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Building a spa from an old spa pool


jem

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I have been given Scrounged an Ibeza spa pool. the pool is in good condition, but it is missing many parts. I have a pool pump 1.5 hp  and filter which I will use to power the spa, but there are 3 pipes that are cut off, 2 of these would go well for a solar heater for the spa, my idea is to connect them to 20 or more meters of black plastic pipe and a central heating pump to circulate the water. I can incorporate a censer so that the water cannot go above 40 degrees c. I live in Mallorca, so sun is not a problem.

I would be most grateful for any help from you.

best wishes

Jem

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Hi thank you very much for your reply, yes I will post some pictures, The make of spa is not very important it is more a case of am I going in the right direction, I am a do it your self er, so am quite happy to use what I have, rather than use what spa users use when possible.

 

best wishes

 

Jem

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Hi thank you very much for your reply, yes I will post some pictures, The make of spa is not very important it is more a case of am I going in the right direction, I am a do it your self er, so am quite happy to use what I have, rather than use what spa users use when possible.

 

best wishes

 

Jem

 

Thank you very much for your reply, but I am sorry that I didn't ex plane well enough my pipes! I enclose 4 photos, 

in the first one where should this other pipe A go ? in my spa it is just cut off. the one at the bottom goes to the cross pipe, together with one from the bottom of the spa, and they go to the pump as expected see B in photo 2 and 3. as you can see there is also another pipe cut off there, would this be just a drain pipe? Have you any ideas for what the hole C is for in the second photo please.In photo 4 what would D be used for please.

Now my idea is to have a separate pump and filter, and so remove the cross pipe B and replace it with a tee pipe, I would fit a valve on the bottom drain pipe and also the skimmer pipe, such that I can control the water flow from both the skimmer and bottom pipe to the pump. Pipe D would be connected to 20 or so mtrs of black plastic pipe, a central heating pump and to the inlet at C, in order to heat the water. Pipe A, I would block off unless you have an idea for what it should do. How does this sound to you.please?

I apologise for so many questions, but there is no one to turn to here, so I am very grateful for all your help so far.

best wishes

Jem

 

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A) I would guess it is a skimmer bypass. Odd that it is the only insulated pipe, which suggests that they didn't expect water flow through it under normal circumstances. Possibly connected to a suction fitting in C.

B) Could have been a drain.

D) I suspect the threaded fitting just barely in the bottom of the last pic goes into it. Does it have any pipes plumbed to it? Where do they go?

 

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54 minutes ago, CanadianSpaTech said:

Pass

Really? Guy's on a small island off the coast of Spain, it's not like he can just call in a tech. I doubt there are many dealerships there either. I feel he is more deserving of help than alot of these folks who just don't want to pay for a pro. Honestly, I am impressed by his desire to undertake such a project.

But if it scares you, I guess that I am on my own here.😉

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Run A out to solar and back into B...plug C or add a jet in there. There is a yellow garden hose on one of the manifolds beside the filter canister to run a 3/4 hose over to the missing C  jet. D no idea we can't see where it goes. Looks like another piece is missing just to the right of the yellow garden hose some type of gate valve perhaps. How is all this going to be controlled? 

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There he is! Gold star for you, Canadaguy! Knew I could count on you, buddy.

Pretty sure he plans to use a pool pump and filter. Not sure yet if he has the filter canister lid from this one. 

Think he will get any flow through the solar using it on a shared suction with the skimmer and drain? I would run it on the pressure side.

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Hi thank you very much for your reply, yes I will post some pictures, The make of spa is not very important it is more a case of am I going in the right direction, I am a do it your self er, so am quite happy to use what I have, rather than use what spa users use when possible.

 

best wishes

 

Jem

 

Thank you very much for your reply, but I am sorry that I didn't ex plane well enough my pipes! I enclose 4 photos, 

in the first one where should this other pipe A go ? in my spa it is just cut off. the one at the bottom goes to the cross pipe, together with one from the bottom of the spa, and they go to the pump as expected see B in photo 2 and 3. as you can see there is also another pipe cut off there, would this be just a drain pipe? Have you any ideas for what the hole C is for in the second photo please.In photo 4 what would D be used for please.

Now my idea is to have a separate pump and filter, and so remove the cross pipe B and replace it with a tee pipe, I would fit a valve on the bottom drain pipe and also the skimmer pipe, such that I can control the water flow from both the skimmer and bottom pipe to the pump. Pipe D would be connected to 20 or so mtrs of black plastic pipe, a central heating pump and to the inlet at C, in order to heat the water. Pipe A, I would block off unless you have an idea for what it should do. How does this sound to you.please?

I apologise for so many questions, but there is no one to turn to here, so I am very grateful for all your help so far.

best wishes

Jem

 

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Thank you both very much for all your help, It is true that there is no one around here who deals with spas, so your help is fantastic. plus the fact that you probably know far more that any dealer, who is only interested in selling new!

Going through your questions, A could not be connected to suction C with out a pump in between, which seems unlikely.

Yes B does seem to be a drain, but seems to be very big for that.

D is a long insulated pipe that comes out next to c, no shown on the photo( I have 2 of these spas, one for spares! I could have had 4, they were chucking them out.

"Run A from the skimmer back to B the pump" This looks interesting, but I was thinking of using a separate solar pipe with a central heating pump in the line,this could go from either C or A and back to D. The idea being that with simple sensor, it would be very easy to control the water temperature this way. Wouldn't this be better?

C could be another jet, as you say, seems like a very good idea.

The 1/2 fitting next to the garden hose was probably a sensor of some sort.

I am thinking of cutting the pipe where this hole is thus cutting out the cartridge filter gate valve and electric heater pipework and connecting my 1 1/2 HP pump and sand filter from B and back to this pipe.as a separate unit. But would be very grateful for your words of wisdom on all my ideas please.

Is it reasonable to have a sand filter of a spa. any and all advice would be most gratefully received.

very best wishes to you both

Jem

 

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Well, I disagree regarding A going to C. Skimmers, which are designed to clog with leaves and floating debris, often have another suction line to compensate for that skimmer becoming clogged and still allow enough water flow to prevent damage to the pump. It is standard in inground pools.

If you use A as a suction for a second pump it will "starve" that pump when clogged and cause both pumps to compete for the same water unless you also tie in C and D to that suction. Likewise, using A to feed your solar line then running it back to B will result in virtually no water flow through your solar as the other skimmer pipe going to B as well as the main drain pipe will provide lower resistance to flow (called "head") than the solar setup will.

The possible drain at B could have been any number of things, it's impossible to know based on your pics.

If running a separate pump for the solar you could use D and C for suction and return. You could also use both D and C for suction and return at B. This would allow for a lower hp pump on the solar loop. I have no idea if the heat produced by black pipe will be sufficient to maintain desired temperature.

A pool pump and sand filter is perfectly acceptable to use on this project.

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Hi thank you very much for your reply, yes I will post some pictures, The make of spa is not very important it is more a case of am I going in the right direction, I am a do it your self er, so am quite happy to use what I have, rather than use what spa users use when possible.

 

best wishes

 

Jem

Thank you very much once again, I am slightly confused with the layout of this forum, as when it says reply to this topic, it opens with my first mail, I hope that this is ok.

Yes I think as you say D to C for the solar, and I see your point of going to B, but that would mean that heat would be lost in the filter etc. anyway that is certainly food for thought. I think that I dont need a very powerful pump for the solar line, as it only has to move the hot water slowly.. I have used solar for hot water etc for many years now, so I think that I should be able to get the temperature that I want, anyway I will keep you posted there, hopefully to help others.

There is a lot of work to do to get this project off the ground, so I dont envisage it being done in even a month or two. but I now have enough information to at least get started.

I have to get new jets, as only the holders are remaining, and also the inner-eds for the water valve to the jets, and the air valve inner-eds, I presume these are just cylinders with holes in them to let water  and air go to the respective jet sections.

once again thank you very much for all your help, I will keep you posted if I may,

 

best wishes

 

Jem

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  • 2 months later...

Thank you for all the help that you have given to me so far. I am having a bit of a problem getting hold of the jets that I need, as the spa has all the jet holders, but the jets are missing.

The jets holders that I have , Have a big W on them made in the USA, and the number 211-5100  could these be Waterways perhaps?

Would it be possible for some kind sole to let me have a crosssection drawing of a jet so that I can see how they work please.

I have fixed up my spa to a filter and 1.5 hp pump, and all works well but without the jets, so it works, but not as it would with the jets in it.

Best wishes

Jem

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