Replace 2 old metal valves with 3 port diverter valve?

[Cwiggs]

Hello TFP!

I have 2 old metal valves that I was told not to touch as they may leak when moved. I think 1 goes to the return jets, and 1 to the aerator. Now that summer is here, I'd like to get the aerator working.

Questions:

* Can I replace these 2 with one 3 port Jandy valve, since there is a "T" fitting right above them?
* What size valve do I need, The bigger valve says 1 1/2" on it so I think that is what the PVC is, do I need to get a valve with 1 1/2" on all 3 sides?
* The smaller valve says 3/4", so I assume I'll just need to convert 3/4" to 1 1/2" before the Jandy valve?
* I noticed Jandy, Hayward, and Pentair all make diverter valves, is one better than others, does it really matter which brand?

Attached are the pics, let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks!

 

[Cwiggs]

I talked to a friend of mine about this after I posted and he mentioned I might just want to remove the valve from the returns all together and then just replace the aerator side with a 3/4" ball valve.

His thought is that, I won't ever want to direct 100% of the pressure to the aerator, and away from the returns, not sure if the aerator would even be okay if I did that.

Downside with that is simple that I've heard the ball valves go out often? Alternative is to get a 2 port Jandy valve and just reduce it down to 3/4 after the valve?

What does everyone else think?

 

[Cwiggs]

Bump? No one has any ideas?

 

[Flying Tivo]

Are you handy with PVC work/gluing? If so, i think you can replumb and eliminate the second water feature pump and use your VS for everything. If interested let me know and can draw you up ideas. If not, you have the right idea of the 3 way valve.

 

[Cwiggs]

Are you handy with PVC work/gluing? If so, i think you can replumb and eliminate the second water feature pump and use your VS for everything. If interested let me know and can draw you up ideas. If not, you have the right idea of the 3 way valve.

I've never glued PVC but I've cut PVC here and there for irrigation and at the end of the day it looks pretty easy. I'd be okay with doing all the work myself.

I thought before about a replumb and use the VS for everything, but I wasn't sure if there was enough pressure? Currently there really isn't enough pressure to run my main drain, vac port, and 2 skimmers, even when my VS pump is at 3k rpm.

I've also been thinking about getting a SWCG if I end up replumbing everything, but I'm not 100% where to put it.

Anyway, If you have free time drawing up some ideas would be very much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Flying Tivo]

run my main drain, vac port, and 2 skimmers, even when my VS pump is at 3k rpm.

You dont run vac port with the others open, its either or.

 

[Cwiggs]

You dont run vac port with the others open, its either or.

For a suction side vac? Currently I have my VS pump run at a lower speed where the vacuum doesn't get enough suction to move. Then I run at a higher speed that allows the vacuum to run and clean the pool.

If didn't have the vac port and the others open all the time I'd have to manually go out and turn the vac port on/off every day when the higher speed on the VS pump runs. I assume that isn't how everyone else is doing it?

 

[ajw22]

An open vacuum port in the pool is an entrapment hazard and would not be allowed now. It should have a spring loaded cover so that when a cleaner is not plugged in the port is closed.

All the diverter valves from Jandy, Pentair, Hayward are the same. Use whichever ones you get the best deal on.

I would replace the T and screw valves with a 3 way diverter. Or you can use two 2 way diverters. I would not use ball valves.

 

[Cwiggs]

An open vacuum port in the pool is an entrapment hazard and would not be allowed now. It should have a spring loaded cover so that when a cleaner is not plugged in the port is closed.

All the diverter valves from Jandy, Pentair, Hayward are the same. Use whichever ones you get the best deal on.

I would replace the T and screw valves with a 3 way diverter. Or you can use two 2 way diverters. I would not use ball valves.

I have a spring loaded cover for the vac port for when it's not in use. However I have a suction side Poolvergnuegen attached at all times which runs once a night for about 4 hours.

Thank you for the rest of the info, I think I'll go 3 way diverter then.

 

[Cwiggs]

Before I replace the T with a 3 way diverter valve. It would be nice if I could remove the 2nd pump and just use the VS pump for the water feature. Is there anything I need to be worried about with doing that though? Should I test the water pressure to make sure it would be able to properly control the water feature, or?

 

[ajw22]

What is the water feature? What is the flow requirements of the water feature?

What is the model and HP of the water feature pump?

 

[Cwiggs]

What is the water feature? What is the flow requirements of the water feature?

What is the model and HP of the water feature pump?

The water feature is a fountain. I'm not sure of the flow requirements, previous owner had it installed.

Let me grab the model and HP of the water feature pump.

 

[Cwiggs]

Let me grab the model and HP of the water feature pump.

The pump is a Pentair WhisperFlo. I couldn't see anything about how many HP the motor is on the motor itself. However after searching online it seems the WhisperFlo is a 2HP motor, not sure if there are deviations though. Attached are pictures of the pump.

 

[ajw22]

Why do you want to eliminate the water feature pump if it is working fine?

I doubt the Intelliflo pump running through your filter, heater, and other plumbing can give the same flow to the fountain as the Whisperflo does.

 

[Cwiggs]

Why do you want to eliminate the water feature pump if it is working fine?

I doubt the Intelliflo pump running through your filter, heater, and other plumbing can give the same flow to the fountain as the Whisperflo does.

It is working fine other than making more sounds when it's running than the VS pump. However I don't use it very often anyway so the sound isn't a big deal, I assume it's just foreshadowing it's demise?

The only reason I would want to eliminate the water feature pump is to make the whole system less complex, less moving parts, less things to break. I guess I could always look into eliminating the water feature pump when it breaks though.

 

[ajw22]

The single speed Whisperflo pump running at 3450 rpm is going to be more noisy then the VS pump running at slower RPM. Unless the Whisperflo is making loud squeals you cannot compare noises between different model pumps.

 

[Cwiggs]

The single speed Whisperflo pump running at 3450 rpm is going to be more noisy then the VS pump running at slower RPM. Unless the Whisperflo is making loud squeals you cannot compare noises between different model pumps.

Yeah I'm not sure if it's a normal noise are not. It does sound like a squeal, but not so bad that you want to plug your ears or anything.

The Whisperflo I have says that it's a 2 speed motor, perhaps I can run it on the low setting and see how the fountain does? That might help me decide if the VS pump can run the fountain as well as a few other things. At the end of the day I wouldn't normally run the fountain with everything else, it would just be every once in a while when people are over.

 

[ajw22]

Yeah I'm not sure if it's a normal noise are not. It does sound like a squeal, but not so bad that you want to plug your ears or anything.

The Whisperflo I have says that it's a 2 speed motor, perhaps I can run it on the low setting and see how the fountain does? That might help me decide if the VS pump can run the fountain as well as a few other things. At the end of the day I wouldn't normally run the fountain with everything else, it would just be every once in a while when people are over.

Maybe one of the switches or connection you are looking at is to change the pump speeds?

 

[Cwiggs]

Maybe one of the switches or connection you a e looking at is to change the pump speeds?

Oh, that's a good point, let me go check that.

 

[Cwiggs]

Maybe one of the switches or connection you a e looking at is to change the pump speeds?

I went and checked on this. There is a switch on the pump itself that is what switches it to the lower speed. I'm glad I looked into this, when the pump runs at that lower speed the fountain still works fine, just a bit slower which I don't have a problem with. I think at the end of the day I could eliminate the 2nd pump if needed. Even if the fountain got a really low amount of pressure it would still work, just really, really slow, which I'm not opposed to.

Thanks again to everyone who helped with stuff in this thread, I learned so much and am much better equipped now. TFP is awesome.