Necessity for check valve?

[Thomas Vegas]

Hello the community!
I am reinstalling completely my pool installation.
And I am wondering about the necessity or not for a check valve (or may be multiples).
My installation is pretty basic. Only one diverter with skimmer and main drain, no heater, no chlorinator. The pump/filter it about 1 feet higher than the water level.
If I need to install it, wondering where I should install it.
Between the diverter and the pump?
Or between the diverter and the main drain (or/and the skimmer) (in this case probably 2 are required)?
What confuse me, it had already a check valve between the diverter and the main drain but only one, nothing on the skimmer input.
FYI, on the main input it was a spring one, I plan to install the clapper version.
What the use if you have only one with 2 inputs?
Thank you for your help

 

[Jimrahbe]

Thomas,

Show us a few pics of your e1uipment pad.

Why do you think you need any check valves?

If you install them, they should be for a reason.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Thomas Vegas]

Thomas,

Show us a few pics of your e1uipment pad.

Why do you think you need any check valves?

If you install them, they should be for a reason.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Hello Jim

For now, it looks like that



And here what I plan to do, trying to simplify as much as possible to reduce the elbow number.
And by the same be as energy efficient as possible... (including sweep elbows)

 

[Thomas Vegas]

Thinking about the check valves here (green) or there (2 reds)

the green area is in 2 inch, the red area is 1.5

 

[Jimrahbe]

Thomas,

Unless your pool is way, way below your equipment pad, you should not need any check valves.

There is nothing wrong with streamlining your plumbing but removing a few 90's, and using sweep 90's, will do virtually nothing to reduce your energy efficiency. You will never be able to tell the difference.

I suspect that your main drain check valve is not even working based upon how long it appears to have been there.

If this were my pool, I would not be installing any check valves.

When your pump is off, does it drain back into the pool?

When your pump starts in the morning, do you get a bunch of big bubbles out the returns?

If you want to reduce your energy costs, you should get a VS pump.

Just some feedback. It is your pool, and you should do whatever works best for you.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Thomas Vegas]

It's what I thought: as it's not very high (compared to the water level) the check valve is not really necessary. Thank you for the clarification Jim!
I have a few big bubbles, but nothing crazy. I was thinking more about when you clean the pump basket, sometime it's challenging to prime it. May be with a check valve, it would be easier for the pump?

Also just curious, if the equipment was be higher, the check valves would be good consideration, right? And probably located at the red location?

I got a VS pump, the new installation is for these new equipment. Excited to install it!

Thank you

 

[Jimrahbe]

Thomas,

The pump not priming is more of a pump issue and not a check valve issue.

If you want to add a check valve, I'd do it between the pump and the diverter valve, then you'd only need one.

Since you are redoing the plumbing anyway, I'd get a new Diverter valve...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Thomas Vegas]

Great.
Yes everything will be brand new.
Thank you Jim for your advices.