Hi, new pool owner here! I am trying to understand our new pool and the equipment and valves. We have in ground pool with spillover spa, pretty basic. Could someone please give me a brief overview of the valves and what each operates and which direction they should be for normal operation and also for the spa mode? Thanks!
New pool owner help with understanding valves
- Thread starter steven_jessica
- Start date
Steve,
How about a pic big enough for us old 'hearts' to actually see...
Also back up a little bit so we can see the whole equipment pad.
Is the pool new, or are you just new to the pool??
Thanks,
Jim R.
How about a pic big enough for us old 'hearts' to actually see...
Also back up a little bit so we can see the whole equipment pad.
Is the pool new, or are you just new to the pool??
Thanks,
Jim R.
- Jun 24, 2021
- 15,438
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
- May 3, 2014
- 62,544
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
- May 3, 2014
- 62,544
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Can you post a picture of the far side of the equipment? Appears you have an actuator on one valve.
Do you have any kind of automation?
Do you have any kind of automation?
Steve,
I suspect that you have a solar system??? Is that true..
The valve right in front of your pump is called the "Intake" valve.. It selects if you are sucking water from your spa drain or the pool skimmer..
The raised valve next to the heater, is called the "Return" valve and sends water back to the spa or back to the pool.
There is no way for me to know for sure, but I suspect that your Intake valve is in the Pool mode and your Return valve is in the Spa mode, which is not correct...
As a quick test.. turn the return valve 180 degrees.. Your spa overflow should shut off, and the water should NOT quickly drain out of your spa..
Do that test and let me know what happens.
Thanks,
Jim R.
I suspect that you have a solar system??? Is that true..
The valve right in front of your pump is called the "Intake" valve.. It selects if you are sucking water from your spa drain or the pool skimmer..
The raised valve next to the heater, is called the "Return" valve and sends water back to the spa or back to the pool.
There is no way for me to know for sure, but I suspect that your Intake valve is in the Pool mode and your Return valve is in the Spa mode, which is not correct...
As a quick test.. turn the return valve 180 degrees.. Your spa overflow should shut off, and the water should NOT quickly drain out of your spa..
Do that test and let me know what happens.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Steve,
Go feel your pool returns and tell me if they have flow.. Also.. Please confirm that the water level in the spa is stable, not quickly going down.
And confirm if you have a solar system, even if it is not being used..
Thanks,
Jim R.
Go feel your pool returns and tell me if they have flow.. Also.. Please confirm that the water level in the spa is stable, not quickly going down.
And confirm if you have a solar system, even if it is not being used..
Thanks,
Jim R.
Last edited:
the pool returns have flow, but the spa ones don’t and the spa level is going down but very slowly. The pool used to have solar system but is not being used
Steve,
Your system was designed to be in the Pool mode most of the time.. This means that you want almost all your water to go back to the pool and not the Spa.. You will need a little water going to the spa, to keep the spa water fresh. This is what gives you the spa overflow.. The reason that you want most of the water going to the Pool Returns is that you want to create some circulation in the pool.. This will also make your skimmer work better.
In your initial pic, your Intake valve was set to shut off the Spa drain and suck water from your skimmer.. This is where you want the Intake set, unless you are using the Spa.
In your Initial pic, your Return valve as set to shut off the Pool Return...
You only want the Return valve in that position when you want to use the Spa. In normal operation you want to set the Return valve to send 80 to 90% of the water to the pool return line, and only 10 to 20% of the water going to Spa return (the pipe with the check valve..)
In the Spa mode, the handles of the Intake and Return valves should point away from each other..
In the Pool mode, the handles of the Intake and Return valves should point right at each other.. This will cause no spillover.. To have a spillover, adjust the Return valve to allow a little water to go to the Spa pipe (the one with the check valve..)
If your spillover does not have much of a flow, it could be that your filter is very dirty.. (What is the filter pressure???) It could also be that your pump is running too slowly.. (How fast is your pump running???)
Your spa draining a little when in the pool mode is a good indication that your Intake valve is leaking internally.. This can be fixed by replacing the diverter..
Thanks,
Jim R.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Your system was designed to be in the Pool mode most of the time.. This means that you want almost all your water to go back to the pool and not the Spa.. You will need a little water going to the spa, to keep the spa water fresh. This is what gives you the spa overflow.. The reason that you want most of the water going to the Pool Returns is that you want to create some circulation in the pool.. This will also make your skimmer work better.
In your initial pic, your Intake valve was set to shut off the Spa drain and suck water from your skimmer.. This is where you want the Intake set, unless you are using the Spa.
In your Initial pic, your Return valve as set to shut off the Pool Return...
You only want the Return valve in that position when you want to use the Spa. In normal operation you want to set the Return valve to send 80 to 90% of the water to the pool return line, and only 10 to 20% of the water going to Spa return (the pipe with the check valve..)
In the Spa mode, the handles of the Intake and Return valves should point away from each other..
In the Pool mode, the handles of the Intake and Return valves should point right at each other.. This will cause no spillover.. To have a spillover, adjust the Return valve to allow a little water to go to the Spa pipe (the one with the check valve..)
If your spillover does not have much of a flow, it could be that your filter is very dirty.. (What is the filter pressure???) It could also be that your pump is running too slowly.. (How fast is your pump running???)
Your spa draining a little when in the pool mode is a good indication that your Intake valve is leaking internally.. This can be fixed by replacing the diverter..
Thanks,
Jim R.
Thanks,
Jim R.