I have a spill over (flat, no fountain) and I’m wondering if that’s all that is used to circulate water in the spa. I’ve never seen the spa circulate water unless the jets are on ON and we are chilling. Maybe I just have things placed entirely wrong. Can someone look at the attached pics and let me know where the handles are actually supposed to be to make sure all is working correctly? We just moved in and I know nada about this beauty yet.
Pump placement
- Thread starter Erika325
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,178
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Welcome to TFP! 
It appears your spa has no drain and water is only pulled from the pool (skimmer or vacuum). As such, the only way to move freshly chlorinated water through the spa is by manually turning (opening) your 3-way valve on the right that goes back to pool or spa. It doesn't need to be wide open, but you might keep it at about 20% open to move some water through the spa continuously. I think your valve is close to that now. Some owners might keep it closed and open it fully once a day to purge the spa, but then you run the risk of forgetting since your system has no automation.
It appears your spa has no drain and water is only pulled from the pool (skimmer or vacuum). As such, the only way to move freshly chlorinated water through the spa is by manually turning (opening) your 3-way valve on the right that goes back to pool or spa. It doesn't need to be wide open, but you might keep it at about 20% open to move some water through the spa continuously. I think your valve is close to that now. Some owners might keep it closed and open it fully once a day to purge the spa, but then you run the risk of forgetting since your system has no automation.
Welcome to TFP.
It would help further to have an overview photo of your equipment pad and then some additional photos of specific areas that show a broader view. However, the first picture shows the skimmer is about 10% open and the vacuum line is about 90% open. Notice the word OFF on the handle. If you would turn it slightly counterclockwise it would be 100% open to the vacuum and the skimmer would be OFF. Rotate it 180 degrees and it is the opposite.
The second picture shows "spa sucK" as written. So this appears to be suction from the pool and spa. A wider angle photo would help show how these 2 photos relate to each other.
It would help further to have an overview photo of your equipment pad and then some additional photos of specific areas that show a broader view. However, the first picture shows the skimmer is about 10% open and the vacuum line is about 90% open. Notice the word OFF on the handle. If you would turn it slightly counterclockwise it would be 100% open to the vacuum and the skimmer would be OFF. Rotate it 180 degrees and it is the opposite.
The second picture shows "spa sucK" as written. So this appears to be suction from the pool and spa. A wider angle photo would help show how these 2 photos relate to each other.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,178
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
I didn't notice all the letters written. That does change things a bit.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,178
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
So with @HermanTX better vision, it appears you do have the ability to pull water from both the pool side and spa, each with its own 3-way valve. But on the return side after the filter you only have the ability with one valve to send water back to the pool or spa. Currently in that pic one item (assuming the spa) is closed completely. So at some point each day do you open that valve to let water go through the spa, or is there something else you see that we don't form our end?
In addition to what @Texas Splash provided, looking at the overview photo, the valve to the far left controls the return to the spa or to the pool. Can you tell us which pipe (the left or the right of the valve) goes to the spa or pool? Right now, one side is 100% open and the other side is CLOSED - so you only have flow to either the pool or to spa in its current position.
The pool guy said to turn the jets on I would flip pool return off entirely and open spa jets entirely. Otherwise, he said, I should just leave the return open all of the time.
Right is labeled spa jets. Left labeled pool return.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,178
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
With no automation to help, that is certainly one option that will work as long as you don't go too long between soaks and/or forget to run fresh water through the spa. You don't want the water to get stagnant in this heat and develop algae. As I mentioned above, you can continue with the 100% (valves) on or off routine, or crack each side to/from the spa open slightly to allow some water to flow through the spa continuously for sanitation purposes.
So if I open up the spa jets once a day and let them run for a bit, that should be enough to keep the water from festering?
Does everything else appear to be in a state of non-disaster as far as valves go? I’ve been known to drain this hot tub on occasion. Lol. We’ve lived here two months.
The reason why this question started was because I was not sure if the spa jets were supposed to be churning out water through the day like the pool to avoid being stagnant, but I apparently do that manually as if I was about to take a dip??? Correct? Just open the spa jets and close off the pool return?
The pool looks great, but this spa will be the death of me.
Does everything else appear to be in a state of non-disaster as far as valves go? I’ve been known to drain this hot tub on occasion. Lol. We’ve lived here two months.
The reason why this question started was because I was not sure if the spa jets were supposed to be churning out water through the day like the pool to avoid being stagnant, but I apparently do that manually as if I was about to take a dip??? Correct? Just open the spa jets and close off the pool return?
The pool looks great, but this spa will be the death of me.
So if I open up the spa jets once a day and let them run for a bit, that should be enough to keep the water from festering?
Does everything else appear to be in a state of non-disaster as far as valves go? I’ve been known to drain this hot tub on occasion. Lol. We’ve lived here two months.
The reason why this question started was because I was not sure if the spa jets were supposed to be churning out water through the day like the pool to avoid being stagnant, but I apparently do that manually as if I was about to take a dip??? Correct? Just open the spa jets and close off the pool return?
The pool looks great, but this spa will be the death of me.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,178
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Ha ha. Yes, it seems fine. adjusting your valves for optimal water flow is a personal thing. There is no one exact scenario for each & every pool. But in general, if you move enough water through the spa once each day it should be fine. If not, the spa water will let you know.
Correct.
the valve on the left controls how much flow to either the pool, the spa or to both. The picture shows that the spa is closed and the pool return is open. So 100% flow back to the pool and none to spa. So there should be no overflow from the spa to the pool with this setting. Is that accurate?
The valve on the far right controls suction from either the spa or the pool or from both. The picture shows that the spa suction is partially open and the pool suction is more open - Let’s just assume it is 90% suction from pool and 10% from spa.
So what is happening per the picture is that you are drawing water from both spa and pool but only putting water back to the pool. So, over some length of time this could drain your spa. Is this what has happened before?
Note - I am making the assumption that your spa has x number of jets and either they are all on or all off depending on your valve setting.