Upgrade plan for 16x32 Intex - advice?

[87seph]

Hi everyone,

This is summer #2 with our Intex 16x32' pool, and I want to make some significant upgrades. This includes an Intex saltwater generator, a Hayward skimmer, and hard plumbing most of the PVC (with a bit of flexible PVC). I'm also going to move the pump and filter off the hill and onto a piece of flat yard.

Here's how it sits today;

Here's my [rough] plan. Orange [intake] - Skimmer on the West wall, plus two inlets on the South wall - one waist level, one near the bottom on the far side. Green [outlet] - one outlet halfway down the pool.

Any and all thoughts are appreciated.

Mike

 

[Pv2]

Hi everyone,

This is summer #2 with our Intex 16x32' pool, and I want to make some significant upgrades. This includes an Intex saltwater generator, a Hayward skimmer, and hard plumbing most of the PVC (with a bit of flexible PVC). I'm also going to move the pump and filter off the hill and onto a piece of flat yard.

Here's how it sits today;

Here's my [rough] plan. Orange [intake] - Skimmer on the West wall, plus two inlets on the South wall - one waist level, one near the bottom on the far side. Green [outlet] - one outlet halfway down the pool.

Any and all thoughts are appreciated.

Mike

is something wrong with your image links or is it just me?

 

[87seph]

is something wrong with your image links or is it just me?

I added them as attachments now - seems to be an issue when I post it on desktop and view it on mobile .

 

[Chad1979]

I see in the 1st picture you give the compass directions. It looks like on the 2nd picture you place the skimmer on the west short wall. Is that where your wind typically blows towards? Ive seen it recommended to have the skimmer placed on the edge that gets predominant wind blown towards to help with skimming by letting the wind help pish the debris towards it instead of pushing it away.

 

[87seph]

I see in the 1st picture you give the compass directions. It looks like on the 2nd picture you place the skimmer on the west short wall. Is that where your wind typically blows towards? Ive seen it recommended to have the skimmer placed on the edge that gets predominant wind blown towards to help with skimming by letting the wind help pish the debris towards it instead of pushing it away.

Looks like the weather history suggests from south to north, but I may dump a few ping pong balls in and see where they sit during the day.

 

[PieterS]

I'm in a similar boat with a smaller Intex pool... Have a 16'x48" round version in its second season. Decided to do a bit more 'permanent' install and added foam underneath, upgraded the pump/filter to the next bigger size, and did some hard plumbing. Pretty happy with the result so far. I've had an Intex SWCG from day one with this pool and have been pretty happy with it. Would be nice to have a bit more timing/output % options, but seems to do the trick for half the cost of more traditional SWCGs. With the short seasons here in the upper midwest, hoping it lasts quite a while! Was a bit nervous cutting into the pool to upgrade the pump inlets to 1.5" (from 1.25") but worked without too much trouble. Have not added a skimmer - not sure I need it on this small a pool, and there tends to be a solar cover on most of the time when not in use, so skimming wouldn't be that affective. Still have some of the flexible Intex hoses going to/from the pump to make final connections.

 

[kellyfair]

I had trouble with your imbedded images too, but could see the attachments.

Think circular motion with the return directing water around the pool and driving it (with prevailing wind’s help) into the skimmer. I like your plan to locate equipment on flat land, and your plumbing should be pretty easy to do. Make sure to use valves and unions!

I can’t complain about the Intex SWCG. It has worked well for the cost.

 

[87seph]

I'm in a similar boat with a smaller Intex pool... Have a 16'x48" round version in its second season. Decided to do a bit more 'permanent' install and added foam underneath, upgraded the pump/filter to the next bigger size, and did some hard plumbing. Pretty happy with the result so far. I've had an Intex SWCG from day one with this pool and have been pretty happy with it. Would be nice to have a bit more timing/output % options, but seems to do the trick for half the cost of more traditional SWCGs. With the short seasons here in the upper midwest, hoping it lasts quite a while! Was a bit nervous cutting into the pool to upgrade the pump inlets to 1.5" (from 1.25") but worked without too much trouble. Have not added a skimmer - not sure I need it on this small a pool, and there tends to be a solar cover on most of the time when not in use, so skimming wouldn't be that affective. Still have some of the flexible Intex hoses going to/from the pump to make final connections.

Thanks Pieter, your setup looks exceptionally clean! Can you share what parts you used to hard plumb? Basically everything after your flexible Intex hose.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[PieterS]

Thanks Pieter, your setup looks exceptionally clean! Can you share what parts you used to hard plumb? Basically everything after your flexible Intex hose.

Thanks,
Mike

Thanks. It's a bit of a puzzle and there's probably several different ways to do it. The white PVC and fittings are just standard Sch40 PVC pipe/fittings (1.5"). I wanted to go with a better valve than the cheap plastic ones you'll see at the home improvement stores - we'll see if these aqualine valves last better (found at a sprinkler supply website). Wanted some unions to be able to isolate/remove parts - not sure I put them in the right place To go to the Intex 40mm hose, there's an adapter to go from 'true' 1.5" pipe-like fittings to 40mm Intex fittings. You could likely do that in a number of ways too.

The only thing I'm not sure how I would do it differently, but the street elbow is screwed into the through the wall fitting with some pipe thread sealant on the threads. Not sure how 'permanent' that is - but it'll be hard to take this pool down now. My intent was to leave it up anyhow this coming winter, but I'm not totally convinced yet that's a good idea.

I did also put a slight bend into the bottom horizontal PVC pipe run by heating it with a blow-dryer and then bending it. did ovalize some but not enough to matter I'm sure.

 

[87seph]

Thanks. It's a bit of a puzzle and there's probably several different ways to do it. The white PVC and fittings are just standard Sch40 PVC pipe/fittings (1.5"). I wanted to go with a better valve than the cheap plastic ones you'll see at the home improvement stores - we'll see if these aqualine valves last better (found at a sprinkler supply website). Wanted some unions to be able to isolate/remove parts - not sure I put them in the right place To go to the Intex 40mm hose, there's an adapter to go from 'true' 1.5" pipe-like fittings to 40mm Intex fittings. You could likely do that in a number of ways too.

The only thing I'm not sure how I would do it differently, but the street elbow is screwed into the through the wall fitting with some pipe thread sealant on the threads. Not sure how 'permanent' that is - but it'll be hard to take this pool down now. My intent was to leave it up anyhow this coming winter, but I'm not totally convinced yet that's a good idea.

I did also put a slight bend into the bottom horizontal PVC pipe run by heating it with a blow-dryer and then bending it. did ovalize some but not enough to matter I'm sure.

View attachment 350238

Thank you, this is exactly what I've been looking for. Do you have a filter dome/basket over the through-wall fittings for leaves, etc?

 

[PieterS]

Thank you, this is exactly what I've been looking for. Do you have a filter dome/basket over the through-wall fittings for leaves, etc?

Yes, like below (Hayward SP1026). Note that this specifically states it is ONLY for pump return to the pool, and is not 'safe' as a suction inlet. I couldn't find anything else though, and my pool has the dual-inlet setup, so I personally am OK using it. It's not a very fine mesh but should stop larger things from going through.