Request for ID help

[kul]

Hi friends, I’ve been meaning to ask some questions about my equipment pad for a while and finally have some photos. Can someone help me out?


Inside this glass/plastic? Window thing there is a white flexible looking o-ring. Disregard the piece of random trash pipe that has apparently not been picked up since 2016 when this was built. Anyhow, When the pump is on it flaps up as seen here. The higher the RPM the more it comes up closer to the window thing. When the pump is off it’s down. What is this thing? It is on the pvc leading to the return area where the water then goes to either the spa/pool. At the location between the spa and pool return there is another window thing, but all I see inside is what looks like a hard plastic orange thing which I assume is responsible for how much water is diverted to either the pool or spa.


The above is the full pad area. Inside the metal box is a yellow timer looking thing. I never open that box and I have never made an adjustment to that yellow timer. What’s the reason for that timer? I have my schedule added to the pump directly.

Follow up question- I think a SWG may be added when we can afford it (roof is priority this year). I read that it needs to be 3 feet from my heater. This is not possible given the size of the pad and the location of the heater/return pipes. Or is it?

 

[mknauss]

First thing is a check valve. Normally on return line to spa only. Odd where it is located. Or it is from an old puck chlorinator position. Is there another check valve on the spa return line?
Timer is likely from the past when a Single Speed pump was used. I suspect the timer dogs are removed if the power for the pump runs through it. You might use it when you get a SWCG so you can time the ON time for the SWCG during the pump run times.

The 3 feet after the heater is not really needed. Mine is closer with no issue. I would not butt it up against the heater outlet.
How long is that straight run of pipe before the Jandy valve on the return?

 

[kul]

First thing is a check valve. Normally on return line to spa only. Odd where it is located. Or it is from an old puck chlorinator position. Is there another check valve on the spa return line?

I also think it’s odd. To my knowledge there was never a puck chlorinator on this pad. My guesses based on what was left behind is that they used Leslies to guide them and usual additions were cal hypo and MA sometimes. I’ve included some more photos from front view.

How long is that straight run of pipe before the Jandy valve on the return?

26 inches.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Kul,

The Jandy Valve that is in front of your pump is called the Intake Valve. It selects if the pump is sucking water from the Pool or the Spa drain.

Water is sucked into the pump and then pushed through your cartridge filter and into your heater. The water goes through your heater and up through the 'mystery' check valve and into the other Jandy valve. This Jandy valve is called the Return valve..

The Return valve sends the water back to either the pool or the spa. It can also be offset (like shown in your pic) so that some of the water goes to the spa when in the pool mode. This is what causes your spa to spillover into your pool. When the return valve sends water to the spa, it passes through another check valve. This check valve prevents water from a raised spa, from flowing back into the pool when the pump is off.

Your mystery check valve... A lot of installers automatically install a check valve after the heater, no matter what. It is just something they are used to doing because in most pools there is a tab feeder.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[kul]

Your mystery check valve... A lot of installers automatically install a check valve after the heater, no matter what. It is just something they are used to doing because in most pools there is a tab feeder.

Does this mean that valve does nothing and that if the white thing inside it breaks it’s not a big deal since it controls nothing?

Also @mknauss I took a photo of the inside of the metal box. So if I added a SWG I could use this yellow wheel timer to control it so it comes on while my pump is on?

 

[mknauss]

Does this mean that valve does nothing and that if the white thing inside it breaks it’s not a big deal since it controls nothing?

It does nothing. But if it actually breaks (unusual) it could be an issue.

So if I added a SWG I could use this yellow wheel timer to control it so it comes on while my pump is on?

Yes. You would likely wire it to the Filter Pump breaker and through the timer.
See Timers - Further Reading

 

[kul]

But if it actually breaks (unusual) it could be an issue.

When you say breaks- are you talking about the white O ring? Should it be removed?

 

[mknauss]

The flapper in the check valve. I would not bother with it unless it creates an issue.

 

[1poolman1]

When you say breaks- are you talking about the white O ring? Should it be removed?

White "O" ring is actually the soft seal on the flap that blocks return flow. Without it the valve would allow water to leak back. If it bothers you, the whole flap can be removed and then replace the lid after lightly lubing the lid O ring.

 

[kul]

Thanks for the clarification. It doesn’t bother me. I just wanted to make sure it was functioning as it should and wasn’t a problem. Water flowing back sounds like it would be an issue.

 

[1poolman1]

Thanks for the clarification. It doesn’t bother me. I just wanted to make sure it was functioning as it should and wasn’t a problem. Water flowing back sounds like it would be an issue.

In your case, no issue. As has been said, most commonly it was to prevent backflow from an inline/offline chlorinator, doesn't work for very long. They were also put in after heaters years ago when there was an issue with heat-retention in the heater after the pump was off, and they were always metal and in a copper pipe. Some builders are still in the habit of installing them.

 

[kul]

Thanks everyone! Appreciate the insights.