Setting Spa Water Level

[ngooo]

Hi All,

We have a pool/spa combo, and the water in the spa is set a bit too low for our liking. We would like to raise the water level by 2-3 inches. I am assuming I need to adjust one of the actuators? Does anyone have suggestions?



Spa Mode



I have my valves mapped out as this, and am thinking I need to adjust V2 in the diagram below.

 

[rphpool]

Does that spa spill over to the pool or have a overflow to the pool?

 

[ngooo]

It does not spill over.

 

[ngooo]

Any opinions? I think that second valve is controlling the flow out of the discharge/filter and slightly allowing water into the spa jets, with most of the water going to the stair jets and pool jets.

 

[Jimrahbe]

N,

If the spa does not spillover, how does the spa water stay chlorinated and fresh? Does the spa have its own equipment or does it share the equipment with you pool?

I am sure you can move the valves, but there will always be an error for the water leaving the spa vs. what is coming in.. This why most spas are closed loop in operation and spillover when not in use.

Your drawings of the valve operation are better than I could ever do, but to be honest, I can't understand the flow. At least it is not clear to me..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ngooo]

When looking at the left side, the suction going into the pump. Water is coming from the skimmer and autovac, and actuator has closed the spa suction. The right side, the water flows out of the filter, actuator has a little flow from the spa jets, and fully open to stair jets and pool jets. This is what I think keeps the spa from completely draining.

 

[ngooo]

So during pool mode, looking at the right GVA24-V2, it doesn't close off the water to the spa jets, i think that is what keep the water in the spa, i have set the line to yellow. I think if i adjust that by a hair, it should increase or decrease the spa water level.


In spa mode, the first GVA24, only allows water from the spa to go to the pump, and GVA24 V2 only sends the water back to the spa jets, closing the loop.

 

[Jimrahbe]

N,

Thanks, that makes much more sense to me..

In your top drawing, V2 is open to allow some water to go into the spa, but the spa drain is shut off.. This will just cause the spa to spillover into the pool .. unless there is some where for the water to get out. I suspect that there is a pipe connecting your pool and spa..

I say this because this is how every spillover spa works..

If there is a pipe, then adding more water will not change the water level..

I am open to other ideas, but I can't see any other way for it to work. Let's see what @JamesW has to say...

One option would be to stick a garden hose in the spa and see if you can raise the water level.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[RDspaguy]

One option would be to stick a garden hose in the spa and see if you can raise the water level.

I agree.
With the spa higher than the pool you could have a seeping valve. Also, depending on design and plumbing, your air control knobs may leak out water if spa is overfilled and jets are off. Do you have a blower or air intake pipe at the pad?

 

[ajw22]

It does not spill over.

It looks like it may spill under. Is that a water return I circled in red? The placement of that return would suggest it is coming from the spa. With water flowing into the spa in pool mode the water has to flow into the pool.

 

[Jimrahbe]

It looks like it may spill under

Allen,

I like that name.. "Spill-under"..

Jim R.

 

[ngooo]

We wanted the spa raised above the pool, but didn't want to have the spill over look. No blower or air in take.
We have just the pool mode or spa mode.

Very good eye Allen. That eyeball does return water water from the spa to the pool. I am trying to google "spa spill under", but getting no luck. If anyone has links to more reading on this type of setup, please let me know.

So now that we know the water is constantly moving between the spa and pool via that eyeball, and there are no valves involved. Is it safe to assume that actuator on the right is controlling the water level in spa by slightly allowing water to flow back into the spa jets.

 

[Jimrahbe]

N,

What is controlling the water level is the height of the pipe where the water flows back to the pool... Do you know where that pipe is in your spa?

Maybe you can extend it or ?????

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[RDspaguy]

I doubt it is constantly overflowing into the pool. It is likely just a water level regulator to prevent overfilling the spa and causing it to leak out of the air control knobs and under the deck. I do not think you will be able to raise the level higher than it is. Does that jet flow when in spa mode? When in pool mode?

 

[Jimrahbe]

RD,

When in the Pool mode the V2 (Return) valve is set to send constant water to the spa.. It has to go somewhere...

In the Spa mode it is closed loop, so no extra water is coming in.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

Show us the interior of the spa.

My guess is the black pot circled in red is the skimmer and sets the water level. The black circle in yellow on the wall below it is the return for the spa water. That is on the side by the wall where the spill-under pipe cones out.

This looks like a repurposed stand-alone spa shell and that area is where the filter would be.

Very interesting and creative by a builder. An alternative to the hard gunite spa.

 

[ngooo]

The red circle is where the spa filter is located. There is a port at the step, that is where the water goes back into the pool

 

[Jimrahbe]

There is a port at the step, that is where the water goes back into the pool

N,

Show us a pic of the port by the step...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[RDspaguy]

Oh, I see what you mean. Didn't notice the crooked arrow before.

 

[ngooo]

I think ajw22 is on to something. I know when we had it installed three years ago, it was a new thing for them, and the spa water level took many hours and several site visits for them to get it right.

They would go play with the actuators and i didn't want to be that owner that would watch over their shoulder, so i couldn't see exactly how they were adjusting the spa water level. We did have an issue of the water draining too much from the spa over night, and I do remember the final solution was to remove the coping above the step and install something where i put the X, maybe a check valve?