Questions about my setup

[jrsmith25]

I will admit my pool installer is spread far too thin and has not done the best job completing my project. Anyway, here is my setup

38x18 rectangular gunite pool, 6 feet deep and tanning ledge on other end. Spillover spa in middle. Single heyward pump. Have skimmer, main drains on spa and pool and returns to both. No other water features.

We have heyward automation and lighting. I have, for the most part, taught myself to automation stuff by reading and just trying different stuff. My questions are:

My guy says its best to leave the spa drain closed. To me, it would make the most sense when heating the spa (especially in the winter) to pull from the spa and return to the spa (skip the spillover). Right?

To make things murkier for me, I manually closed the pool drain and manually opened the spa drain to try this out (the other valves are automated). The spillover continued into the pool, which seems virtually impossible if I am only drawing from the spa and the drain to the pool is closed, how is it getting water back to the spa if its constantly spilling over? It wasn't coming from the skimmer because the water level was below the skimmer level (evaporation or a leak).

Finally, my other question is, assuming everything works perfectly, and I am sure it will soon, what is the best day to day mode for me to be in? Just run the pump on high in spa and have it spill over? Is there ever a reason to just run the pump to the pool and abandon the spa?

Sorry for the newb questions.

 

[Jimrahbe]

25,

We need to see several pics of your equipment pad..

The Spa drain must be part of an automated three way valve to switch between the pool and spa mode.. (When you have automation..)

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[jrsmith25]

Ahh thanks for your willingness to help. That’s discouraging to hear if true. It makes sense to me but my installer said it wasn’t crucial. It’s dark now so I will post pictures in the morning. Thank you!

 

[Jimrahbe]

25,

Just to be clear.... Pools with Spas have two automated valves that allow the automation to switch between the pool mode and spa mode. In front of the pump is the "Intake" valve, which either sucks water from the Pool or from the Spa. After the heater is the "Return" valve that either sends water back to the Pool or the Spa.

In the pool mode, all the water is sucked from the pool, through the filter and heater and back to the pool.

In the Spa mode, all the water is sucked from the spa, through the filter and heater and back to the spa.

Note, that when in the pool mode, a little water is also sent to the spa to cause it to spillover into the pool. This spillover is what keeps your spa water fresh and chlorinated. We need to see the pics to determine where the spillover gets its water, so we can tell you how to turn it off in the spa mode.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[HermanTX]

My guy says its best to leave the spa drain closed. To me, it would make the most sense when heating the spa (especially in the winter) to pull from the spa and return to the spa (skip the spillover). Right?

This is correct. It is called Spa Mode. Suction from the spa and return to the spa. This allows your spa to heat quickly as you are only heating that smaller body of water. it will not overflow to the pool in this mode.

@Jimrahbe has you covered on the other funtions.

It does concern me that your water level is below the skimmer. Water level should always be at mid-skimmer. You should add water to prevent sucking air into the pump via the skimmer.

A picture of both your suction side and return plumbing at the equipment pad would help.

 

[jrsmith25]

Thanks for the responses. I forgot to take the pictures. Will post those when I get home. But I can say with certainty I have manual valves on the drains and automated return valve.
The water level was another issue that was fixed but it did help me in my isolation effort since I knew no water could be coming in through that.

 

[jrsmith25]

 

[jrsmith25]

 

[jrsmith25]

I stand corrected. I do have automated valves on suction and returns. What do you guys think?

 

[ajw22]

The red circled valve is your INTAKE valve and it is set to draw water from your pool and spa drains.

The blue circled valve is your RETURN valve and I am guessing it is set to return water to your spa.

The INTAKE valve drawing water from your pool and spa is why your spillover is running.

I labeled each pipe going into the ground A-F. Please tell us what each pipe goes to and we can discuss how to reset your valves. Pipe F is not visible in the picture.

 

[jrsmith25]

 

[jrsmith25]

I have opened the all the manual valves (pool drain, spa drain, skimmer drain)...now what

 

[jrsmith25]

A: pool drain
B: Pool return
C: Skimmer drain
D: Spa return
E: spa drain

there is no f

 

[jrsmith25]

I have heyward OmniLogic. Not sure if that matters. I can easily direct the pump to push the pool or spa, but I do t see how it knows what to suck from.

Here are the screenshots from my app

 

[jrsmith25]

 

[jrsmith25]

The chemicals are not added yet, so don't pay any attention to the warnings and such. The electrician added "spillover" to the pool mode, but when I toggle it on and off it doesn't do anything different. The spillover is automatic in spa mode.

 

[Jimrahbe]

25,

Your intake valve should never be in the position it is in..

The handle should be pointed right at the pump, when in the Spa mode.. And to the left in your pic when in the Pool mode.. (180 degrees from where it is in your pic. Most Intake valves move 180 degrees, yours should only move 90 degrees due to poor plumbing install..

Your Return valve should point to the left in your pic to be in the pool mode and to the right to be in the spa mode.. This valve should move 180 degrees.

Put your system into the Pool mode and then Spa mode and tell us how the valves move or show us pics.

I suspect that your whole problem in the set up on your Intake valve.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

A: pool drain
B: Pool return
C: Skimmer drain
D: Spa return
E: spa drain

there is no f

A: pool drain+pool skimmer T'd together
B: Pool return
C: Skimmer drain
D: Spa return
E: spa drain
F: Pool Main Drain

 

[jrsmith25]

Changed from so to pool and the return valve moved as you would expect 180 degrees. The return valve did nothing

 

[ajw22]

The green lines indicate where the handles should be for POOL mode - intake from POOL and return to POOL.

The red lines indicate where the handles should be for SPA mode - intake from SPA and return to SPA.

Now show us pics of the valves in POOL, SPA, and SPILLOVER modes.