Return Plumbing Concerns

pjt

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Jan 7, 2012
1,420
The Woodlands, TX
Pool Size
21000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Annotation 2020-09-08 120311.jpg
I have some concerns about the way the plumber setup my return pipes for my 25k gallon pool. It's currently setup as a 2" pipe from the pad (top left blue arrow) that tucks under a 2.5" skimmer line (at the red arrow). It then branches into two 1.5" pipes that form the ring manifold (blue arrows facing left and down) for the 8 returns.

Is 2" pipe on the pressure side large enough to supply 8 returns? Is it common/acceptable practice to tuck under a pipe? Is 1.5" plumbing standard for return loops? My instinct is telling me this isn't efficient, but I'm not a professional plumber.
 
Is 2" pipe on the pressure side large enough to supply 8 returns?

Is it common/acceptable practice to tuck under a pipe?

Is 1.5" plumbing standard for return loops?

Yes, yes, & yes.

8 returns is a lot for a 7,000 gallon pool. How do you have 8 returns?
 
The 1.5" pipe is fine because you won't be trying to push high gallons per minute through return lines, you just want slow and steady. It is when you are trying to push high GPMs that you will start to quickly lose efficiency with a 1.5" pipe.
 
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