Guidance for newbie

[sylan]

Hi all,

I just moved into a house with pool in the UK, and am getting myself educated on pool balance, equipment etc. I have a few questions that I'd appreciate your guidance:

1. I believe I have a Pentair Swimmey pump. It's currently connected to the mains directly with no timer (see attached photo #1). What's the best way to turn off the pump so it's safe to clean strainer basket and operate on the filter?

2. There are two valves that are labelled, skimmer and drain/sup. There is a 3rd one that is not labelled (see middle one in the attached photo #2), what could this be? Thinking it vacuum valve. How can I find out?

3. I'm tring to get my head around all the piping. In the 3rd photo, there are two valves / pipes that I can't figure out. All I know is the one in the right connect to waste pipe.

Really appreciate your help and guidance

Thanks
Marcus

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

1. I believe I have a Pentair Swimmey pump. It's currently connected to the mains directly with no timer (see attached photo #1). What's the best way to turn off the pump so it's safe to clean strainer basket and operate on the filter?

It looks like you a e expected to pull the plug from the socked to turn off the pump.

A sparky can wire up a more permanent pump electrical connection through a switch.

2. There are two valves that are labelled, skimmer and drain/sup. There is a 3rd one that is not labelled (see middle one in the attached photo #2), what could this be? Thinking it vacuum valve. How can I find out?

Is there a pipe opening in the pool that seems to not be used and could be the vacuum line?

I would be cautious about opening that valve as the handle missing indicates someone did not want the valve touched.

You could open the unions on the three valves and remove them and blow air into the pipe and see where bubbles appear.

3. I'm tring to get my head around all the piping. In the 3rd photo, there are two valves / pipes that I can't figure out. All I know is the one in the right connect to waste pipe.

They look like maintenance valves.

The one on the left is on the suction intake line. It can be closed to keep water from flowing in when working on the pump or other equipment.

The valve on the right looks like it is in a pipe that runs into a heat exchanger. That valve can be shut when the heat exchanger needs maintenance.

 

[sylan]

Thank you very much for sharing the info and knowledge!