Thanks we have not done that yet. It was set up first last Friday and we are waiting for the pool contractor to show us how to work the equipment.
Is my pump strong enough for my new pool?
- Thread starter nbrogan
- Start date
- Jun 24, 2021
- 15,607
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
My guess is that with all that pollen, your filter is dirty.
In the future, when you backwash, and turn the filter back to filter, note the clean pressure. When pressure rises 25% over clean pressure, backwash again.
With that much pollen, I would get these. Put them over the skimmer basket, and find a rock that is larger than the diameter of the hole in the bottom of the skimmer, and put it in the hairnet in the basket (holds the hairnet down). When they get dirty, just throw them away and put a new one on. Maybe every day or 2x/day in heavy pollen season. Doing this will increase the time between backwashes and save water.
In the future, when you backwash, and turn the filter back to filter, note the clean pressure. When pressure rises 25% over clean pressure, backwash again.
With that much pollen, I would get these. Put them over the skimmer basket, and find a rock that is larger than the diameter of the hole in the bottom of the skimmer, and put it in the hairnet in the basket (holds the hairnet down). When they get dirty, just throw them away and put a new one on. Maybe every day or 2x/day in heavy pollen season. Doing this will increase the time between backwashes and save water.
One of your skimmer pictures shows the basket lifted up and debris is bypassing the basket. You may want to clean out both skimmers very well and make sure the basket sits down correctly. Hopefully there isn’t a blockage from that.
Had a pool last season which did similar and I went crazy since this was always a non issue pool. Low and behold I took out the pump basket and out with it came a plastic bag that slipped by the skimmer basket and plastered itself on the outside of the pump basket. When I looked through the lid there was nothing in view but it cut the flow some 95%.
It's typical Georgia Pollen from "h-e-hockey sticks" season. Pine trees galore. A good brushing of your waterline will get this stuff into circulation so that it can be picked up in the filter.
Filter socks a very handy this time of year. Keeps the schmutz out of the filter itself and you can rinse them clean at a hose and pop them back in. Or use disposable hairnets and toss into the trash.
Maddie
Filter socks a very handy this time of year. Keeps the schmutz out of the filter itself and you can rinse them clean at a hose and pop them back in. Or use disposable hairnets and toss into the trash.
Maddie
Is the pump power 120 volts?
If yes, why?
If yes, is the voltage selector set to 120 volts?
Note: Do not change the voltage selection unless you are 100% sure that you need to.
If yes, why?
If yes, is the voltage selector set to 120 volts?
Note: Do not change the voltage selection unless you are 100% sure that you need to.
Since you got the automation, it was a bad idea for the builder to give you a pump that cannot communicate with the automation.
I would ask them to change the pump to the TriStar variable speed pump.
The pump should be on 240 volts and not 120 volts.
Note: Do not change wires or voltages to try it.
Only do things where you are 100% sure.
I would ask them to change the pump to the TriStar variable speed pump.
The pump should be on 240 volts and not 120 volts.
Note: Do not change wires or voltages to try it.
Only do things where you are 100% sure.
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Get this pump.
hayward.com
The automation needs to be able to control the pump speed for heating.
Also, I think that the filter is undersized.
What wires are going to the automation subpanel?
TriStar VS 950
TriStar® VS variable speed pool pumps are the most energy efficient on the market, according to EPA ENERGY STAR 3rd party testing data. Saving pool owners up to 90% on energy costs, they are specifically designed to replace most single speed pool pumps.
hayward.com
The automation needs to be able to control the pump speed for heating.
Also, I think that the filter is undersized.
What wires are going to the automation subpanel?
When i lived on a heavily treed yard, during pollen season I needed to run mine 24/7 and it still didn't keep up.
As is, your pool is off for 16 hours and even with good water movement after that, crud may be stuck to the walls if it dried out any.
Can we see a wide angle pic of the pool running today ? The one return in the pic above seems angled up enough, but sometimes you have to adjust them with the water level. I got a couple inches of rain yesterday and my water movement decreased a bunch.
As is, your pool is off for 16 hours and even with good water movement after that, crud may be stuck to the walls if it dried out any.
Can we see a wide angle pic of the pool running today ? The one return in the pic above seems angled up enough, but sometimes you have to adjust them with the water level. I got a couple inches of rain yesterday and my water movement decreased a bunch.
Thank you. Photo is after brushing the sides and manual skimming for 30 minutes. Skimmers are suctioning in minimal debris and just swirling not sucking the debris into the bottom of the basket. In other words the suction is not strong enough to capture the debris in the baskets just pulls a minimal amount in and swirls it at the top of the baskets.
Attachments
There could always be a problem, but floating debris will often continue to float. People always think the skimmers should do way more than they do. They work best when you don't watch them. Lol. Tomorrow the basket is full and only the recent crud is still floating.
The water doesn't seem to be moving much so I would angle the returns up a little more. You don't want any rooster tails but you do want the surface water being pushed.
Look how frequent all these 'waves' are and how yours are much less. (Sorry for the sparkles, we'll get you there too)
Then the slightest breeze will stop moderate water movement in its tracks and pause any skimming for as long as it's breezy.
The water doesn't seem to be moving much so I would angle the returns up a little more. You don't want any rooster tails but you do want the surface water being pushed.
Look how frequent all these 'waves' are and how yours are much less. (Sorry for the sparkles, we'll get you there too)
Then the slightest breeze will stop moderate water movement in its tracks and pause any skimming for as long as it's breezy.
You are being assisted by the best-of-the-best here. But do have one observation - in the initial top down pictures of the skimmers, there is a lot of black gorilla type tape on the side walls, inside. And neither of the baskets seem to be all the way down in the skimmer. Why the tape? And are you 100% sure that none got loose and sucked into the pipes underneath the baskets? A top down pick of the skimmer without the baskets might be instructive.
N,
I never did see an answer to the following two questions...
Look between the mouth of the skimmer and the skimmer basket and see if you have any weir doors.. They are like a small door laying on its side. They are anchored at the bottom and the top floats up and down with the water.. Please let me know if you can see the doors??
What speed is your VS pump running?
Thanks,
Jim R.
I never did see an answer to the following two questions...
Look between the mouth of the skimmer and the skimmer basket and see if you have any weir doors.. They are like a small door laying on its side. They are anchored at the bottom and the top floats up and down with the water.. Please let me know if you can see the doors??
What speed is your VS pump running?
Thanks,
Jim R.
The water level is also a bit high, which also hurts skimming. The foam in the skimmer door needs to bob up and down and can't when the water is almost up the skimmer face.
Lower the water to mid skimmer level, see if the wave action improves and adjust the returns if not.
As we all get to know your pool, maybe that 1.5 inches really matters. Mine likes to be a bit higher like yours, but maybe yours like a bit lower.
Lower the water to mid skimmer level, see if the wave action improves and adjust the returns if not.
As we all get to know your pool, maybe that 1.5 inches really matters. Mine likes to be a bit higher like yours, but maybe yours like a bit lower.
N,
Something else your can try...
Look to see where your pool return "eyeballs" are located.. How may return eyeballs does your pool have???
Adjust the eyeballs so that they try to push the water in a circular pattern, kind of like a giant flushing toilet bowl, but obviously very very slowly..
Thanks,
Jim R.
Something else your can try...
Look to see where your pool return "eyeballs" are located.. How may return eyeballs does your pool have???
Adjust the eyeballs so that they try to push the water in a circular pattern, kind of like a giant flushing toilet bowl, but obviously very very slowly..
Thanks,
Jim R.
Your pump breaker is single pole, which means that it is 120 volts.
A double pole breaker looks like below.
A new pool should be wired for 240 volts for all large equipment like pool pumps.
Is 240 volts available in the subpanel?
At full speed, you should be getting at least 70 gpm.
The flow should be very strong with 70 gpm.
The skimmers and returns would have good action.
What does the builder have to say?
Note: Do not change wiring unless you are 100% sure.
A double pole breaker looks like below.
A new pool should be wired for 240 volts for all large equipment like pool pumps.
Is 240 volts available in the subpanel?
At full speed, you should be getting at least 70 gpm.
The flow should be very strong with 70 gpm.
The skimmers and returns would have good action.
What does the builder have to say?
Note: Do not change wiring unless you are 100% sure.
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Thank you- even on high power it is not moving any where near as much as that shown in your photo. I will adjust the returns and see if that helps.
Thank you. Based on the control panel photo is it possible to replace the pole with a 240 voltage? Is it possible the contractor just put the wrong switch in and that is causing the pump not to get enough power?
