Valve Setting -- fully open or 50% / 50%?

[wptpool]

Hi, newbie question.
I just discovered that this valve is pointing in an direction that I understand to be only 50% open for both pipes.
This is how my pool builder left it.
Should I fully open the valve or should I leave it like it is? I'm not aware of any issue the current setting is causing, but I imagine that it could be decreasing flow and efficiency.
Thank you!

 

[PoolStored]

Post a wider shot so we can see the entire pad.

 

[wptpool]

@PoolStored thank you!

 

[PoolStored]

Post a few pictures of the wall of vertical piping, be sure to include the heater. If you can label all the vertical piping, that would help.

 

[Jimrahbe]

wpt,

The two valves in your first pic are a heater by-pass...

It is currently set up to allow some water to go the the heater and some to by-pass the heater.

In my mind, if you want to by-pass the heater then send none or very little water to the heater.. If you want to use the heater, then send all or most all of the water through the heater..

It appears that you do not have an automation system.. So, I assume, that the current setting is so that you don't have to change the valve position every time you want to use the heater..

Let's see what our other members have to say..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[1poolman1]

wpt,

The two valves in your first pic are a heater by-pass...

It is currently set up to allow some water to go the the heater and some to by-pass the heater.

In my mind, if you want to by-pass the heater then send none or very little water to the heater.. If you want to use the heater, then send all or most all of the water through the heater..

It appears that you do not have an automation system.. So, I assume, that the current setting is so that you don't have to change the valve position every time you want to use the heater..

Let's see what our other members have to say..

Thanks,

Jim R.

+1
Even the VersaFlow, automatic bypass for their Jandy heaters, allows a small amount of water through to keep the heat exchanger cleaned out. Otherwise whatever water is in the heater if the valve is completely shut will evaporate and leave a residue that can build up over time.
That was Heater School 101 many years ago.

 

[wptpool]

Thank you All!
There is a Intellicenter on the adjacent wall and I am able to adjust the heater temperature.
Attaching a photo of the wall as well as a conceptual diagram of the system that I put together.
The valve labeled 8 is the one that I am wondering about.
Ideally I would like to set it and forget it. Just not sure if it's current diagonal setting is better than having both pipe fully open.
Any other feedback is welcome and appreciated -- I'm just at the beginning of trying to wrap my head around how all this works.

 

[sande005]

Set #8 so the off is pointing to the other valve. This will allow all the water to go to the heater. While some use those two valves to bypass the heater, to supposedly avoid excess wear on the heater core when the heater is not in use, as you heard from the earlier post some water needs to flow. Whether a little or a lot, then the wear is moot. Heater problems are all due to poor water chemistry - and since you are now here, we can make sure you avoid those kinds of issues. The only time you will likely ever want to change the valves to bypass the heater will be if it ever fails, and you need to keep the pool running while you deal with repair or replace of the heater.

Additionally, make sure the valves #10 and #11 are set to direct all the water to the Salt generator. Again, the only time to bypass would be for service (cell cleaning) , repair or replace.

And finally, you can set #6 and #7 to bypass the UV generator and turn off that device completely. They have proven to have no benefit, and the UV actually destroys the Chlorine your generator is making.

Fantastic job on diagraming and mapping out everything!