We have a new pool (finished last June), and the way they plumbed it, the water being suctioned from the main drain/skimmers is split between our 2 pumps, one of which feeds that water through the filter before returning back to the pool, but the other pump just catches any big leaves in the pump basket and then feeds the water (unfiltered) back into the spa. This is how it works when we are in "pool mode" and our spa spillover into the pool is on. When vacuuming, we have to turn off the 2nd pump so it doesn't feed vacuumed debris back into the spa (learned that the hard way). I'm fine with the vacuuming solution, but the rest of the time it does bother me a bit that half of the water being pulled from drain/skimmers is sending small debris into the spa. The pool maintenance guy said installing an inline filter is the only way to address the issue. My question is, do you think that is worth it? I don't know what is involved with installation (are we risking him breaking something else) or maintenance (are they easy/difficult to clean). I'm trying to decide if I should just accept the plumbing the way it is, or push for our pool builder to pay for an inline filter to be installed. Any opinions/advice?
Should we add inline filter to catch debris going into spa?
- Thread starter bmsm6
- Start date
- May 23, 2015
- 24,464
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
If you could post a picture of the equipment pad, that would help.
Seems rather strange the way they plumbed your system, especially using two variable speed pumps to accomplish a task that could easily be handled by one. I have three pool returns, and 1 spa return for the spillway/over flow. My 3HP variable speed has more than enough power to take water from my MD/skimmers and push it through the filter where it is then split on the return side to the three pool returns and the one spa make-up return. I have an automated valve that can control how much water goes where - either return all water to the pool returns (no spillway) OR split the water between them to get the spillway to run. No need at all for a second VSP.
Let's see a picture and maybe some pump/equipment experts here will have some simple ideas.
Seems rather strange the way they plumbed your system, especially using two variable speed pumps to accomplish a task that could easily be handled by one. I have three pool returns, and 1 spa return for the spillway/over flow. My 3HP variable speed has more than enough power to take water from my MD/skimmers and push it through the filter where it is then split on the return side to the three pool returns and the one spa make-up return. I have an automated valve that can control how much water goes where - either return all water to the pool returns (no spillway) OR split the water between them to get the spillway to run. No need at all for a second VSP.
Let's see a picture and maybe some pump/equipment experts here will have some simple ideas.
I wouldn't be surprised if the way they plumbed it is strange...there was some turnover with our PB at that time in the build and I think he designed the equipment pad as opposed to the person who normally did it for him. Here is a picture; valves are set to be in pool mode in the pic so that the spillover is on. As you can see on the left side of the pic, water pulls in from both skimmers and main drain, splits between both pumps, and one pump sends water thru filter while other pump pushes the water directly back into the spa return jets which causes the spillover to flow.
Esloser
0
That's odd. I have a 36,000 gallon IG plaster pool. I have one pump that runs the pool and the spa (it's not V/S). I can control the spillway by a valve. I can either send all the water through the Spa creating Niagara Falls or split it between the two pool returns and the spa. When I switch to Spa mode, the pool shuts off and I pull water from the spa and return it to the spa. All this goes through the filter and heater. I also have a blower for the spa, which I see in your picture.
Now, I do have a "feature" pump that powers the deck jets and eventually the slide (pre-plumbed but had to stop the bleeding somewhere). That allows me to run the Spa, Deck Jets, and slide at the same time. Do you have any other water features or anything that need to run at the same time as the Spa?
Now, I do have a "feature" pump that powers the deck jets and eventually the slide (pre-plumbed but had to stop the bleeding somewhere). That allows me to run the Spa, Deck Jets, and slide at the same time. Do you have any other water features or anything that need to run at the same time as the Spa?
Nope, no other water features. It's my first pool so I have nothing to compare it to, but I will admit everyone who looks at the plumbing seems to think it is overly complex. When I want to adjust the waterfall size, I do it by adjusting the pump speed of that pump on the left. That pump is only pushing water back to the spa returns. The other pump which feeds into the filter ends up pushing water back into the pool returns. When I go into spa mode, the valves turn so that water is only pulled from the spa drain, and that water is then split between the two pumps - one of which sends it to the filter which then pushes water through the spa returns, and the other pump feeds water (unfiltered) into the spa jets. We don't use the blower much, because the water coming out of the jets is pretty forceful already. But you can see how tiny debris could end up in the spa when in either pool or spa mode, since only half of the water is going through the filter.
Esloser
0
When you say waterfall, is that just your spillway between the spa and the pool? Or, is it an actual waterfall feature that runs off that pump?