Should i trust the pool designer or my gut?

[ahreno]

i bought a pool kit from royal pools. I'm not sure i agree with their pool designer with the return and skimmer placements. What do you guys think? I tried asking them about it and got the good ole "*We make suggestions based on our experience about what's best for your pool. If you think you know your situation better, do as you please.*"

https://imgur.com/a/o3fR4KZ

**1 is their design.**

**2 seems a bit more logical based on wind.**

a note, i ended up with a 5th return kit that i can use if it helps, not sure if there's such thing as "too many". would i maybe want it on the 7' bench to keep water moving over that?


I do plan to pour essentiall a 12-16" concrete wall (will be for raised bed) along the north and west walls which should help cut down the wind too i think.

 

[ahreno]

i have my hole excavated so i'm really trying to decide where to put the panels asap

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

It’s not that you can have too many returns, it’s that the more you have the higher the RPM on the pump must be to get the distance of flow needed to move the water properly.

I like that in drawing #2 the Southern skimmer is located 2/3 from a corner, this seems to work better than directly in the middle or directly in a corner.
The Northern skimmer could be moved slightly south to give it a better 2/3 location.

 

[Bperry]

i have my hole excavated so i'm really trying to decide where to put the panels asap

Conventional wisdom is that you can’t fight the wind, and that if you can create a flow pattern so all the surface water flows clockwise or counter clockwise it can be helpful.

 

[ahreno]

Conventional wisdom is that you can’t fight the wind, and that if you can create a flow pattern so all the surface water flows clockwise or counter clockwise it can be helpful.

So would you recommend #2 then?

 

[ahreno]

It’s not that you can have too many returns, it’s that the more you have the higher the RPM on the pump must be to get the distance of flow needed to move the water properly.

I like that in drawing #2 the Southern skimmer is located 2/3 from a corner, this seems to work better than directly in the middle or directly in a corner.
The Northern skimmer could be moved slightly south to give it a better 2/3 location.

I do have a 3hp pump which is quite large I think.

The top skimmer could move down one panel but the panels already have the holes cut in the center of them.

#2 seems to have 'benefits' where as #1 doesn't really have any? I don't like going against an employed designer as they obviously have to have some knowledge.

 

[proavia]

Ask the designer for their rationale on placing a skimmer on the upwind side of the pool rather than the downwind side is.

Be sure all returns, regardless of placement, have an eyball so you can point them where needed to maintain a circular type flow.

 

[ahreno]

Ask the designer for their rationale on placing a skimmer on the upwind side of the pool rather than the downwind side is.

Be sure all returns, regardless of placement, have an eyball so you can point them where needed to maintain a circular type flow.

"The designers are too busy to talk to everyone who wants to talk to them. We make suggestions based on our experience about what's best for your pool."

 

[proavia]

"The designers are too busy to talk to everyone who wants to talk to them. We make suggestions based on our experience about what's best for your pool."

I call BS on that line.
Sounds like a poor excuse.
Is this from a salesperson?

It's a simple question that would take less than 2 minutes and go a long way to show their integrity (and customer satisfaction).

In my mind, the designer should be interacting DIRECTLY with the customer.

 

[ahreno]

I call BS on that line.
Sounds like a poor excuse.
Is this from a salesperson?

It's a simple question that would take less than 2 minutes and go a long way to show their integrity (and customer satisfaction).

In my mind, the designer should be interacting DIRECTLY with the customer.

i agree, trust me i tried to discuss it with them. once they had my money their support went right in the toilet.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

All my experience is with Shotcrete swimming pools, I personally work with the homeowners on the design/layout so to ensure that as much as possible is working in their favor, this would definitely include the locations of the skimmers along with other vital elements. That being said in my opinion design #2 is the better of the two designs provided.

 

[ajw22]

I vote for #2 and you do not need the extra return.

 

[ahreno]

All my experience is with Shotcrete swimming pools, I personally work with the homeowners on the design/layout so to ensure that as much as possible is working in their favor, this would definitely include the locations of the skimmers along with other vital elements. That being said in my opinion design #2 is the better of the two designs provided.

Is there anything you would change with it? Like maybe sliding the top skimmer down one panel so it's in the middle of that wall

 

[ahreno]

Conventional wisdom is that you can’t fight the wind, and that if you can create a flow pattern so all the surface water flows clockwise or counter clockwise it can be helpful.

i feel that #1 is going to provide more of a flow pattern where as #2 is kind of competing.

 

[Bperry]

i feel that #1 is going to provide more of a flow pattern where as #2 is kind of competing.

That’s kinda what I was thinking but I’m not sure it matters all that much. Wind is unpredictable.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

As stated before it’s best to have the skimmer located near a corner than directly in the middle of a wall, my experience is that more surface debris gets picked up when in a corner rather than in the middle of a straight wall.

Surface movement towards the skimmer is good but wind movement will usually overpower it especially if the pumps are not running at that time.
Both #1 skimmers are in good locations with the prevailing wind, what I like most about skimmer #2 in drawing #2 is it’s location to the prevailing winds.