txpoolguy

Alan, check the model number on the outside of the VSP pump control box. If it has the letters "AQL" at the end of the model number, then your VSP will interface directly with a Goldline ProLogic control system. This will allow you to program all your speeds from the control system, rather than having to do it from the VSP control box. If it does NOT have that suffix, you can get a different board to allow it to interface. Originally Hayward sold both units, but this year they are only selling the AQL unit, as it will work as a stand alone model as well. No need for both skus.

Much depends on where you live. Moisture and shifting do cause a lot of damage like this, and it's also common to see this kind of damage in Springtime, after freezing conditions during winter. The earth shifts, causing small cracks, then moisture gets into the cracks, freezes and expands, causing tile to pop off, coping to lift, and sometimes damage to the beam of the pool. It's difficult to seal permanently. I'd recommend you have a professional come and look at it to recommend the best solution for your region.

I stand corrected. I think I backwardized the terms "volume" and "weight", due to an aging brain. I'll go weigh a bunch of DE today to make sure I'm not misinforming anyone. Agred, too much DE is as harmful as too little.

There have been no significant issues on the Tristar pumps, either single or dual speed. Hayward did have an issue last year with the Emerson brand motors that were being used, but when the problem developed, Hayward switched quickly to AO Smith motors and the problems are rapidly subsiding. Other than normal routine maintenance, there is nothing special needed. Hayward also has local service managers who you could contact to answer your questions. It might be worth a call to confirm.

What kind of hoses are used to bring water to and from the booster pump? Are they the white hoses with the quick connect fitting, or are they black hoses with brass female connections on either end?

Refer to your owner's manual for proper amount of DE. If you don't have one, you can usually download a copy from the manufacturer's website. The depth of the DE coating on the grid is beneficial as well, so using less forces more frequent disassemble/cleaning than if the full amount is used, too much overloads the grid and can cause damage.

I posted this under the other topic as well... Don't clean the grids with acid. After disassembling the filter and grid assy, use a good detergent/degreaser and a stiff plastic bristle brush to clean the dirt and oils off the grids. Acid isn't nice to the fabric and should only be used as a last resort. Grids aren't normally "ruined" unless they have holes or tears in the fabric. Usually your bag of DE will have a chart for proper amount of DE. DE is measured by volume, not by weight, so a scale won't help. For a 60 square ft. filter, use a one pound coffee can (or equivalent measure) and add 12 cans slowly into the skimmer. If you buy a 25# bag of DE, half a bag is good for a 60 sq. ft. filter. This is a proper coating and you should generally use this amount after every backwash. I know, it's heavily debated about how much to add after backwashing, but you want the proper amount for coating and for depth on the grids. Many people only use half, but this isn't a good practice. DE is cheap, so don't scrimp on something that protects a more valuable item. No manufacturer of DE filters recommends less than a full coating. Since the filter manufacturers don't make/sell DE, there's no reason for them to recommend more than actually needed. 24 sq. ft. = 4.8# DE 36 sq. ft. - 7.2# DE 48 sq. ft. = 9.5# DE 60 sq. ft. = 12# DE 72 sq. ft. = 14# DE A little over or under won't make a difference, but try to get reasonably close.

Don't clean the grids with acid. After disassembling the filter and grid assy, use a good detergent/degreaser and a stiff plastic bristle brush to clean the dirt and oils off the grids. Acid isn't nice to the fabric and should only be used as a last resort. Grids aren't normally "ruined" unless they have holes or tears in the fabric, or have crushed internal supports. Usually your bag of DE will have a chart for measuring the proper amount of DE. It's heavily debated about how much to add after backwashing, but you want the proper amount for coating and for depth on the grids. Many people only use half, but this isn't a good practice. DE is cheap, so don't scrimp on something that protects a more expensive item. No manufacturer of DE filters recommends less than a full coating. Since the filter manufacturers don't make/sell DE, there's no reason for them to recommend more than actually needed. A little over or under won't make a difference, but try to get reasonably close.

One other thing that wasn't mentioned before & may be of value to you as you choose a builder... If you go with all equipment of one brand, you may be eligible for an extension of your warranties from one year up to three years on certain equipment, but you may have to ask about it. HAYWARD C4025 or C5025 - will do well for even a very large pool and will handle larger pump sizes. COLORLOGIC LIGHTING - will do very well. For more color intensity, you might consider installing two of the pool size lights, or several of the smaller spa size lights. Colors reflect very well on a white pool surface, but colored pool surfaces don't reflect the colors as well, so mlutople lights might help. Btw, this is with all color lights, not just Hayward. COVERS - I don't do much with pool covers, so will refrain from commenting. Get recommendations from friends, family, coworkers, etc. SALT - Goldline is owned by Hayward and is known as an industry leader in the Electronic Chlorine Generators (salt) and has a proven track record. You can likely get the extended warranty on this as well, including in a package. COMPANIES - find a reputable dealer in your area. Check with BBB, family, friends, coworkers for references. I don't know where you live so I can't make any specific recommendations. Good luck with your project!

Fireman, he's got a different kind of DE filter, Perflex, most likely. It's not built the same as the DE filters you're referring to and doesn't backwash the same. It does have an air relief assy, called "vent valve" in the parts diagram.

The percentage of output is actually the percentage of runtime in a 2 hour cycle. This is built into the AquaRite. So, 50% output is ON for 1 hour, OFF for one hour. 75% output is ON for 90 minutes, OFF for 30 minutes, etc. In a 7 hour filter cycle, "3-2hour cycles, plus one hour, the last hour will be ON and the pump will turn off. Superchlorinate is the same as 100% output.

The Super II pump was designed to move more water than the Super Pump for applications where this is needed. Depending on your need, the Super Pump may fill your needs at lower cost. It is still a very good pump and is still being manufactured. Both are widely available.

I'll answer part of your question, leave the rest for others. FILTER - Cartridge filters are great. No water loss from backwashing, no DE to buy, etc. Trade-off is you manually clean the filters every 3-4 months, depending on your debris load. 3-5 years out of a set of cartridges properly maintained - although you can get far more with careful maintenance. You also get 300, 400, 500 square feet of filter area, as opposed to 72 sq. ft. on largest DE filter. Don't use sand unless you're in the desert. PUMP - lots of great options and variable speed pumps look sexy - not as much down the line. Huge initial cost & expensive to repair later. You'll get the same result from a properly sized 2 speed pump, far less expense involved. SANITIZER - Go with salt. UV is a cute add-on, but won't completely sanitize as you expect. LIGHTING - the Hayward LED is far and above the best. Not the cheapest, but you won't regret the purchase. The 2.5 revision is no longer available, you'll get the 4.0 which is an updated version. Pipe Size - 2" piping is good, but you need to make sure the pump, piping and filter are all sized for each other. You'll probably have around 27,000 gallons when done, based on the 20x40 dimensions. 2" piping is good with a 1.5hp 2 speed pump and 400 sq. ft. cartridge filter. MAIN DRAIN - this is being heavily debated, but is still standard in the industry. If it were my decision, I'd go ahead with one. AUTO CLEANER - depends on the pool environment and yes, the choices are endless. If you don't have much large debris, I can recommend the Hayward Navigator for vinyl liner. It's what I have in my pool and I love it.

Sometimes marketing goes too far... 15 gpm won't be any more efficeint than 30 gpm, generally speaking. While there are benefits from slowing the water velocity, it does have a limit. Nothing wrong with 24/7, if appropriate. You only need to run the pump enough to accomplish your goal, nothing more. Keep in mind that you will need @20gpm to pull down the skimmer weir door, 40gpm for 2 skimmers, 10-20 gpm more for a main drain to do anything after that. Then, divide that 20gpm by the number of return jets in the pool, 4 jets/20gpm = 5gpm per jet - no real value. Since you do enjoy these calculations, I'll let you do the calculations to see how far down you want to go, but there's a point where you'll be losing, rather than gaining effeciency. Generally, if you keep your water velocity below 7 feet per second, you don't gain too much by going lower.

Yes, the heat pump will be worth it, assuming that you will use it enough to achieve the "payback" in efficiency. Use a good solar cover in combination with the heat pump to increase savings. The solar cover will decrease heat evaporation as well. Make sure you get a unit that incorporates a titanium heat exchanger and a scroll compressor.

Agree with trader4.

I would still recommend identifying what is installed & possibly removing it to ensure that nobody else makes the mistake. If you're on vacation, or if the home changes hands again, the next person might not be aware of the danger & could have an accident.

Hayward makes a bromine feeder as well as a chlorine feeder. The bromine feeder would be "offline", with tubing that attaches it to the plumbing, while the chlorine feeder could be "inline" - installed in main plumbing, or could be an offline version as well. Verify the model number that you have. It is very dangerous to mix chemicals. and is very dangerous to use the wrong feeder. While the former homeowner may have been lucky, don't bet your life on it.

Gary, There should be no visible debris coming out of the jets in the pool or spa - including pollen. If there is, it is getting past the filter somehow, so something isn't right. It shows in the spa first because that's a smaller body of water so it accumulates faster. The Cartridge filter you have should be removing all debris down to around 5-10 microns - not visible to the human eye. If the cartridges are clean & not damaged or crushed, and the lower manifold is not damaged or crushed, it only leaves a few options. 1. The debris is falling out of the air, rather than coming thru the returns. You're confident that it's coming thru the returns, so I'll let this one drop. 2. As mentioned before, there is an air relief tube inside the filter that should have a small screen attached. The screen will allow larger debris to pass than the cartridges will, but if the screen is missing, it lets even larger debris pass as well. 3. If the cartridges are old, they may be worn at the point that they seat around the holes on the bottom or top of the cartridge. They should have a very snug fit. Loose fit will allow debris to bypass. 4. The "top closure plate" which seals the cartridges on the top side may be installed upside down. Depending on which one you have it can be a very, very easy mistake to make. Since you and your pool guy know your filter well, this is unlikely, but a possibility. Good luck

Since you're in a desert environment, the sand filters tend to be more friendly. DE and Cartridge filters are more efficient, but in desert areas, they tend to be overwhelming with maintenance. You can accomplish the same thing with sand - you obviously have for many years. If you're comfortable with your local pool guy, then go with your gut. If he's taken good care of you for a long time, then give him all the business you can or he won't be around when you need him. If it's a huge price difference, talk to him about it but don't be offended if he can't match their price. He probably doesn't get the volume discount that the builder gets, but again...remember who's been there when you needed him.

It's normal for the two skimmers to have different amounts of suction. Consider that one is much farther away. The closer one has stronger vacuum & the one furthest away has poor vacuum. Solutions: 1. Since you do NOT have separate valves at your equipment as your post states, there should be a small (about 5-6" diameter) round "valve" that lies in the bottom of each skimmer, or perhaps only the closest skimmer. This "float valve" has a small door on the underside that can be adjusted to accomplish the same thing. Close the door about halfway to force more suction from the furthest skimmer. If this float valve does not exist, you can purchase one. Take your skimmer's deck cover to your local pool store & have them order one. They will need the skimmer cover to identify which skimmer you have. 2. If you had separate valves at your equipment for the two skimmers, close the one that operates the closest (strongest) skimmer, thereby forcing better suction from the furthest skimmer.

For the gallonage in your pool, either pump will work well although the Super pump will have to run longer due to the lower design flow rate. Moving water slower is more efficient. What size plumbing do you have? This is necessary info for a good answer to the question you ask. If you have 2" piping, I might suggest you look at the Tristar pump by Hayward. It is an upgrade to the Super II and is easier to install (unions), larger debris basket. Possibly even a 2 speed for max effeciency in circulation/filtration. It costs a bit more, but is worth it. Run high speed only when needed for spa operation or cleaner operation & 12-14 hours per day in low speed. SP32152EE (full rate dual speed) OR SP3210X152 (max rate dual speed) depending on which is available in your region. The 425 sq. ft. cartridge filter & Aquarite are both fine. If you anticipate a huge debris load or bather load, you could consider going up the the 525, but probably not necessary.

Goldline does not require a check valve between the heater & cell. The amount of chlorine being generated isn't normally enough to cause problems with the heater. The flow switch stops production of chlorine when the water stops moving. It's very likely that what you're seeing is coincidental. Having said that, heater mfgrs recommend a check valve between the heater & chemical feeder, however they don't consider the electronic generators to be the same as a tablet feeder. If you have a concern, it is simple to add one, but be sure to add one that is chemical reisistant. I've seen many cases of heaters damaged by chlorine from tablet feeders because the check valve wasn't chemical resistant.

I can't help you with the picture upload, someone else can, I'm sure. That particular pump can be installed 110 or 240v. The owner's guide that comes with the pump will have instructions. It is generally as simple as moving a small plug that is located in the electrical compartment on the rear of the pump motor. Be sure you get it right, or you could damage the electric motor.

Flow meters are @80-100 bucks, another hundred to install. It should be installed after the last piece of equipment on the return line. While the intelliflow and other vsps are nice pumps and the concept sounds "green", it is very expensive and many consumers find that they achieve the same goal with a 2 speed pump and save hundreds of dollars. Many people find that one high speed and one low speed meet their needs. High speed for rapid turnover & operation of a spa, if one exists, or to run a suction pool cleaner. Low speed for most efficient turnover of water & better filtration. Each model of pump has a "design flow rate" at specific feet of head. For instance, Pentair, Hayward, Jandy, all make 8-10 different 2hp pumps, but they all have a different design flow rate. You can usually get these charts from the mfg. website. I have a 1.5hp 2speed pump on my 15,000 gallon personal pool. I run it 2 hours per day (@110gpm) to operate the suction cleaner (navigator), and on low speed (@50gpm)for 8 hours per day for filtration. This gives me @37,200 gallons per day turnover - more than adequate for a 15k pool. I could easily have installed a variable speed pump, but I don't have a need for 4 or 8 speeds. Consider your actual need, and you may find that two speeds is all you need and you could spend the extra 500 bucks on a nice patio furniture set or new bbq grill.