Plumbing Concerns with New Pool+Spa Build

[Kevin Noblesville]

We are in the middle of a new pool and spa build. I found out that the plumber has never done a spa before and I think I may have found some problems. I am hoping to get some advice and find out of these are things I need to do something about.

The pool equipment is about 65' from the spa. They specced a 1.5hp spa blower and the manual talks about needing a Hartford loop if the lines are more than 25' long. There isn't a good place to do a Hartford loop until about 25' down the lines though. I this going to be a problem? I also noticed that the airlines drop way down below the bottom of the spa. It seems like this is all going to fill with water and be quite hard for the blower to push the water out.

They don't have a skimmer planned for the spa and we don't have a spillover. This seems like it would be a problem and would make it much harder to keep clean.

Are there any other things that I should be checking for?

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

The Hartford Loop limits how much of the air line will fill with water since the loop rises above the water level. Having the Hartford loop 25' away defeats the purpose of the loop.

The Hartford loop is often hidden in a wall near the spa. You need to figure out some type of feature that will place it near the spa.

https://www.poolspanews.com/how-to/ultimate-tech-manual/spa-and-hot-tub-blower-basics_o

Will your pool/spa be setup as a single body or water or dual bodies of water?

Without a spillover you have two bodies of water that have to be separately managed by separate equipment.

 

[Kevin Noblesville]

The Hartford Loop limits how much of the air line will fill with water since the loop rises above the water level. Having the Hartford loop 25' away defeats the purpose of the loop.

The Hartford loop is often hidden in a wall near the spa. You need to figure out some type of feature that will place it near the spa.

This is what I was afraid of. I am assuming that a check valve isn't enough to keep the water from filling the airline?

Will your pool/spa be setup as a single body or water or dual bodies of water?

It is 2 bodies of water with shared equipment and an OmniPL automation controller.

 

[ajw22]

Explain to me how you will chlorinate and filter two bodies of water with shared equipment?

 

[Kevin Noblesville]

Explain to me how you will chlorinate and filter two bodies of water with shared equipment?

They say that the OmniPL will alternate between the spa and the pool. The OmniPL manual it does show this plumbing configuration as an option. Its show on page 10

https://hayward-pool-assets.com/assets/documents/pools/pdf/manuals/OmniPL-installation-manual-092764-RevA.pdf

 

[3v0lut10n]

That's definitely an option, to have the Omni rotate valves and service both bodies of water separately with the same equipment, but it's far from preferred. It looks like the spa is elevated? Now would be a perfect time to work in a water feature back to the pool.

 

[ajw22]

They say that the OmniPL will alternate between the spa and the pool. The OmniPL manual it does show this plumbing configuration as an option. Its show on page 10

https://hayward-pool-assets.com/assets/documents/pools/pdf/manuals/OmniPL-installation-manual-092764-RevA.pdf

Page 10 setup is for a traditional POOL/SPA with a spillover.

The spillover is key and lets the equipment filter and chlorinate the pool water which flows into the spa and back to the pool through the spillover.




If you do not have a spillover then you need to use dual equipment as shown on page 12.

 

[Tcadwall0]

We are in the middle of a new pool and spa build. I found out that the plumber has never done a spa before and I think I may have found some problems. I am hoping to get some advice and find out of these are things I need to do something about.

The pool equipment is about 65' from the spa. They specced a 1.5hp spa blower and the manual talks about needing a Hartford loop if the lines are more than 25' long. There isn't a good place to do a Hartford loop until about 25' down the lines though. I this going to be a problem? I also noticed that the airlines drop way down below the bottom of the spa. It seems like this is all going to fill with water and be quite hard for the blower to push the water out.

They don't have a skimmer planned for the spa and we don't have a spillover. This seems like it would be a problem and would make it much harder to keep clean.

Are there any other things that I should be checking for?

Personally, I would never be ok with flexible tubing. More likely to crush, not as good for long term. Might not be your biggest concern as others have pointed out.