What do all these valves do? (pic)

[fwb]

Moved into this house with no pool instructions included, but I think found the right place to learn I've got the pool chemistry down, but haven't figured out these valves. Can someone please explain what these valves do and how/when I need to use them. The cartridge filter is above the pic where the arrows are going in/out of. When the pump runs daily, some of the filtered water goes into a few jets in the pool, and some goes into the hot tub which waterfalls into the pool. The main pump is in the middle, the pump on the right is for another decorative waterfall. The gas heater is on the left edge of the pic.

Besides the valves I'm also wondering:
-What is that "cleaner" thing on the left, with a round part in the pipe going into the ground?
-What is the green valve in the bottom left of the pic where the pipe is wrapped in black tape?
-What is the clear circular thing on the pump that looks unscrewable (says ON/OFF dont overtighten) ?

 

[CageAnimial135]

The valves are typically ran 50/50 from what I've gathered. Meaning they pull the same amount from the skimmer and main drain. I'm not sure of the cleaner but it seems like something you'd clean periodically ( simply cause it has a clamp holding the lid) I believe you also have a couple check valves and possible refill lines that are attached to your 1 1/2 bushings ( on top of your pump) that's a nice set up but I'm slightly confused of what the cleaner is esp considering it looks as if it's in the ground

 

[Jimrahbe]

fwb,

Some basic info that you may, or may not, already know...

1. The clear plastic windows on the pumps just screw on and off.. They are needed so that you can open them to remove a basket that will fill with leaves and other floating stuff that falls in your pool and makes its way past the skimmer baskets. You need to routinely check to ensure they do not get full and obstruct the water flowing into the pump. Under the plastic lid is an O-Ring that you will need to coat with a grease called "Pool-Lube" or similar name. You can get this lube at most places that sell pool supplies. It is important to have because without the lube the O-Ring can let air leak in and cause the pump not to prime.

2. Pool plumbing has two sides... The Suction side that allows you to select where the water is coming from... And the Return side which allows you to select where the water goes after it has been filtered..

3. Pools have three basic modes of operation.

a. Pool Mode... This is where the Suction valve is set to suck water from the Pool and the Return valve is set to send water back to the pool.
b. Spa Mode... This is where the Suction valve is set to suck water from the Spa and the Return valve is set to send water back to the Spa
c. Spillover Mode.. This is where the Suction valve is set to suck water from the Pool and the Return valve is set to send water back to the Spa. With more water coming into the Spa then being drained, the water is forced to spillover into the pool.

4. If you look at the pump in the middle you can see the Suction valve allows you to select either the Pool or Spa as a source of where the water is coming from. Note that this is an automated valve which is moved by your automation system. To the left of this valve, you can see a manual valve that lets you select if the water is coming from the Main Drain or from the Skimmer.

5. To the right of the center pump is another automated valve.. This is the Return valve. You can see by the markings that it allows you to send water back to the Pool or the Spa. The manual valve that is just to the left of the Return valve allows you to send water to the cleaner and I "assume" the pool returns (eyeballs)..

6. You have many other valves, but because of the picture and the fact that they disappear into the ground it is impossible for me to tell exactly what they do. I would suggest that you play with them and see what each effect each one has.

7. The dome on the far left of your picture could be a leaf catcher or part of an in-floor cleaning system. Look in your pool and see what is on the bottom. If you have several different plastic popup heads, than that would tell you that you have an in-floor system. In theory, these heads popup and shoot water out causing the dirt and debris to move toward suction drains in the bottom of the pool. (And that is about all I know about them... )

8. I would assume that the item in the lower left of the pic with the tape wrapped around the pipe is a check valve, but that is just a guess. Check valves are often installed to prevent water in a raised spa from draining back into the pool when the pump is off.


Well, that is all I've got.. Hope you can use this info and some experimentation to figure out what the rest of your plumbing does...

Good luck and thanks for posting,

Jim R.

 

[fwb]

Really helpful thanks! Got it all figured out now. The cleaner was indeed the in-floor jet system, and the lower left was the line to an auto top off outlet