So take a threaded elbow and then glue pvc and have it run to the pool turn it in and that should take care of it?
Pool Slide PVC pipe
- Thread starter Jcsmith9
- Start date
Another question I have. Should the PVC run all the way into the pool water as to where it is submersed with water?
No, unless you don't like the sound of water splashing into the pool. It's a temporary thing for over the winter to keep flow happening to forestall freezing, while you ponder how to fix the attachment to the slide itself next spring.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,665
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Gotta chime in again. This plan to add piping to that valve at the slide, to run it back into the pool, and keeping the pump running 24/7 is not a good idea. At all. The tripping hazard aside, if you get a power failure during a freeze (which is not farfetched at all), or otherwise have your pump stop running, then that pipe could freeze and burst. Depending on where it bursts, it will NOT be repairable.
Put a valve on the pipe at the pad, and a tee just below that. Then close that new valve, and then use the tee to blowout the pipe. Then leave the valve at the slide open for the winter. Once you figure out what those threads are, you can screw on a cap (loosely, so air can pass) to keep rain and snow from getting into the pipe. Or just put some plastic over it and tie that on. Or put a plastic cup over it. Etc.
I'm at a bit of a loss as to why the idea of running water through that pipe and valve, all winter, has gotten any traction.
Put a valve on the pipe at the pad, and a tee just below that. Then close that new valve, and then use the tee to blowout the pipe. Then leave the valve at the slide open for the winter. Once you figure out what those threads are, you can screw on a cap (loosely, so air can pass) to keep rain and snow from getting into the pipe. Or just put some plastic over it and tie that on. Or put a plastic cup over it. Etc.
I'm at a bit of a loss as to why the idea of running water through that pipe and valve, all winter, has gotten any traction.
How complicated is it to do this? I will say I have probably a beginners level of experience when it comes to plumbing.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,665
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
It's very easy. Like easier than assembling a model airplane. Just gluing a few parts together. I'll give you the same advice I've given others. If you want to try, we'll put together a parts list for you. And then you buy a couple extras, and a couple feet of PVC. And you practice a couple times with the spare parts. You don't have to learn on your pool plumbing. You watch a couple YouTubes on working with PVC, practice a little, and then do the "real thing" when you're ready. Those extra practice parts might cost you all of $10, or less. And then it's a skill that'll come in handy forever.
And even if you make a mistake, you have a good long run of pipe to work on, that can handle a half dozen attempts, not that it'll come to that.
And I've never blown out a pool plumbing system (I don't winterize), but I understand that's no big deal. A shop vac or a leaf blower can do the job, I think.
Then in the Spring, you'll check back in, and we'll walk you through getting that slide working.
And even if you make a mistake, you have a good long run of pipe to work on, that can handle a half dozen attempts, not that it'll come to that.
And I've never blown out a pool plumbing system (I don't winterize), but I understand that's no big deal. A shop vac or a leaf blower can do the job, I think.
Then in the Spring, you'll check back in, and we'll walk you through getting that slide working.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,665
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
PS. Speaking of learning PVC skills...
The bad news about your pad is the unfortunate use of all those ball valves. Those are junk, and are inappropriate for outdoor/pool plumbing. They're going to fail eventually, and you're going to have to replace them. One at a time, or all at once if you don't want to keep dealing with the failures. So learning how to work with PVC will come in handy.
The bad news about your pad is the unfortunate use of all those ball valves. Those are junk, and are inappropriate for outdoor/pool plumbing. They're going to fail eventually, and you're going to have to replace them. One at a time, or all at once if you don't want to keep dealing with the failures. So learning how to work with PVC will come in handy.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,665
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
By the way, depending on how you go about winterizing (if you do, in fact, winterize), you might not need to do any plumbing work at all:
Your entire pad can come apart. The arrows indicate unions, which can be disassembled (unscrewed), and you can open up some or all of your plumbing.
As I mentioned, I don't actually know how to winterize, but it looks to me like the plumber planned ahead to make it easy. You could disconnect your pump and SWG and store those in the garage. The rest of the plumbing can come apart to make blowing out the lines easy.
If you disassembled the two green unions, and the blue union, that whole diagonal piece would lift right out. Assuming that pipe does feed the slide (have you confirmed that?), once the blue union is exposed, you could just blow out that line and you're done.
In a previous post, there was a mention that that diagonal line might feed more than just the slide. So the first step is to figure that out. But if it only feeds the slide, and you don't run your pump in the winter, then just open up the unions and blow out that pipe to the slide.
There's more than one way to skin this cat...
Your entire pad can come apart. The arrows indicate unions, which can be disassembled (unscrewed), and you can open up some or all of your plumbing.
As I mentioned, I don't actually know how to winterize, but it looks to me like the plumber planned ahead to make it easy. You could disconnect your pump and SWG and store those in the garage. The rest of the plumbing can come apart to make blowing out the lines easy.
If you disassembled the two green unions, and the blue union, that whole diagonal piece would lift right out. Assuming that pipe does feed the slide (have you confirmed that?), once the blue union is exposed, you could just blow out that line and you're done.
In a previous post, there was a mention that that diagonal line might feed more than just the slide. So the first step is to figure that out. But if it only feeds the slide, and you don't run your pump in the winter, then just open up the unions and blow out that pipe to the slide.
There's more than one way to skin this cat...
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Let’s do it. Help me get a parts list together. Is there a number I can reach you at if for whatever reason I can’t contact you through here? I’m hoping you can help me get all the ball valves on the pad as well.
I just thought of another.
we only need that pipe at the slide empty to a few inches below grade because Alabama has a very shallow frost depth. 1) turn the pool off
2) open up valve
3) duct tape shop vac hose to pipe and blow with the exhaust port of vac.
4) count to 15
5) close valve with shop vac still blowing.
It won't empty the line but it will push the water in it far enough down. The valve will keep the air locked near the top of the pipe and whatever else is Teed on that run will still work.
@Dirk - The issue was to address a temporary situation, where normally he was able to just run the pool during freezing periods coupled with his concerns about lack of ability to do the work. But he seems to be getting over that fear.
We still haven't established:
1. If that angle pipe from the filter is actually the supply line to the slide pipe. If not, he's cutting, gluing, and installing a valve/tee that may not fix the issue.
2. Whether that angle pipe has a hidden branch that feeds something else, even if it does feed the slide pipe.
3. He's apparently not ever winterized in the past. Does he want to start doing so now?
Full on winterization with a shop vac or leaf blower rarely can be done, but most of the time a dedicated blower or larger compressor is needed. He'll need more things - return plugs, skimmer gizmos, and pool noodles to get it done. Perhaps a submersible pump to lower the water level some. Some kind of cover to keep junk accumulation minimized (rather than depending on whatever usual pool skimmer/cleaning he is used to doing now).
To amplify on @Newdude IF the OP can find a sufficient air supply, he could fasten it to the slide line, undo the union the angle pipe goes to, just before it enters the ground, and then see if air can be forced out of that now open pipe. That would then at least tell us the answer to #1.
Worst case, without finding out before hand on #2, is that we later find what other part of the pool doesn't work when the new valve is turned off - maybe a return?? - and then have to advise on how to plug that to prevent freezing....
Sounds like in past years, with the slide working, he was content. Maybe we should be helping with fixing the connection to the slide?
We still haven't established:
1. If that angle pipe from the filter is actually the supply line to the slide pipe. If not, he's cutting, gluing, and installing a valve/tee that may not fix the issue.
2. Whether that angle pipe has a hidden branch that feeds something else, even if it does feed the slide pipe.
3. He's apparently not ever winterized in the past. Does he want to start doing so now?
Full on winterization with a shop vac or leaf blower rarely can be done, but most of the time a dedicated blower or larger compressor is needed. He'll need more things - return plugs, skimmer gizmos, and pool noodles to get it done. Perhaps a submersible pump to lower the water level some. Some kind of cover to keep junk accumulation minimized (rather than depending on whatever usual pool skimmer/cleaning he is used to doing now).
To amplify on @Newdude IF the OP can find a sufficient air supply, he could fasten it to the slide line, undo the union the angle pipe goes to, just before it enters the ground, and then see if air can be forced out of that now open pipe. That would then at least tell us the answer to #1.
Worst case, without finding out before hand on #2, is that we later find what other part of the pool doesn't work when the new valve is turned off - maybe a return?? - and then have to advise on how to plug that to prevent freezing....
Sounds like in past years, with the slide working, he was content. Maybe we should be helping with fixing the connection to the slide?
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,665
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Yep. We need these figured out before he starts cutting.
What do you think is the best/most-efficient way to figure out #1? And #2?
How about:
#1
a. figure out the threads atop the valve at the slide and then
b. buy a male-hose-to-whatever-thread adapter from HD
c. connect a hose to that valve at the slide
d. turn off the pad
e. undo the blue-arrowed union (see my pic above)
f. run the hose and see if water come out of the union
#2
a. after performing #1...
b. close the valve at the slide
b. squirt a bunch of food dye into the blue-arrowed union, while it's still open
c. restore that union
d. run the pump
e. see if any dye comes out anywhere
Just one way to do it. Better ideas?
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,665
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,665
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Do you mean you want to replace those ball valves now?
You'd need one each of the two-port and the three-port Neverlubes:
I think you could eliminate the ball valve going to the booster pump. That's not normal and I don't understand why that's even there.
You'd replace the two ball valves going into the pump with a single three-port Neverlube.
And you'd add the two-port to the diagonal pipe that [we think] is the source of the slide valve.
I like it. Relatively easy to do in both time and expense.
#1a gets him on the road to fixing the slide, also....(not that that is the current goal).
Let’s do it. Help me get a parts list together. Is there a number I can reach you at if for whatever reason I can’t contact you through here? I’m hoping you can help me get all the ball valves on the pad
yes, I would like to have all of this replaced. My question is will it be difficult to do?
Let me start with by telling you what I see looking at the pump and you can correct me here. The ball valves going into the pump which is my main drain and skimmers need to be replaced with a Jandy three port valve. To have this installed would you cut the two pipes that currently have the ball valves? Trying to wrap my mind around this.
Before designing a replacement plumbing layout -
What's going on after the salt generator - hard to tell whether it is one pipe going into the ground, or it splits into 2. Can you post a picture from that side, or from the top?
And we really need to know what the deal is with the angle pipe, so the evaluation Dirk suggested using the dye should be tried.
What's going on after the salt generator - hard to tell whether it is one pipe going into the ground, or it splits into 2. Can you post a picture from that side, or from the top?
And we really need to know what the deal is with the angle pipe, so the evaluation Dirk suggested using the dye should be tried.
I guess the plumber was overthinking it but in reality once it's there it's handy if that pump starts leaking you just turn it off and keep the rest of the system flowing. I had two pools this past season with the notorious booster pump leaking, a chronic problem on the new booster pump design, and needed to resort to connecting the two flex hoses thereby bypassing the pump while I waited for parts.
