Spa with blower question

[jorge18]

Hi all,

I have a question for all the plumbing experts. I'm building a pool now that has a spa with a blower attached to it. If I run the spa with the blower turned off, what would happen?

A little background on why I'm asking. My pool has a spillover from the spa into the pool. When the plumber came out to start working on the spa plumbing, he mentioned that I should have returns that are attached to the pool returns going into the spa. It was always my impression that the spa returns, with the blower turned off would work like simple returns and the water would spillover into the pool. Am I correct on this?

 

[ajw22]

Are you going to have a separate spa jet pump?

 

[mknauss]

You have automation, and I suppose, automated valves to change from Pool to Spa. The blower just adds extra air to the water stream when in Spa mode.

You should schedule a Spillover function using your Intellicenter programming to run the spa for 30 minutes or so twice a day. Other times you can be in pool mode which will have no spillover, thus reducing your pH rise due to aeration.

 

[mknauss]

I would also suggest adding a SaltWater Chlorine Generator to your Intellicenter. That is the best way for you to chlorinate your pool water.

 

[jorge18]

Are you going to have a separate spa jet pump?

No, I will only have one (Pentair IntelliFloXF 3HP)

You have automation, and I suppose, automated valves to change from Pool to Spa. The blower just adds extra air to the water stream when in Spa mode.

You should schedule a Spillover function using your Intellicenter programming to run the spa for 30 minutes or so twice a day. Other times you can be in pool mode which will have no spillover, thus reducing your pH rise due to aeration.

Yes, I do have automation with automated valves.

I guess I should have mentioned what my end goal is. I would like to be able to have the spillover active with the pool on. It was always my assumption that I can have the pool on, spa on, and air blower off and this would have the spillover 'active'.

 

[jorge18]

I would also suggest adding a SaltWater Chlorine Generator to your Intellicenter. That is the best way for you to chlorinate your pool water.

The Intellicenter comes with the Pentair IntelliChlor IC40 .

 

[mknauss]

The Intellicenter comes with the Pentair IntelliChlor IC40 .

Great. Add that to your signature.

You can run spillover mode all the time. It will drive your pH higher. That is up to you. Schedule it as you like. Spillover is when the suction is from the pool and the return is to the spa. The blower will not be on. You may find you do not even need the blower, if your spa plumbing is correctly installed.

 

[ajw22]

Depending on the number of spa jets you have you may be disappointed with the pressure from the spa jets using the pool pump.

You need to use a manifold at each spa jet to combine the air and water.

Spa Air Blower - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Tres Gatos]

In spa mode the suction is from the spa and the return is to the spa jets. The blower can be on or off depending on your preference. There will be no spillover.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Here is how mine works:
In pool mode - the 5 pool returns run + 1 return in the bottom of the spa for the spillover
In spa mode - the 6 spa returns run. There are small bubbles from the returns, if I want more bubbles I turn on the blower.

I have a separate valve on the 1 return at the bottom of the spa that I can turn on/off as needed. I leave it on most of the time since mine is not a raised spa so there is not a lot of water movement and impact to PH. If you have a raised spa, make sure there is an actuator on this valve so you can switch the overflow on/off in automation.

 

[ajw22]

In my spa the pool pump/filter system has two returns in the spa. In spa mode there is suction from drains in the spa floor though the filter and heater back to the two spa returns.

My spa then has a separate dedicated pump for 8 spa jets with a separate drain for that loop. The air blower can add air to the spa jets.

I can run just the spa mode for a relaxing soak. Or turn on the spa jets. Or just have air bubbles from the blower through the jets. Or have a vigorous spa with water and air from the jets.