Results two years and two court dates later

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Correction to the fifth image per Tom, with just "A" handle end rotated up the upper skimmer stopped working and the spa overflow slowed. (so more draining than otherwise)

The ends of the handles on all three valves face the inlet port so it has full 180 degree range of motion.

Tom, the second drawing with all the back of the handle ends facing to the right (towards the inlet) result in the lower skimmer stopping, upper skimmer more action and spa draining.
 
Jimrahbe said:
Klanel,

OK.. I'd like to help you troubleshoot your system. Troubleshooting can't be done by 12 people all at the same time, so I suggest you only do what I say, until we get this figured out. That way, we will both be on the same page.

Basic troubleshooting is doing small things, one step at a time. Doing 20 different things all at the same time will get us no where but lost. :mrgreen:

Task 1. Standing at the bottom of your pic and looking at the pump, point the handle of Valve C to 9 O'clock
Point the handle of Valve A to 3 O'clock
Point the handle of Valve B to 3 O'clock.
Set the pump to run at about 2500 RPM

My guess is this will shut off the Spa drain and the Upper Skimmer, but will turn on the Lower Skimmer.

Please do this one thing and then let me know what happens.

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
OK, will do. Thank you.
 
klanel said:
The black line is the handle.

Tom, I think so but this has been totally confusing with nothing being labeled and not idea of what does what so I will check again.
Click to expand...

I took your picture of the plumbing setup, and was labelling it based on your explanation of how the flow changed with the valves. The two I mentioned seem in direct conflict.

I see 4 "inputs" to the pump, which to me are the following:

1) Main Drain
2) Spa Drain
3) Upper Skimmer (your term)
4) Lower Skimmer (your term)

As to handle placement, for a 3 way valve, depending on how it is installed, it should have 180 to 270 degrees of rotation.

Your valve "C" should never have it's handle pointing away from the pump, as that would turn off all water flow. Handle should be able to point RIGHT (as pictured) to allow all flow, point TOWARDS PUMP to block all but what I think is the spa drain, and point LEFT to to block that one leg (I think is spa drain).

Your valve "A" should be able to turn off all flow, or just one of the two legs from the water. Handle pointing RIGHT to allow all flow. Handle pointing AWAY from pump would block all flow from this valve. Handle pointing TOWARDS pump would block the one leg, and handle pointing LEFT would block the other two sources of water.

Your valve "B" should be able to turn off all flow, or just one of the two sources from the water. Handle pointing RIGHT, stops all flow from this valve. Handle as pictured, allows flow from both legs. Handle pointing LEFT, stops flow from right source of water. Handle pointing towards what I think is spa air/jet pump (small pump next to filter) turns off the other source of water.

If you want to discuss on the phone, reach out in our private message thread.

-Tom
 
Pic below. I will clarify skimmers by shallow end or deep end to avoid confusion.
I had to lift and rotate "C" to obtain the correct position.

Deep skimmer lots of action
Shallow skimmer stopped working
More water overflow from spa
pump set to 2500
IMG_1629.jpg
 
K,

Test 2

Leave valve C where it is.

Move valve B so that handle points to 9 O'clock
Move valve A so that the handle point to 12 O'clock

This should shut off Lower/deep skimmer, and hopefully turn on the Upper/shallow skimmer.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Last edited:
K,

Ok.. So far we have proven that Valve A controls your Deep Skimmer.

Test 3

Leave C where it is.
Leave A where it is.

Move valve B so that the handle points to 12 O'clock. Keep an eye on your pump and make sure it does not run out of water. If it is not going to work, it will be almost immediately.

This should shut off both skimmers and allow water only from what I suspect is your main drain.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jimrahbe said:
K,

Ok.. So far we have proven that Valve A controls your Deep Skimmer.

Test 3

Leave C where it is.
Leave A where it is.

Move valve B so that the handle points to 12 O'clock. Keep an eye on your pump and make sure it does not run out of water. If it is not going to work, it will be almost immediately.

This should shut off both skimmers and allow water only from what I suspect is your main drain.

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
Both skimmers stopped working and it looks like air (or lack of water) in the pump glass.

Pic below
IMG_1636.jpg
 
K,

When running on only the main drain, it is not unusual to have a little more air under the pump lid. The question is the pump still moving water or does all the water in the pump basket just disappear? Can you see or feel water being returned to the pool or spa??

So far so good...

Thanks,

Jim R.
 

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Jimrahbe said:
K,

When running on only the main drain, it is not unusual to have a little more air under the pump lid. The question is the pump still moving water or does all the water in the pump basket just disappear? Can you see or feel water being returned to the pool or spa??

So far so good...

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
The pump is still moving water into the spa and pool, bubbles in the glass but still water in the pump basket.
tommelton said:
Did the spa overflow stop as well?
Click to expand...
Spa is still flowing and it's been 5 minutes. Pics below. Spa pic 6 minutes and still flowing.
IMG_1636.jpgIMG_1638.jpg
 
K,

The guy who plumbed your equipment pad did not do you any favors by using some 3-way valves where he should have used only 2-way valves. But it is what it is for now.

If this were my pool this is how I would initially set it up...

Valve A should be set so that the handle is always pointed to the 3 O'clock position. This will turn the deep skimmer on at 100%

Valve B should be set so that the handle is always pointed to the 9 O'clock position. This will turn the shallow skimmer on at 100%, but it will also shut off the main drains which are not really needed. (More later)

Valve C is only used to switch between the Pool and Spa modes.. Nothing else! When the handle is pointed to 9 O'clock it is in the Pool mode. When the handle is pointed to 12 O'clock it is in the Spa mode. This valve needs to be fully in either the Pool mode or Spa mode, nothing else.

Note... When you switch between the Pool mode and Spa mode, you have to move two valves... Valve C, which is called the "Intake" valve and your "Return" valve have to move together.. Your Return valve is on the plumbing after the filter. Figuring out the return plumbing is our next task.

Let me know when you are ready.. When ready have your valves like I recommend above and in the Pool mode.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
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Jimrahbe said:
K,

The guy who plumbed your equipment pad did not do you any favors by using some 3-way valves where he should have used only 2-way valves. But it is what it is for now.

If this were my pool this is how I would initially set it up...

Valve A should be set so that the handle is always pointed to the 3 O'clock position. This will turn the deep skimmer on at 100%

Valve B should be set so that the handle is always pointed to the 9 O'clock position. This will turn the shallow skimmer on at 100%, but it will also shut off the main drains which are not really needed. (More later)

Valve C is only used to switch between the Pool and Spa modes.. Nothing else! When the handle is pointed to 9 O'clock it is in the Pool mode. When the handle is pointed to 12 O'clock it is in the Spa mode. This valve needs to be fully in either the Pool mode or Spa mode, nothing else.

Note... When you switch between the Pool mode and Spa mode, you have to move two valves... Valve C, which is called the "Intake" valve and your "Return" valve have to move together.. Your Return valve is on the plumbing after the filter. Figuring out the return plumbing is our next task.

Let me know when you are ready.. When ready have your valves like I recommend above and in the Pool mode.

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
Ok, I think I'm in the pool mode, both skimmers are working and the spa is still flowing. Pics attached of the current valves and the return plumbing. I know the far right is the deck jets.

IMG_1639.jpgIMG_1640.jpg
 
K,

On the return side we have a 3-way valve followed by three 2-way valves.

The 3-way valve is your "Return" valve and is used to switch between the Pool mode and the Spa mode. When in the Pool mode, water will come out of the Return valve and flow over to the three 2-way valves. When in the Spa mode, water will come out the bottom of the return valve down through a check valve and then to the spa jets/eyeballs.

Our next task is to figure out what the three 2-way valves do. Some of the three things they might do are:

Send water to the pool returns
Send water to the deck jets
Send water to the spa to your bubblers
??????

To start this task, we need to put the Return valve in the Pool mode. This means shutting off any water going to the spa. To do that the handle of the Return valve must be pointed straight up to the 12 O'clock position. Then tell me the following..

Did the spa spillover stop?

Do you still have good flow from all your pool returns/eyeballs. (How many do you have?)

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
K,

The goal here is to know for sure what is what, so double check you know which of the three valves does what.

Turn your deck jets one and off. Which valve is it?
Turn your bubblers on and off. Which valve is it?
Turn the pool returns on an off. Which valve is it?

Almost done, just have to talk about the spa spillover.

Jim R.
 

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