Redoing plumbing output from heater toward pool/spa

[CA_geek]

As part of changing to a Easytouch-8 system, I am changing some plumbing for the return lines from the heater to the pool and hot tub.
Currently the lines are 1.5" copper. The line comes out of the heater, drops down then hits a T where straight through goes toward the pool and the right-angle goes to the hot-tub part.
So going to the hot tub, currently the water line goes through 2 more 90 degree turns than it does going toward the pool.
The tub line and the pool line each have a ball-valve on them to allow directing the water to one or the other or both.

So my plan is to change part of that 1.5" copper to 1.5" PVC. Replace the static T with a 3-way valve (setup to go either straight-through or out the side.) I *believe* that I can have the 3-way valve (and actuator) setup this way and it will still work even though the supply side is setup with the valve moving 180-degrees, while this return valve will move only 90 degrees.
Because the pipes going down into the ground are pretty close together, I don't believe I'll be able to do it with a T and a 90 as it was with copper. Instead I think I'll need to do a T, a 90, and another 90 to bring it back to the 90 going down. The PVC valve and PVC 90 are space farther apart than a copper T and 90, so I have to do an extra 90 to bring it back. to where it will turn down.

So should I have the hot tub have the extra 3 90's in the water flow? Or should the pool have the extra 3 90s? (3 because it'll make a 90 to go out the side of the T, 90 to change back parallel to the other lines of the T, and then 90 to come back closer and join the existing pipe going down into the ground.)

 

[ajw22]

There are times when a picture is worth 1000 words and I think this is one of them. Post some pics of your equipment pad so we can see what you are dealing with.

How many returns on your spa vs on your pool? Does your spa have a spillover? How much are you feedind water to pool and spa at the same time?

 

[Jimrahbe]

geek,

I agree that a picture would be great... but, even a half a dozen T's one way or the other will not make a difference. For the EasyTouch to work, you will need to create an "Intake" valve and a "Return" valve, as this is how the ET was designed to change from the Pool mode to the Spa mode.

The Intake valve (before the pump) must be able to select either all the water coming from the pool (Skimmer, main drain, etc.) and the Spa drain..

The Return valve (After the heater and Chlorinator) must be able to send all the water back to the Pool (eyeballs, water features, etc.) or back to the Spa eyeballs.

Here is a link showing different basic set ups.. Jandy Valve Plumbing Schematics - INYOPools.com


Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[CA_geek]

How many returns on your spa vs on your pool?

At the pad, it's one to each.
Somewhere underground it splits to 3 jets to the spa and 4 jets in the pool

Does your spa have a spillover? How much are you feeding water to pool and spa at the same time?

The spa has a spillover. (2 of the 4 sides are spillover)

Right now (pre-automation) I generally suck from the pool and have the valves back to the pool/spa wide open.

Post-automation I think I will probably do 30min or so doing spillover to mix water between the pool and spa, an hour or two on just circulating the spa side, and ~10 hours just circulating the pool.
At least that's what I am thinking at the moment.

 

[CA_geek]

Here is a link showing different basic set ups.. Jandy Valve Plumbing Schematics - INYOPools.com

What's the "Spa Make-up" valve in those pictures?
My setup is pretty close to the "Basic Pool and Spa Combination Plumbing"

One difference is I do not have a "spa make-up" valve.
The other is that the skimmers/pool drain all come to the pad in just one pipe - any selection between them is done with a valve in the skimmer, not at the pad.

 

[Jimrahbe]

geek,

Without automation, you need a spa make up valve to allow some water to go to the spa all the time. With automation you don't need it because you can just schedule the spillover.. I would not take it out, but I would keep it closed.

The only thing that is important is that you can select between the pool and the spa.. It does not matter if you can select between the skimmer or main drain.

Jim R.