Replacing cheap plastic ball valves

[Janhillatx]

My equipment is lower than my pool and all of my cheap valves have handles breaking and are sticking. i am convinced that the Jandy neverlube Valves are the way to go. The plumbing has so little room that I am concerned about making the change, that said, there is a part of this process that I really do not understand.

One of the valves I need to replace is the suction side of my of my polaris. One tech I spoke with talked about the need to use plugs in order to replace the valves. Since my equipment is below pool grade, once you saw into the line and use a plug to stop the flow, how do you work on the side of the cut where the plug is installed? It seems to me you would need to glue to that side of the pipe with the plug in place and I just cannot think through how you take the plug out prior to installing the new valve? It almost seems to me that you would need to install the new valve up line from the old valve so you can make your cuts with the old valve turned off and open the old valve and leave it?

I just cannot wrap my brain around this and sure do not want to drain my pool to replace valves. Thanks in advance for helping me with this
Jan

 

[Jimrahbe]

Jan,

I think the plan would be to put the plug in the pool which would allow the line to the equipment pad to drain when you cut into it.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Janhillatx]

I would guess that would be the floor drains? I have no idea how the Polaris connects to the main drains. UGH

 

[Jimrahbe]

Jan,

How far below the water level is your equipment pad? If only a few inches, the best bet would be to drain the pool below the skimmers... water is pretty cheap in our area.

A photo (tomorrow) of your equipment pad may also spark some better input from one of our other members.

Your Polaris 280 is a pressure side cleaner.. It gets its input water from the main pump.. that water then goes to your booster pump and out through a small pipe back to a port in the side of the pool where you cleaner plugs in.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Janhillatx]

I had that Polaris pump reversed in my mind. I need to add the plugs into the wall jets in order to repair is. Thanks everyone for nudging me in the right direction!