Plumbing Tips/Upgrades?

[GenericHbomb]

I had an elephant cover installed in the fall. I was chatting with the installer, who does pool work on the side about getting a new pump. He took a look and said my plumbing is less than ideal.

I know what pump I need to get. Not sure if there are some tips on plumbing? Its pretty basic so I feel I could do it myself.


Right now it goes:
Flex hose into pump (what is best connector for flex hose to pump?)

Vertical PVC out of pump, 90 degree turn, PVC into filter

Flex hose out of filter

Any tips/thoughts?

 

[1poolman1]

You would do well to get rid of as much of that flex pipe (its considered pipe, not hose) as possible and plumb with standard PVC. Depending on which pump you get, some will come with union or bulkhead fittings that are plumbed into directly (Sta-Rite IntelliPro, Hayward) while others (Pentair IntelliFlo) do not. For those that don't come with them there are hi-temp unions that work well.

The flex-pipe you have uses standard fittings, but my experience has been that it tends to shrink a bit after it has been in use a while and the glue joints may leak.

 

[GenericHbomb]

You would do well to get rid of as much of that flex pipe (its considered pipe, not hose) as possible and plumb with standard PVC. Depending on which pump you get, some will come with union or bulkhead fittings that are plumbed into directly (Sta-Rite IntelliPro, Hayward) while others (Pentair IntelliFlo) do not. For those that don't come with them there are hi-temp unions that work well.

The flex-pipe you have uses standard fittings, but my experience has been that it tends to shrink a bit after it has been in use a while and the glue joints may leak.

I could cut them back a couple feet, about as far back as I can go. Thought about clamping them down to the ground so they cant move.

Used the pvc cement last time I made a connection to them with the tapered fittings. Is there a better fitting or glue option for flex pipe?

 

[ferretbone]

I could cut them back a couple feet, about as far back as I can go. Thought about clamping them down to the ground so they cant move.

Used the pvc cement last time I made a connection to them with the tapered fittings. Is there a better fitting or glue option for flex pipe?

If you use heavy primer on the hose(flex pipe) and the fitting it goes into before you glue it will hold just like pvc. But yes cut the ends off about 3-6inches on each end first. It jacuzzi can use flex pipe, without leaking so can you.

 

[generessler]

I'm no expert, but have successfully replaced plumbing on our equipment pad. after learning a lot from by watching Swimming Pool Steve's video series of pool equipment installation reviews. He covers many, many considerations: bonding, use rigid pipe vs flex hose, glued connections vs hose clamps, straight runs before pump inlets, check valves to protect heaters form chlorinators, sweep rather than street elbows, sacrificial anodes (though I gather that one is controversial; chemists have checked in here saying they're not worth much), etc. etc. His other videos seem well reasoned, too.

 

[Pool_Medic]

That flex pipe is pvc, it will hold for years if the proper glue and primer is used. The more elbows you have to add will increase filter pressure.

 

[GenericHbomb]

I'll cut it back a bit and get myself a nice straight run prior to connection.

I imagine so of my issues are that it is curving directly into the pump and fitting. Had not thought of that.

I'll move that 90 from pump to filter to a sweep instead of a hard 90 as well and run a pipe to the ground prior to the connection to the return flex pipe.

I'll check out those videos at some point this week.


Keep saying this is the year I go to salt as well and get that setup while re piping but we will see lol