O.k. I'll definitely go with 3" spa suction side. Is there a optimal jet configuration such as stacking groups of 2 or is it just personal preferences. Thanks for the help, only 3 days left till plumbing.
owner builder in socal
- Thread starter mccj
- Start date
Jet placement is really personal preference. Some people like them spread out, others want one spot where all the jets hit them at once, or anything in between. Spread out around the spa is the most common choice.
Thanks for the input on the spa plumbing. I'm now faced with raising the bond beam around half the pool 6" due to difference in house elevation. I can raise the area 6" for about 8 feet , then step up to +12" for 6 more feet which will then meet the spa which is +18". Or I can keep it all at +6" and meet the spa at +18". Any thoughts on 3 different pool wall heights? Just not sure if the +12" decking meeting the spa at + 18" will look funky. Deck would only be 6" below top of spa coping. I'll try to post a pic. Hope it isn't too confusing. Thanks.
mccj said:
As Jason said - personal preference. We have them spread out to 6 seating positions at the middle of the back. Two of the 'positions' have two jets (lower and upper back) for a total of 8 jets. Recently somebody mentioned putting jets low for feet. I think this is a great idea and would do this if I had to do it all again.
Steve
Well, pool is dug. We didn't hit water and went to 7 1/2 feet deep. I haven't figured out how to upload pics yet but will post some when I do. Plumber came today to set his main drains before steel. I decided to have a deep heat line plumbed in on a seperate valve. Plumber will set one line with 2 outlets. One at the deepest part of the floor and one more on the downsloping floor about 6 feet deep. He wants to use main drain covers for them. He thinks this will disperse the water effectively. I am a litte hesitant about the asthetics of 2 additional drain covers, but I told him go ahead. Any thoughts? Steel tomorrow.
mccj said:
I'm not sure 2 outlets will do much for you. You won't notice the extra drains, but it will sure confuse the next owner. I think the main drains will work well for distributing the flow -- might also keep pool toys from falling into them...
Instead, how about a few more wall retuens at a lower elevation pointed downward...?
Steve
tsunami
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Pebbletec has some drain covers that they cover with pebble that don't look too bad. It helps them blend in a little. You could also put them on the house side of the pool so their not as noticeable.mccj said:
A friends pool has two 1" returns in the deep end floor and says they are very effective in heating the pool quicker. So based on his experience I figure between the four surface returns and two bottom drain cover type returns plumbed with 2", I should get at least the same results. Our equipment and pools will be very similar. The plumber ran the pipe yesterday for the floor returns to drain covers so I guess thats how it will be. My bigest concern is the return in the floor which is at about 5 1/2 to 6' deep from waterline. roughly in the miidle of the pool floor lengthwise. I'm not sure how convex the cover will be and hope it wont get stepped on too much. I'm guessing I should be o.k. at that depth? Thanks for all the input. It's kind of stressfull trying design as I go.
Plumber does not plan on looping the pool returns. Is this an acceptable way to go or should I insist they be looped?
It will work either way, but I looped mine. I think the general thinking is that it will improve your overall flow and keep all the returns flowing at the same rate. Otherwise you may get some strong and some weak returns.
Jim
Jim
He's working on my pool today. He says he'll run 2" to the closest return, then 1 1/2 to the next two, then 1" to the farthest one. Says he's been doing it that way for 25 years. I said go ahead and do it your way. Thanks for all the helpfull responses. It's nice to have an unbiased opinion on things.
tsunami
0
mccj said:
I was in the same boat as you, wondering if they should loop the returns. When the plumber showed up, I asked him if he was going to loop the returns, and his reply was similar to your plumber's. So, I let it go.
I would've preferred they looped it so the flow would be the same out of each return for better circulation, but instead am relying on their expertise. I hope he's right. If I had to do it again, I'd insist on having a plumber's schematic with full details.
On the deep-heat plumbing, I think it's a fairly new concept in pool building based on the fact that heat rises, it would help in heating the pool more efficiently. I've only heard of it being done on a few pools so far. Mine has it, but is not complete yet. I have an 8' deep end, which is where both of the deep heat returns are(2").
So far, I've heard 1 person report that it works well and he's glad he did it. I've also heard someone with solar and no deep returns report that he wish he had deep returns because the water gets noticeably cooler, the deeper you go.
Take alot of pictures for future reference.
He said it would be an extra 40' of pipe or around 150 or so more dollars. He thinks it's a waste of money and said he plumbed his own pool without looped returns. I may just say loop em to be sure their equal. I had him run one 2" to the deep end floor teed off to four eyeball fittings. This is how my neighbor has his deep heat and says it's great. I plan on using only one 4x160 pump for everything. Plumber says don't use more than 6 spa jets with one pump. Anyone have a one pump system with a pool/spa combo care to chime in on whether or not it worked out? Still have a few days to add a booster pump but would really like to keep it at one pump.
tsunami
0
It doesn't sound like it'd break the bank. He must be confident that the difference would be minimal if not un-noticeable. I didn't want to question how they do it because after all, it's my first pool, what do I know?mccj said:
4 directional returns should give you some good circulation. Both of my 2" deep-heat returns are tee'd off from one 2" line. It'll probably have some type of drain cover over them, unless I can find some 2" eyeballs. It's good to hear that your neighbor talks highly of it.
My contract calls for a dedicated 2HP Whisperflo for my 8 spa jets. Spa has 3 different seating levels with one seating position having an upper back, lower back, and calf jet. I'm seriously considering upgrading it to a VS so I could turn it up or down if needed and maybe save on electricity? If I were starting from scratch, I would have added a few more jets, a couple just for the feet.
mccj said:
I have a single Pentair Intellifow VF pump with 8 spa jets. I have no spa jet 'heads' -- just a flush-cut pipe in the wall. It still has venturis and blows air as it should, just not adjustable. Nice that hey do not stick out into our backs. Either way... the 8 jets are almost too powerful, as they tend to blow you off your seat at full power. I slowed the pump down to 80 gpm (10 gpm/head) and I'm happy. I have 3" pipe to/from the spa and a partial filter/heater bypass (filters/heats about 30% of the water) which allows me to get up to about 110 gpm if desired. A lot depends on the plumbing and the pump.
Steve
Steve, can you explain how the plumber set up your heater/filter bypass? Did he use a 3 way valve? I'll have 3" suction, 2 1/2" return to spa, 50' run. Also, how did you configure your jet placement? Thanks, Mike.
mccj said:
It's an automated valve right after the pump that only opens partway to divert some water through a really short 3" dia. loop (and swing checkvalve) right back to the spa. It works well for getting the gmp up, but I'm not sure it's worth the trouble. You have to get the pump gmp and the valve setting right or you will starve the heater of water while in spa mode. I divert about 60% of the water in 'highjet' mode where the spa jets are turned up. I have the normal 'spa' setting on the controller that runs at a more modest (but still fine) speed.
While it worksw as planned, I don't know if it's worth all the trouble and extra buttons, etc. The cost was minimal. I had the controller already and had already purchased the valve contril expansion board for other 'stuff' I had added. So it was a little pipe and an automated valve. Maybe $200-$250 in all....
Steve (yes I tinker more than it's good for me)