Swimming pool plumbing ?

[JK]

Hi all, I am going to install a pool within then next 6 weeks and have the design and costs sorted. It will be 45 foot x 28 foot and is poured reinforced concrete. I have poured this sort of tank before for agricultural applications (Slurry catchment !) and it is really not a difficult job. What is new to me is the plumbing layout. I need to know where water is taken from to be heated and where it is delivered back into the pool. it wouldn't be appropriate to heat water with a 500,000 BTU oil fired burner and deliver it via a 3 inch pipe !!. Is the water mixed with colder water drawn from another area of the pool before being introduced to the pool ? A website with a forum would be helpful or just somewhere where info could be found. Any help would be appreciated. I will be putting up a website to show the project from start to completion.

Many thanks in advance. Jon

[Graham Wilson]

Are you going to pay someone to look after the pool on a day to day basis?

When I was a kid, my parents had an outdoor swimming pool installed. There was a lot of work involved in setting up and controlling the chemicals in the pool.

It was not just necessary to control the chlorine levels, but also the ph levels. Cleaning a pool takes ages.

The joys of having to hoover the bottom of the pool and clean the filtration system out.

Graham

[Grunff]

I'd really appreciate it if you shared some figures; we have something very similar planned for the not too distant, and some initial idea would be nice.

[wanderer]

You should have a sump either at the lowest point on the bottom if it's hopper construction or more or less centre if it's flat bottom. You'll also probably need a couple of skimmers for that size, set on the 'normal' top water line. These are all taken back on 11/2" or 2" ABS pipe work to the pump room. then onto a manifold to feed the pump. From the pump through a suitable filter then baqck to an inlet on one wall of the pool. Make sure you use proper swimming pool plumbing equipment to with stand the chlorine levels!

Google is your friend, just seach UK pages for swimming pool. There are quite a few with varying degrees of help.

Takes a few minutes every two or three days just to check the pH and Cl levels, even less if you use test strips.

Takes about an hour every other week during the season to vacuum the pool, and two or three minutes to backwash once the vacuuming is done.. Also depends on how much greenery you've got in close proximity.

[Peter Crosland]

Make sure you understand all the regulations and have given the appropriate notice to the water authority etc. Quite a minefield if you get it wrong.

[Peter Crosland]

This might help you.

[JK]

Not particularly bothered by the water authority. I live in Ireland in a rural setting and pump water from 350 feet below ground and can deliver 20,000 + litres per day. The other poster asking the cost of the project.... well I work in the construction game and everything will be at cost..... I can comfortably build and finish it on less than 10,000 Euro.

JK

appropriate

[nightjar]

Even without heating, mine has a complex set of pipes, valves and pumps.

The main part is an 8-way valve, that normally is set to pump water through the filter. That water is drawn in through two overflow intakes, which set the minimum water level, provide a coarse basket filter and give me somewhere to drop in the chlorine blocks. It is passed through the filter and pumped back out through two submerged nozzles at the opposite end. By turning the valve, I can backflush the filter, dumping the water used to waste (the field next door), rinse the filter after backflushing (again dumping the water), empty the pool through the bottom drain and do several other things I've not got around to working out the value of.

Another set of three on/off valves allow me to run a different pump, which sucks water in through a submerged nozzle on the side. That is where you connect the accessories - a vacuum cleaner for the bottom and the surface cleaning robot. You will also need somewhere to store the long brush, the net for fishing out dead mice and the leaf skimmer.

Personally, I would never buy anywhere with a swimming pool again. They need constant attention and are far too much hard work. The most I would consider would be a sitting tub, which can be emptied when it is not needed.

Colin Bignell

[nightjar]

....

I have a robot that cleans the bottom for about six hours each day and that is not fully effective at keeping the pool clean.

Colin Bignell

[Grunff]

Wow! Want to do mine? ;-)

I was reckoning on about 2-3 times that for ours.

[wanderer]

Yup, that's why mine is never used. It cleans fine where it actually passes, but I found the patterns of movement tended to be governed to a large extent by the connecting hose, so some areas were rarely traversed by the cleaner. Like I said, it takes me about an hour once a fortnight, and the pool is nice and clean. The secret is not to let the sediment settle and form into 'mud' that takes more aggresive action with the vacuum head.

[nightjar]

Mine is electric and not constrained by the floating cable in any way. However, it can't do up the sides very far and can't get to places like the steps.

Difficult when you only visit about once every six weeks, which is why I bought a robot. However, so much stuff gets into the pool that its filter bag clogs at some point between visits and it stops picking stuff up. It takes me about a week of daily attention to get the pool clean and I don't usually go there for a full week at a time.

Colin Bignell

[John Brown]

UK site for DIY pool construction.

US forum covering all aspects of pool building and maintenance

JB

[JK]

Yes, This is the sort of forum I was looking for. Can get technical help I need at this stage. I have the excavation equipment on site and when the main area is dug away and the shuttering in place the pipework will have to be laid.

Thanks. Jon

[Rick Hughes]

There are a large number of Swimming pool links on the Uk_Selfbuild forum web sites ( uk_selfbuiild on

)

Here are a selection of swimming pool links form the site:

is a start for you, I have built a couple of pools so happy to answer any questions if you want to send me a mail.

Rick