New Pool, Several Questions

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LynnOnTheWeb

LynnOnTheWeb

LifeTime Supporter
Jun 16, 2013
144
Austin, TX
Pool Size
16000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
Hi All,

I’ve got a new pool and my PB went MIA at the end, so it’s up to me to get up to speed. This is not my first pool, but this pool is different than my other pools in that it is raised and the equipment is underneath it.

Today’s project is getting the chemistry on the right path. This isn’t new to me, so I’m following the process. I‘ve never had to take a pool from zero CYA to the appropriate levels, but there is a first time for everything. I’ve got the app, I’m doing ALL my tests, heading to the store and will follow the process for all of my levels.

Now on to my first batch of questions.

- I’m not sure how to determine the appropriate pump speeds. We have 2 pumps.
- We have an in-floor system. It runs 100% of the time. Even when the spa is on. It drives me crazy. Sitting in the hot tub, the in-floor comes on and jets pummel people with cold water. The in-floor isn’t connected to the button in the control panel so turning that off/on makes no difference.
- We have a chlorinator. I’m assuming the appropriate pump needs to run at a specific speed to make that work best. If so, how do I determine that?
- We have an overflow basin. It gets dirty. I have a robotic vacuum. Any tips/tricks to keep that clean? It seems to collect all dirt/stuff in there.
- The air blower is not attached. Should this be attached using PVC glue or some other way?

Thanks for any help you can provide.
 

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Mods, I just realized this was posted under chemistry and my questions are all equipment related. I can’t figure out how to move it to the appropriate category. Sorry.
 
LynnOnTheWeb said:
Hi All,

I’ve got a new pool and my PB went MIA at the end, so it’s up to me to get up to speed. This is not my first pool, but this pool is different than my other pools in that it is raised and the equipment is underneath it.

Today’s project is getting the chemistry on the right path. This isn’t new to me, so I’m following the process. I‘ve never had to take a pool from zero CYA to the appropriate levels, but there is a first time for everything. I’ve got the app, I’m doing ALL my tests, heading to the store and will follow the process for all of my levels.

Now on to my first batch of questions.

- I’m not sure how to determine the appropriate pump speeds. We have 2 pumps.
- We have an in-floor system. It runs 100% of the time. Even when the spa is on. It drives me crazy. Sitting in the hot tub, the in-floor comes on and jets pummel people with cold water. The in-floor isn’t connected to the button in the control panel so turning that off/on makes no difference.
- We have a chlorinator. I’m assuming the appropriate pump needs to run at a specific speed to make that work best. If so, how do I determine that?
- We have an overflow basin. It gets dirty. I have a robotic vacuum. Any tips/tricks to keep that clean? It seems to collect all dirt/stuff in there.
- The air blower is not attached. Should this be attached using PVC glue or some other way?

Thanks for any help you can provide.
Click to expand...
Don't see a second actuator to isolate the spa when in use. It looks like the first thing that is in the system after the filter is the IFC valve, but would need a better picture, from a higher angle, to see. Would need a replumb to correct that.
Best thing you could do with that chlorinator is never use it. Replace it with an SWG.
Air blowers are never glued to the pipe.
Overflow basin? Vanishing edge pool? Yeah, they get very dirty. The whole "edge" acts as a weir and all surface dirt end up in them.
 
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What automation panel do you have?
For the blower, it does not get glued to the pipe. There are supposed to be two 1/2 x 8-18 screws installed 180° opposite eachother thru the blower collar into the pipe.
 
If there are Trichlor tabs in that feeder you are adding cya as they dissolve. This will cause cya to increase quickly.
Here’s what each dissolved 8oz trichlor puck does to your water so factor that in before adding cya & targeting recommended levels
www.troublefreepool.com

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 www.troublefreepool.com
IMG_6033.jpeg
Replace it with a saltwater chlorine generator or simply save the pucks for vacation & use liquid chlorine for daily chlorination.
www.google.com

How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Before chlorinating your pool, you should know these simple tips. Learn the best way to add chlorine to your pool.
www.google.com www.google.com
 
Understood. I generally use liquid chlorine (and will be adding a salt generator )but currently my CYA is at 0 (I think?). The test never gets cloudy enough to obscure the dot at all when the cylinder is at it’s fullest so I have a LOT to add. I was thinking I could add it via tabs, but then I did the pool math. According to that I should be at 450 for the CYA and the calculator is saying that’s 6+ lbs of stabilizer. I was planning to add about ¼ of what’s called for, retest and go from there.

Also, I can’t tell if the chlorinator is even working. I’ve got 4 tabs in that sucker, I can smell a little chlorine in the pool when the pumps first come on, but the level in the pool never get’s above .5 and I’ve only even gotten that 1 time out of 5 tests.
 
Last edited:
LynnOnTheWeb said:
It’s an iAquaLink panel.

I’ll screw the air blower to the pipe. Thanks for that information.View attachment 487464
Click to expand...
It looks like you have a uv sanitizer and an in line chlorinator, correct? If so then It appears the circ pump goes into the filter then the uv then the chlorinator. The infloor is on the separate pump with its own suction and return lines. Looks like the ifc goes across the bottom in front of the filter and uv to the ifc valve back left.
The aqualink panel appears to have a button (6th one) to start and stop this do you should be able to go in an program the timer. Maybe have the ifc run only over night so when you are using the spa you don't need to worry about it turning on and blasting cold water?
 

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IMG_4868.jpeg

I think there is more going on over here. Is there any way to get photos of the return pipes back here? And maybe a few others of that back left corner area?

The IFCS should only be active when returning through the pool returns. Spa return should shut that off. Unless they plumbed the IFCS valve in before the returns. Where is the heater?

--Jeff
 
Ahultin said:
It looks like you have a uv sanitizer and an in line chlorinator, correct? If so then It appears the circ pump goes into the filter then the uv then the chlorinator. The infloor is on the separate pump with its own suction and return lines. Looks like the ifc goes across the bottom in front of the filter and uv to the ifc valve back left.
The aqualink panel appears to have a button (6th one) to start and stop this do you should be able to go in a program the timer. Maybe have the ifc run only over night so when you are using the spa you don't need to worry about it turning on and blasting cold water?
Click to expand...

That button doesn’t seem to do anything when I push it to turn off the cleaners. When you say program with the timer, do you mean making sure the pump that the in-floor is connected to is completely off when that button is also off?

I don’t know if this is relevant but in-floor is disabled in my app. F6258AE2-D633-43D9-B8C3-69AA08C3712D.jpeg
 
Turbo1Ton said:
View attachment 487579

I think there is more going on over here. Is there any way to get photos of the return pipes back here? And maybe a few others of that back left corner area?

The IFCS should only be active when returning through the pool returns. Spa return should shut that off. Unless they plumbed the IFCS valve in before the returns. Where is the heater?

--Jeff
Click to expand...

Here is a photo of that corner. The heater is on the side of the house. See the pipes in the bottom left corner of this photo? They go down to the heater and back.
 

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I got it now. I missed it the first time but your IFCS has its own pump. I was too busy trying to decipher what was happening on the left side of your picture, to pay attention to the 'CLEANER' label on the outlet of the right side pump. I do not understand designing an IFCS to run without filtered water going to the multiport valve, as I'm pretty sure that any sediment increases the chance of wear of the valve assembly, but that's another discussion altogether.

So it appears that the way it should function is that when you select the IFCS, it should turn on/off the pump for that. I am not a Jandy person, so I don't know how to tell you what to look for in the programming. Can you advise, when you toggle the In Floor button in the app, does the right side pump turn on/off?

@ajw22 - who is our resident Jandy automation guru, that may be able to help the OP with how to confirm the IFCS pump is programmed correctly to turn on/off with the selection of the button in the above app?

--Jeff
 
Ahultin said:
It looks like you have a uv sanitizer and an in line chlorinator, correct? If so then It appears the circ pump goes into the filter then the uv then the chlorinator. The infloor is on the separate pump with its own suction and return lines. Looks like the ifc goes across the bottom in front of the filter and uv to the ifc valve back left.
The aqualink panel appears to have a button (6th one) to start and stop this do you should be able to go in an program the timer. Maybe have the ifc run only over night so when you are using the spa you don't need to worry about it turning on and blasting cold water?
Click to expand...
And it looks like I completely missed this response when I was reading through this morning. Not enough coffee apparently.

The only thing I think I would add to this is, and you should confirm, but I believe your system likely flows through the filter, then uv, then likely the heater, and back in and through the automated diverter valve to the spa or through the chlorinator.

@Ahultin - caught it. It looks like you just need to get the programming sorted, as to how to associate the button in your app, to turn on/off the pump. Then get your schedule configured so the IFCS runs whenever you are unlikely to use the spa.

--Jeff
 
Turbo1Ton said:
And it looks like I completely missed this response when I was reading through this morning. Not enough coffee apparently.

The only thing I think I would add to this is, and you should confirm, but I believe your system likely flows through the filter, then uv, then likely the heater, and back in and through the automated diverter valve to the spa or through the chlorinator.

@Ahultin - caught it. It looks like you just need to get the programming sorted, as to how to associate the button in your app, to turn on/off the pump. Then get your schedule configured so the IFCS runs whenever you are unlikely to use the spa.

--Jeff
Click to expand...
I think your flow is accurate. From the pipes, this is what it looks like to me.
 

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Air blower will go to the spa.

I added (horribly) the automated valves on the suction and return lines. Realistically you should be able to close off the 2 way valve on the spa makeup line, and you should be able to program your spillway to activate a couple times a day to keep the water in the spa changed out.

You should avoid using the chlorinator and primarily use liquid chlorine (which you said you are using primarily now). When you add the SWCG, you should try to fit that in the return line after the heater, and upstream of the automated return valve, that way you can send chlorinated water to either the pool or the spa, from the SWCG.


IMG_0500.png


--Jeff
 

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