, I’m sure it would be! The fact that I’ve done nothing but rake, brush, run the robot if I felt like it and twice toss in a little stabilized shock hasn’t helped much but the water is in much better shape than I expected.

It was fun playing chemist and getting a good feel for everything. I’ll get a plan for winter maintenance together this weekend. No one will be in the pool anytime soon but if I get and keep it balanced now, it will be easy to take care of the minor algae issue I have come spring. No sense letting it go to a swamp and fighting that.

I’m shopping for a SWG and leaning hard toward the CircuPool Universal. Undecided on the 40 or the 55. I don’t need fancy, just functional and reliable. I found the paperwork for the new liner and those measurements don’t match my own. I’m somewhere between 22,000-28,000 gallons and that’s a big difference.

Also looking into replacing the old single speed pump with a variable speed. If I can’t swap just the motor, I’ll have to replace the whole thing.

At some point next year I’ll also need to get a safety cover so I can close the pool come fall. It’s only open now because of the dogs.

It’s a lot of $$$ for me to lay out and I’ll need to grab the best bang for my buck spacing it out as I can afford it.

 

[Kaylee34]

Finally got some daylight pictures of equipment. Sorry they're not great. The equipment is old and works well but efficiency is well, let's just say it's not.
There was a chlorine tab dispenser thingie plumbed in somewhere at one time but that's been removed (found that in a box).
The filter does well and seems trouble free. I intend to disassemble and clean it this weekend to make sure the internals are OK.
The pump from what I can tell is a 1hp single speed and at least 10 years old.
Only other thing out there is a mechanical timer. Pump hard wired into it.

I know there's not much to the wet side of the pump so I'm thinking of swapping the pump motor for a variable speed. Not sure if this makes sense due to age and if it would be cost effective over replacing the entire thing. If I swap just the motor, I believe I can go to a 1.65 hp with the same frame, flow rate within the filter specs and keep it simple. Advice on this anyone?

If I don't need to replace the filter anytime soon (I hope not) the SWCG is high on the list to add. I have plenty of room to add and reconfigure anyway I want.

Thank you!

 

[ajw22]

Is your pump running on 120V or 240V?

If you are thinking of using the Vgreen 165 VS motor it is 240V only.

 

[Kaylee34]

Is your pump running on 120V or 240V?

If you are thinking of using the Vgreen 165 VS motor it is 240V only.

Current pump is running at 240v.
Wired directly from pump to manual on/off switch to mechanical timer to main panel box.

I am thinking of swapping to the VGreen 165. Read up on it quite a bit today. Also thinking of bumping up to the 2.7 hp motor since it will work. Not as cost effective certainly and I believe I’d need to change more parts like the impeller. Also considering one of the cheaper Chinese pumps. More reading to do I suppose but it’s giving me a headache.

Objective is to keep a clean pool, maximize my energy savings and not have to replace the filter. My budget will only stand so much and a SWCG and safety cover are going to be necessities this upcoming year. I travel too much to be tied down to a pool daily and I need the added security of a good cover.

 

[ajw22]

Don't overthink the motor. Your current pump is 1HP.

The Vgreen 1.6 hp will do fine. No need for the 2.7.

 

[Kaylee34]

Here is the pool and plumbing for it. Not much there! I think the stub out next to the filter used to serve the chlorine feeder.

One bottom drain. One skimmer opposite the ladder. 4 returns. One at the ladder, another on the same long side, one at the right hand steps and one about 1/3 of the way down the right hand long side.

Pad is about 10-15 feet to the right of the diving board.

Sorry I’m such a bad photographer!

 

[Kaylee34]

Don't overthink the motor. Your current pump is 1HP.

The Vgreen 1.6 hp will do fine. No need for the 2.7.

Thank you!
I overthink everything. It’s a failing.

The pool gets full sun most of the day in the summer so I’ve pretty much decided on the CircuPool Universal55 SWCG unless anyone thinks I should do the 40?

While I’m replumbing (it’s all 2 inch) should I plan on adding any valves? I can move things around easily to accommodate a better configuration.

 

[ajw22]

The pool gets full sun most of the day in the summer so I’ve pretty much decided on the CircuPool Universal55 SWCG unless anyone thinks I should do the 40?

Either one will do fine for you.

While I’m replumbing (it’s all 2 inch) should I plan on adding any valves? I can move things around easily to accommodate a better configuration.

Those white ball valves will probably stick in time. Eventually replace them with diverter valves.

Post some large pics of your overall equipment pad and plumbing.

 

[Kaylee34]

The valves aren’t the easiest to turn so I’ll plan on replacing them as suggested.

This is it. There’s nothing fancy here at all. Sorry they’re sideways.

 

[ajw22]

What material are the black pipes going into the ground? It does not look like PVC.

I assume you will get rid of the flex PVC pipe on the filter output when you plumb in the SWG using rigid PVC.

 

[Kaylee34]

What material are the black pipes going into the ground? It does not look like PVC.

I assume you will get rid of the flex PVC pipe on the filter output when you plumb in the SWG using rigid PVC.

Well, I went out and tapped on the black pipes. Sounds like plastic. Could be painted PVC but doesn’t look like it. I’ll have to see in the daylight tomorrow. There’s NO light out there and I’m still unpacking so no good flashlights handy.

The black pipe with the PVC elbow on it behind the filter is some kind of flexible pipe. I can bend that one and move it back and forth.

Yes the flex pipe will go away.

I’m not adverse to replumbing the whole thing as long as it’s diggable. I’m not going to bust up the concrete pool pad. That’s just too much for one middle aged old lady.

I do have the original paperwork on the equipment. No dates but the pool was here in the late 1990s when my seller bought the house. It’s the same equipment. Pump was changed to a newer identical in 2009 if I read the nomenclature correctly. The filter could be the original.

 

[Kaylee34]

There was a Hayward CL-220 chlorine feeder at one point. Here’s the plumbing specs for that off the paperwork. Maybe that is what the odd black stub was for.
Again, sorry they’re sideways. I can’t do things well from my phone.

 

[ajw22]

Yeah, the thin black hose is leftover from the chlorinator. You have two holes in the pipes from the chlorinator so the easiest thing is to just connect them with a hose.

You will get rid of the hole in the flex pipe. You can get a plug to put into the other hole. Or you can stick a temperature sensor into the hole.

 

[Kaylee34]

I’ll probably just plug that line or maybe eliminate it altogether. Seems easier than putting in a temperature sensor.

Reading up on valves. I like simple and easy. So I’ve decided that I’ll be replumbing the whole thing this spring. Need to figure out what plastic these black pipes are and how this is all connected together but I don’t mind doing a little careful digging.

Reading quite a bit and want to say thank you! for figuring out and posting about hair nets in the skimmer. I have a bunch ordered and can’t wait to use them. I have a constant dumping of very fine “stuff” that takes forever to net out and makes a nightmare in the skimmer. Yep. Need to brush the steps again but it’s cold, rainy and windy out so not today.

 

[Kaylee34]

Hair nets have arrived. Yay!
Need to drain a bunch more water out again. Rain all day Sunday filled it back up to the top of the skimmer. I’d just dropped it about 4 inches too to get it to mid skimmer level.

New leaf net, new brush and Cadillac of pool poles arrived too. Yay! Now hopefully I can get the rest of the leaves out. It will be nice if I can reach the middle.

Water is still clear and much less algae trying to grow with regular brushing and minding chemicals with my lovely test kit SLAM and a good scrubbing still going to happen come spring.

Hit the pool store and bought a thermometer. The duck was cute. The pineapple was almost irresistible. The shark had the lowest profile and almost made the trip home but the dog would have eaten that too. So elcheapo is tied off to the safety rope eyelet and just out of reach for one thieving mutt.

 

[Kaylee34]

Ok I have another question.

Could this be a pool vacuum fitting? If so should I just cap it off when not in use?

One of my return? jets isn’t working. I don’t know if it’s ever worked. It’s the one on the same side of the pool as the skimmer. There was no eyeball fitting on it at all but one does screw in there.

Tried a fish tape in it and got about 3 feet in before hitting a hard stop. Which I assume is a 90 degree elbow I can’t get past. Tried blocking the other three returns with people (oh boy they complained!) Nothing. Stuffed plastic bag wrapped socks in the other returns and pump pressure blew them out. Nothing. Water hose, nothing.

Stuffed the shop vac in it and blasted air in with the pool pump running. Took a minute but that blew the lid clean off the skimmer. Whatever was clogged in that direction sure isn’t clogged anymore. There’s no suction into or outward water pressure from this line at all. It’s just there.

So have I completely screwed up and jacked my plumbing? Could this be where the vacuum goes?

The bottom of the skimmer has 2 lines going out of it. I’ll snap a few pictures of everything if wanted.

Thank you!

 

[Bperry]

Hit the pool store and bought a thermometer. The duck was cute. The pineapple was almost irresistible. The shark had the lowest profile and almost made the trip home but the dog would have eaten that too. So elcheapo is tied off to the safety rope eyelet and just out of reach for one thieving mutt.

Next month when you see a white mushy blob floating around remember this post telling you the blob is the thermometer string that has disintegrated.

Also remember those thermometers are sometimes like the OTO chlorine test. They just tell you if the water is warm or cold so don’t rely on them for any chemistry.

 

[mknauss]

It’s the one on the same side of the pool as the skimmer.

Is it immediately below the skimmer?

 

[Kaylee34]

Is it immediately below the skimmer?

No. It’s not. It’s 13 feet away from the skimmer. 18” below the coping. It looks EXACTLY like a return jet. The other two returns are 18” from the coping also.

The skimmer bottom holes are one near the pool, one away from the pool. The one near the pool is the only one sucking in water when the pump is running.

Pics of the offender and bottom of the skimmer. The skimmer hole with the black gasket is the one farthest from the pool. The other one is the active line. I think I may need to do something with that come spring though cause it seems like the gasket is coming loose.

 

[Kaylee34]

Next month when you see a white mushy blob floating around remember this post telling you the blob is the thermometer string that has disintegrated.

Also remember those thermometers are sometimes like the OTO chlorine test. They just tell you if the water is warm or cold so don’t rely on them for any chemistry.

LOL!! I will remember that! I’ll tie it off with some twine when that happens. The dog will probably get it anyway the thief that he is.

Water temp accuracy not needed. It was TOO MUCH FUN having three teenage boys screaming “OMG that’s cold! It hurts! My arm is burning! I can’t feel my fingers! I can’t do this anymore!” when I had them blocking return jets.

“Hey guys, stop whining, the thermometer says the water’s 50 degrees. That’s not cold.” Hahahahaha!!