Pool heater return locations

[newpoolj]

Why is this being set up this way? This is a fairly non-standard way to set equipment up. Is it just to save money on running electric/gas to the heater? In any case my first suggestion is to put the heater on the equipment pad where it belongs. If for whatever reason that isn't happening, then I would suggest you go from the heater to the pool in the shortest path possible. Floor or wall returns, it doesn't really matter.

The heater has to be where it is to be close to the AC (it's a Hotspot FPH heater exchanger that uses the AC). Unfortunately there isn't enough space there for the rest of the pool equipment.

Would you run the water through the SWG before sending to the heater then?

 

[PoolGate]

The heater has to be where it is to be close to the AC (it's a Hotspot FPH heater exchanger that uses the AC). Unfortunately there isn't enough space there for the rest of the pool equipment.

Would you run the water through the SWG before sending to the heater then?

No for sure not - the SWG should be last in line just before the pool returns. Not sure what to do in your case.

 

[Dirk]

Would you run the water through the SWG before sending to the heater then?

No, I don't think you can do that. The super-chlorinated water that comes out of an SWG is not good for the heater components. There's hydrogen bubbles in the mix, too. Now, that's true of typical gas heaters and heat pumps. You might ask that question of the Hotspot manufacturer. Maybe their unit could handle it, but typically the chlorinator (any type) is always located last on the pad.

 

[JamesW]

Any thoughts on whether the pump would be good to push water to the heater and back to the pad, then go through a SWG before going out to the various returns?

The pump should be fine.

Distance really does not make too much difference as long as the pipe is sized correctly.

It could be a thousand feet or 10,000 feet and it makes no difference as long as the pipe is correct

Using 240 feet for a round trip and 60 gpm, the resistance for 2” PVC is about 15.4 feet of head loss.

For 2.5” PVC, the head loss would be about 6.5 feet.

If the distance was 2,400 feet, you would only need to increase the pipe size from 2.5” to 4” to have the resistance be the same.

If the distance was 24,000 feet, the pipe size would need to be about 6”.

You can use 2” PVC if the flow is going to be about 45 to 50 gpm, but I would step up to 2.5” PVC if the flow will be over 50 gpm.

240 feet of 2” PVC at 50 gpm is about 11 feet of head loss, which isn’t horrible or you could just go up to 2.5” PVC and the head loss at 50 gpm would be 4.6 feet.

Hazen-Williams Water Flow Formula: Head Loss, Data, Charts & Calculator

Friction head loss (<i>ft_H2O per 100 ft pipe</i>) in water pipes can be estimated with the empirical Hazen-Williams equation.

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ASTM D1785 and ASTM F441 - PVC and CPVC Pipes Schedule 40 & 80

Standard dimensions and weight of PVC - Polyvinyl Chloride - and CPVC - Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride.

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