Pool equipment installer says heaters never need bypass valve

[mknauss]

Doesn't the friction of flowing water cause wear and tear on the expensive heat exchanger (even if its' very slight )?

No. All heaters I know of have some form of internal bypass. Flow rates, if managed properly, are too low for erosion.
A bypass is fine for those that want it.

 

[mguzzy]

The only thing I can think of is that the PB thinks the internal bypass in most heaters is enough and that a external bypass is needlessly redundant. I have seen that comment posted on the forum a few times.
[op! me and Marty posted at the same time]

 

[Newdude]

Given all the pool pump and pool heater problems we see here statistics does not seem to apply to pools.

#preach !! The recent TX freeze made a fool of my point as well. But still.

And just like any trouble shooting source, We mostly see problems. Nobody seeks us out to blab about how awesome/easy their pool is. But most with problems do. Factoring those in against the many many that don’t have issues, it’s still a fair argument.

So @ajw22. Lemme ask you this. OP is skipping the SWG and we have long proven the only reason to do that is budget. The heater bypass will be roughly 1/3 of the cost of a SWG and of course if we all had unlimited budgets, they would both be no brainers. But if you had to choose, Would you rather have the SWG, or the bypass and 1 inch less patio the whole way around the pool ?

 

[Newdude]

Or...... the bypass or half the cost of a robot. Which one would come in handy more ?

 

[BassPlayingDude]

Lest my main point be misconstrued, my point was that, after stating his opinion for the OP on the lack of necessity of such, I don't understand why the technician would refuse to make what I (and obviously a few other posters ) view as a perfectly reasonable, if perhaps unnecessary plumbing modification if it poses no health and safety risk, and the customer wants it. It is obviously a straightforward plumbing task to do so. That is the source of my puzzlement.

 

[Newdude]

That is the source of my puzzlement.

I’m twice as puzzled that he is turning down profit. The real factor in any of his decisions.

 

[mguzzy]

Lest my main point be misconstrued,...

Point taken and I agree!

 

[BassPlayingDude]

OK whew.. I was starting to worry that I was the only one who felt that way! If the OP wanted his pool to have an adjoining saltwater Tiger Shark tank with a gate that opens on a timer to release them into the pool, I could totally understand refusing to build that!

 

[Newdude]

If the OP wanted his pool to have an adjoining saltwater Tiger Shark tank with a gate that opens on a timer to release them into the pool, I could totally understand refusing to build that!

Even THEN !!! If you have the money, they will take it, or somebody else will swoop in and steal the cash cow customer.

 

[mguzzy]

If the OP wanted his pool to have an adjoining saltwater Tiger Shark tank with a gate that opens on a timer to release them into the pool, I could totally understand refusing to build that!

Sounds like an interesting modification.. I will have to cogitate on that one. That would solve the issue I have with ducks using my pool as a migratory pit stop. @mods would I have to put such a water feature in my signature?

 

[BassPlayingDude]

@mguzzy You would probably have better luck with sea lions, they are much cuter and won't eat your children!

 

[ajw22]

Or...... the bypass or half the cost of a robot. Which one would come in handy more ?

Nothing about budget was mentioned in the first post that got this thread started.

 

[Newdude]

Nothing about budget was mentioned in the first post that got this thread started.

Budget is always the concern, or else we’d all have million dollar pools. Where is the best $300 OP can spend his money to DIY, or $500 (?) with builder markup.

 

[mguzzy]

@mguzzy You would probably have better luck with sea lions, they are much cuter and won't eat your children!

The South Philly Sea lions must be cuter than the ones we have out here... Ours are like loud obnoxious dogs and they WOULD eat your children. Perhaps you are thinking of sea otters, but they would trash the finish of any abalone laced plaster. I still like the Tiger Sharks.. but if I have to go through all the effort I'll just go all out and get an Orca. I think Free Willy is one of @Newdude 's favorite movies

 

[ajw22]

Budget is always the concern, or else we’d all have million dollar pools. Where is the best $300 OP can spend his money to DIY, or $500 (?) with builder markup.

If budget was a concern few people would have pools.

 

[Newdude]

If budget was a concern few people would have pools

And by the time they get to discussing heater bypasses, everybody is long over budget. So where is the best place OP can spend that bypass money ? Still on the bypass, or something else like the SWG or robot ?

I am 100% on board with the bypass being useful. I’m not sure it’s the best use of even more funds.

 

[DeanP66]

BTW what would be the proper or best bypass to use? Jandy or this one I saw on Amazon? Amazon.com : FibroPool 3 Way Diverter Pool Valve 1 1/2" Female Threaded : Garden & Outdoor

Definitely go with Jandy valves over these. These even have threads. You're just asking for it to start leaking and the Jandy never lubes last forever.

 

[needsajet]

Glad Dean P66 covered the valve question.

Yes, use a pool valve such as Jandy Never-Lube. They're glued in place, not threaded, and can be re-built in place if it's ever needed. I'm yet to run into a Jandy Never-Lube that isn't a delight to use, and I can't say that for some of the others!

 

[xpert66]

I will be the lone dissenter here having never needed a bypass. I brought my equipment inside every winter and had I even wanted to postpone hooking up the heater, I would have easily made and installed a dummy pipe in its place. (Also being a handy dude). The same goes if a problem would have arisen needing it.

I totally respect them for their purpose. I wholeheartedly support them for people without the skills to work around them. I consider it half a dozen or six for the rest of us. MY $.02.

My heater is two times the size of my air conditioning condensing unit. There's no way that's coming inside for the winter.

 

[xpert66]

My heater is two times the size of my air conditioning condensing unit. There's no way that's coming inside for the winter.

I always read instructions and follow manufacturers direction. Hayward says to install a bypass valve so a bypass valve will be installed.