1 1/4" vs 1 1/2" plumbing

[pcdanman]

Hey everyone,

Long time lurker, first time poster. We have bought an 18' Poolscape (Bunnings, Australia) round metal sided pool to install. Today it arrived and I have pulled everything out of the boxes to make sure that its all there.

The pool came with a 450w (doesn't say how many HP) pump and 12" sand filter. The pump looks okay, apparently it can push around 8000L (2,100 US gal) an hour - is that about right for that sort of wattage or are they telling tall tales?

The filter on the other hand looks to be garbage. The main problem is that it only has 32mm (1 1/4") fittings and I am concerned that these will restrict flow significantly - after all, my little Bestway (Intex knock-off - great piece of machinery if any Aussie Intex pool owners are wondering) 1500gph unit had 1 1/2" (38mm) fittings. All other components have 38mm and 32mm fittings, but the included hoses are 32mm. What do you guys think? I am pricing 18" sand filters with standard Australian 40mm fittings and they are running around $250AU. Should I buy one, or stick with the 32mm filter and plumbing?

Also, the filter does not have standard lateral "fingers", it has a squashed sphere lateral instead.

 

[domct203]

Hey everyone,

Long time lurker, first time poster. We have bought an 18' Poolscape (Bunnings, Australia) round metal sided pool to install. Today it arrived and I have pulled everything out of the boxes to make sure that its all there.

The pool came with a 450w (doesn't say how many HP) pump and 12" sand filter. The pump looks okay, apparently it can push around 8000L (2,100 US gal) an hour - is that about right for that sort of wattage or are they telling tall tales?

The filter on the other hand looks to be garbage. The main problem is that it only has 32mm (1 1/4") fittings and I am concerned that these will restrict flow significantly - after all, my little Bestway (Intex knock-off - great piece of machinery if any Aussie Intex pool owners are wondering) 1500gph unit had 1 1/2" (38mm) fittings. All other components have 38mm and 32mm fittings, but the included hoses are 32mm. What do you guys think? I am pricing 18" sand filters with standard Australian 40mm fittings and they are running around $250AU. Should I buy one, or stick with the 32mm filter and plumbing?

Also, the filter does not have standard lateral "fingers", it has a squashed sphere lateral instead.

Welcome to the forum!

450W should be just over 1/2HP (about 0.6).

If it's in the budget I recommend you get a much larger filter, and a better pump.

I have an Intex 18' X 48". Originally I was running the Intex 14" Sandfilter with 3/4HP pump (system flow rated at 2150GPH). I found it adequate, and it helped keep my pool TFP clear for two seasons. However, I found myself backwashing quite often (when filter pressure rises 25% over clean PSI), and vacuuming was a bit of a chore as the filter would need to be backwashed half way through, then again when done, that's a lot of water to replace. The pump was a bit weak when it came to running a suction side cleaner (I would find my aqua bug on it's side, always had to check) or vacuuming manually.

I found that after switching to a 21" Sandfilter I don't have to backwash much, and the suction side cleaner zips around the pool without the hiccups I had with the Intex pump.

A good 1HP pump would be more than adequate, the only reason I have the 1.5HP is that I got a really good price on it.

 

[cfherrman]

Your fine, the losses one two fittings is nothing, now 20' of 1 1/4" to 20' of 1 1/2", yes I can see.

I ran my pool all year at 10,000 gallons with 1 1/4" fittings, some short runs of 1 1/4" hose, 1/3 hp and then 1/2 hp pump, and a 13" sand filter. I was running the 1/3 hp 24/7 and had to backwash every week, the 1/2 had a timer and ran it 1/2 time, backwashed probably half as much.

 

[pcdanman]

Thanks for the input guys. I think that I will try out the pump and filter included. But if I have problems I will drop it like a hot potato.

The real problem is that fittings on the pool jets are in imperial sizes, whereas all pumps and filters over here are 40mm or 50mm metric. With my Intex pool I did some 40mm PVC hard plumbing, which was easier because 50mm threaded sockets fit Intex threaded connectors on their filters and valves. The only generic connectors I can get to fit the returns on my new pool are for 38mm polythene pipe (as in the black agricultural stuff - yes I am on a farm).

I think to hook my new pool up to a metric filtration system, I would need to use 38mm or 40mm braided soft PVC hose to join the 38mm barbs on the pool jets to the 40mm PVC pipe. The 40mm pressure PVC that I have left over just slides right over the barbs.

 

[needsajet]

Welcome to TFP! Good to have you here

Like Dom said, I think you'll probably want something bigger in the long run, but since you have it... may as well give it a go with plenty of time to shop.

Using TFPC you'll be able to save money for future options

 

[domct203]

This is what I used to go from the 40MM hose connection to 1-1/2 threads:

Amazon.com : GAME 4560 40mm to 1 1/2 Inch Conversion Kit (For Intex Outdoor

 

[duraleigh]

domct203"s story is absolutely excellent. He clearly states the issues with equipment that may be "adequate" but not enough to do a really good job. You will never regret the upgrades as dom suggests.

 

[pcdanman]

You will never regret the upgrades as dom suggests.

I'm sure that I will not. It will be like going from my Intex cartridge filter to the Bestway sand filter: night and day.

I think I will leave it for after Christmas though. It's our turn for Christmas lunch this year. I have plenty do

 

[pcdanman]

This is what I used to go from the 40MM hose connection to 1-1/2 threads:

Amazon.com : GAME 4560 40mm to 1 1/2 Inch Conversion Kit (For Intex Outdoor

Dom, do the large ends attach to the Intex hoses?

If so, they are 50mm metric threads. My pool does not have Intex hose connectors.

I suppose I could use them the other way around (to convert my 1 1/2 inch threaded socket to 50mm metric (Intex) thread) and then use a reducing sleeve to get to 40mm. I will have to find somewhere that will ship over here though.

 

[domct203]

Yes, the larger end fits the Intex hoses, the other end is 1-1/2” Male pipe thread.

 

[pcdanman]

Re: 1 1/4" vs 1 1/2" plumbing

Welcome to TFP! Good to have you here ...

Using TFPC you'll be able to save money for future options

Already there. I have been using TFPC since summer 2011/2012. However, last season I went with an SWG so I didn't have to dose manually. Before then I was using cal-hypo because strong bleach is not really available in Australia and often all you can find is 2% chlorine and 2% hydrogen peroxide. The most I have seen is 4% chlorine.

- - - Updated - - -

Yes, the larger end fits the Intex hoses, the other end is 1-1/2” Male pipe thread.

Thanks for that mate. That's what I thought. I just have to track some down.

 

[needsajet]

If you ever need any (and I bet you won't) Bunnings has 15L jugs of 12.5%. (on sale right now for 9.90 plus one-time deposit on the jug). They also have 5L (more expensive but no deposit). Might be handy for a big swim day like Chrissie lunch with your new pool. That will be a great day

Have a great time with your pool mate and good to hear TFPC is helping make your pool a joy

 

[pcdanman]

Hey guys, I figure its time for an update. We didn't end up getting the pool up before the new year because we were missing small parts (screws, ring joiners) and being so close Chirstmas it took us a while to receive them. It seemed like they had given us the parts packs for a smaller pool. The screws we could have bought (and we did end up buying some more self tappers for the joint protectors), but we could not find anything suitable to replace the ring joiners with (I think that we tried irrigation fittings, spray line fittings and a few other things, to no avail.

Anyway, it gave us time to cool our heads (or rather cook our heads - it was 35C on the 27th and 41C yesterday) over the filtration situation. We ended up buying a 3/4hp (850w) Hurlcon in-ground pump and a Hurlcon 21" injection moulded sand filter from our closest (3/4 of an hour each way) pool shop (Clark Rubber Traralgon. Great place. They have a few pool guys who are very experienced and they don't push snake oil). Both the pump and the filter are made in Australia. With the 40mm PVC gear we needed to hook it up it came to around $1100AU. The original pump, filter and plumbing will go on eBay. They will be a good upgrade for someone with an Intex cartridge filter as they will hook right up.

The glue is curing as I write this and we should be able to open up the plugs and test it for leaks this evening. I have my stabiliser weighed out into a pair of stockings and some bicarb dissolving in a bucket. We are buying some more CaCl2 tomorrow

The installation went fairly smoothly, though the skimmer and main drain (bottom of the side wall) are both leaking a little. On the positive the return is not leaking. Putting in all of those was certainly my least favorite part of the installation.

I will post some photos once I get the chance.

One thing, before I forget, the pump pad I built is made from pavers. Is it necessary to secure the pump to them in some way? I have seen some photographs of with pumps secured and some without. What is the best way to secure them? At the moment I have wrapped fencing wire around the foot of the pump and under the paving stone that the pump is sitting on.

Bunnings has 15L jugs of 12.5%. (on sale right now for 9.90 plus one-time deposit on the jug). They also have 5L (more expensive but no deposit)

Where do they have them? Are they in the aisle with the pool chemicals or do I need to ask for them? From memory, I think I have seen the 15L drums at odd occasions (never when I have needed it), but I have never seen the 5L. They only place I have seen the 15L consistently is Bunnings in Narre Warren. It would beat having to dissolve cal-hypo for shocking the pool.

 

[needsajet]

One that I go to has them up front, but most are in the pool chem aisle down on the bottom near the salt. Price for me just now is $11.26 (would be an extra $12 for the first deposit). One store I go to also has a 12L (no deposit) but it wasn't a good deal so I never bought that size.