What size pipe to plumb my pool and spa?

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Re: What size pipe to plumb my pool and spa?

He said he sees cases there commonly where the heaters were eaten by the chlorine back up because no check valve was installed.
Click to expand...
With SWGs? I don't believe him. Simply not possible. There is not much FC left over in an SWG after it is turned off. Maybe a rise of 2-3 ppm which is not much more than a recently dosed pool. How does he know the corrosion actually came from the SWG and not just bad water quality management?

I have been running mine for over 10 years now with the SWG right after the heater and without any check valve.
 
Re: What size pipe to plumb my pool and spa?

Do I acid wash before or after I patch the plaster when I'm getting ready for a refinish job of either Aquabright, Seal-crete or a good epoxy, like Aquaguard? (though I haven't researched the last one)

and does it matter what color patch I use if I'm going to refinish in white?

and I have some white plaster patch from Leslie's, and some brown (dries grey) hydraulic cement. Does it matter and what is the best patch cement to use in anyone's opinion?

Should we rename this thread Pool Rebuild and put it in Under Construction or some place covering all these topics, plumbing, refinish, automation, etc.? I will soon post pictures and make it more of a sequential and useful thread. - the continuing saga.
 
Re: What size pipe to plumb my pool and spa?

Looking at the wiring of the pump, air blower box, it looks like a double pole cb with a wire from each to the pump, but off of one of the two cbs in the double pole are two wires that connect to the 2 blowers. Has anyone seen anything like this? Is it legal to power other devices off of one of the poles of a 240 double pole cb?
 
Re: What size pipe to plumb my pool and spa?

I'm putting my pad together and will have a Pentair 2 2 1/2" back flow valve after the filter and another after the heater. the solar diverter valve goes between those. I was thinking of buying a pentair 3-way solar diverter with the built in check valve that allows drain down and installing it at the solar supply pipe junction.

My question is will the spring strength on the check valve out of the heater allow the drain down to continue through it to the pool when the pump is off? My roof is 10 ft high and I can have up to 250 sq ft of panels.

Also, I think Mark said he replaced one or more of his check valve springs so as to run at a low rpm. Where did you get your replacement spring, Mark, and what kind? Anyone know about spring strength on check valves. Does it get stronger with bigger valves or not, and has anyone else had experience with this? And back to my original question....
Thanks,
Jim
 
Re: What size pipe to plumb my pool and spa?

Why do you have a check valve after the heater? Do you use a chlorinator? Depending on the type of check valve, solar may or may not drain all the way but it should drain the panels.

Also, I did not replace the springs in the check valve. For a while I took them out to see how the valve would operate. But the problem was that the valve did not always close then. The valve is necessary to make sure the valve closes.
 
Re: What size pipe to plumb my pool and spa?

Yes, I will be having the IC60 and I know you think the check valve is unnecessary, but I'm putting one in just in case and on advise from Pentair. Good to know about the springs, now I won't think about it unless I have to. Thanks..
Jim
 
Re: What size pipe to plumb my pool and spa?

Hi All You TFP Experts!
Never thought this project would take so long, but it's a big one - total replumb and redo of pool, spa, and deck. Big learning curve. So much rain this winter slowed my momentum, plus finding cracks in the pool and not being able to get someone to come out and look at the pool to give their opinion and resurfacing estimate for so long. Never knew an hour north of Santa Barbara was so far out in the boonies. Anyway, eye on the prize, so here are some questions now:


1. VGB Compliance? I don't want to dig underneath my 8' deep pool to redo the old single drain so I was going to fill it in and do without. Also, I decided to not replace the old concrete skimmer and equalizer, but instead tied into that copper tubing right at the pool wall with 2 1/2" pvc back to the pump. So my only suction ports out of the pool are the skimmer and VGB covered equalizer about 7" under the skimmer (not counting the separate waterfall line w VGB cover to it's own pump and back into pool). So now I doubt if I'm VGB compliant. Do I need two teed suction outlets 3 ft apart for the waterfall or will one do? Is the skimmer compliant? If not, suggestions? I don't have the deck in yet so now's the time to make changes if I need to.

Here are some pics before I covered the trenches: the skimmer, the deep end with the vacuum hose in the waterfall suction/pool return (valved), the skimmer/equalizer line (lower one) tied into the pvc (2 1/2"), the pool return/waterfall suction valve, and the same thing showing one of the deep returns in the deep end and a short section of pipe in the waterfall valve.
IMG_5408.jpgIMG_5969.jpgIMG_5983.jpgIMG_5986.jpgIMG_5978.jpg
2. I installed 7 returns, one that is valved to be either a return or a suction for the waterfall, in the corner of the deep end by the waterfall. I bought an Intelliflow VS 3HP and EasyTouch 8. One PB, who didn't come look but just saw pics, said I might get too much suction for the skimmer, drawing water down and allowing air in, but I don't see that happening with the equalizer. It didn't do it before with the 1 1/2" pipes and 1 HP pump. What do you think?

3. I was thinking of getting a robotic cleaner. Should I go with that, or install a suction line, or use a return line for a pressure line cleaner. What's the best for cleaning the pool and my situation?

Thanks again,
Jim
 
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Re: What size pipe to plumb my pool and spa?

They hace VGB compliant pumps with shut offs to get around drain issues so you might look into that.

I will almost always suggest a Robot over a pressure cleaner. They clean better, they use far, far, less energy, and they are the future. Lots of price ranges, and there are some good cleaners in the sub 1K price range now. Wouldnt want to be without mine, and just about everyone who has one says the same once they have the experience of seeing what they do. Check out the Dohenny, and M Series owners club thread in pool cleaners. These are two of the best, and most popular lines.
 

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Re: What size pipe to plumb my pool and spa?

Thanks Patrick,
So would I need 2 VGB compliant pumps, one for the filtering and one for the waterfall?

and what are the rules for compliance for skimmers with equalizers? I'm going to search it now. It's been a while since I read the VGA act.
 
Re: What size pipe to plumb my pool and spa?

Thanks Patrick,
So would I need 2 VGB compliant pumps, one for the filtering and one for the waterfall?

- - - Updated - - -

Just searched this site and found recommendations to not use a SVGB pump on a residential pool, so is the plumbing ok and if not what to do?

PS. Trying to keep things together, I posted the original post on my normal "what size plumbing to.." thread, where all my posts are, but no one replied

OK, read the vgb act again. Skimmer is ok, main drain isn't so I can either keep it or plug it. Question is if that 1 1/2' section of 1 1/2" copper will restrict my flow too much.
 
Re: What size pipe to plumb my pool and spa?

IMG_6695.jpgIMG_6669.jpg

The white spa is after the primer, Rough It, and the blue is the epoxy paint, DuraSeal, or something like that, both from Leslie's Pool Supply store. Tips: The rough It directions said after mixing let it sit for 30 minutes before applying. don't do that, maybe 5 or 10 but mine started to set up and go on like an orange peel surface so I had to sand it. Use a brush for cutting in that won't shed and don't put the finish coat on very thick, use a 3/8 or 1/4 " roller instead of the 1/2" they recommend or else it will run. Before priming I sanded with 40 grit, then again with 100. I used 60 and 80 on the prime coat, which you shouldn't have to do, before painting.


The following post is from the construction forum, my recent thread there concerning vgb compliant plumbing, since no one answered it here.
Thanks Patrick,
So would I need 2 VGB compliant pumps, one for the filtering and one for the waterfall?

- - - Updated - - -

Just searched this site and found recommendations to not use a SVGB pump on a residential pool, so is the plumbing ok and if not what to do?

PS. Trying to keep things together, I posted the original post on my normal "what size plumbing to.." thread, where all my posts are, but no one replied

OK, read the vgb act again. Skimmer is ok, main drain isn't so I can either keep it or plug it. Question is if that 1 1/2' section of 1 1/2" copper will restrict my flow too much. We'll see.
 
Re: What size pipe to plumb my pool and spa?

I'll go merge your other thread into this one. Yeah, sometimes when we get busy I don't always read all the updates on bigger threads like these. Nice work! Big project.

For cleaners, I have a Doheny's Discovery and I love it. It is the same as Maytronics S200, Dolphin Active20 and Dolphin Triton. More here, Doheny's Discovery, S200, Active20, Triton owners club
 
That is true for pools but for spas the jets create a lot of head loss so the return will always have much more head loss than the suction.
 

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