Hello everyone, what size return eyeball opening is recommended ? I know they are 1 1/2 inch mip, but I see 3/4 eyeball opening and 1 inch ? I’m thinking go with the 1 inch opening.
Return Eyeball size
- Thread starter Donny
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,147
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
A primary concern with eyeball size is the potential effect on water flow/restriction based on the existing system. As you can imagine, large opening would result in less resistance but perhaps less "jet" output feel, while a narrower jet you would have more resistance and perhaps feel more jet action shooting out. Much like holding your thumb over the end of a garden hose.
To helps with inputs, tell us how many jets you have and about how much travel distance on the return branch line(s) from pad to pool. That could help someone like @mas985 who relishes the opportunity to speak hydraulics. Ha.
To helps with inputs, tell us how many jets you have and about how much travel distance on the return branch line(s) from pad to pool. That could help someone like @mas985 who relishes the opportunity to speak hydraulics. Ha.
Donny,
The smaller the eyeball the less flow, but more pressure. Kind of like putting your thumb over the end of a garden hose.
Most likely the returns close to your equipment pad, have great flow, and the ones further away from the pad have less flow.. You can somewhat control the flow by using different size eyeballs.
Thanks,
Jim R.
The smaller the eyeball the less flow, but more pressure. Kind of like putting your thumb over the end of a garden hose.
Most likely the returns close to your equipment pad, have great flow, and the ones further away from the pad have less flow.. You can somewhat control the flow by using different size eyeballs.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Thx guys. I have 3 returns and about 50’ from pad at furthest point. 2 inch pipe all around going into 1 1/2 inch returns. It’s a mystery where my original return eyeballs went lol.
- May 3, 2007
- 18,120
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I have a MaxFlo VS and a cartridge filter as well and I went with 3/4" eyeballs mostly because I wanted the extra velocity out of the returns when running at lower RPM. I have one skimmer in the bottom of the picture below and another in the upper left of the pool. The 4 returns are along the right side of the pool and 3 are aimed at the opposite wall of the pool so debris is pushed to that wall splits and goes past the two skimmers. 1 of the returns is a right angle return that is aimed into the deep end. Because I had 4 returns, the loss in flow rate going from 1" to 3/4" was only about 1 GPM total so not a huge efficiency impact. However, the skimming was improved and I can run at a 45% speed @ 115 watts even with two skimmers and solar. Exit velocity of the returns is almost double of the 1".
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