The Sensible and Safe Way to Enjoy Your Pool Guideline for Using Above Ground Pools

Transcription

1 The Sensible and Safe Way to Enjoy Your Pool Guideline for Using Above Ground Pools Congratulations! Your new pool offers wonderful opportunities for healthy and fun recreation for you, your family and friends. Enjoy! Olympia also wants your pool experience to be SAFE. Please carefully read this information and review it with everyone in your family. These guidelines are not intended to be all-inclusive, but merely a few of the many things to consider. INDEX Subject Pages A. Contact Information 3 B. Safety Tips 4-5 C. General Information 1. Pool parts information a. Pump and Filter 6 b. Multiport Valve 6-7 c. Skimmer, Light and Heater 7 d. Auto Feeder, Cover and Liner 8 D. Opening / Start up information 1. Pool equipment, Cleaning, water level 9 2. Assembling equipment, Balancing water 9-10 E. Basic Water Chemistry 11 F. How To Section 1. Backwash, Lower water level, Manually vacuuming Cleaning Filter Media Changing Filter Media G. Trouble Shooting Section 16

2 A. Contact Information Fort Wayne Location Olympia Pools and Spas 801 West Coliseum Blvd. Phone: (260) Fort Wayne, IN Fax: (260) Angola Location Olympia Pools and Spas 1913B North Wayne Street Phone: (260) Angola, IN Fax: (260) Website olympiapoolsandspas.com 2

3 B. SAFETY FIRST Supervision Always There is no substitute for competent adult supervision in and around the swimming pool. Never take your eyes off of children when around the pool. Keep Pool Secured Fence Security always keep the gate (s) closed and locked to insure that no one can access the pool area without your supervision. Self-closing, self-locking gate (s) are required. Rescue Equipment It is a good idea to have accessible some rescue equipment, such as a ring buoy with attached throw rope and a life hook attached to a solid pole. Always keep a phone and emergency numbers near the pool area. Teach Your Children to Swim Teach them to swim for safety and for a healthy lifestyle. Swimming has lifelong benefits. Never Swim Alone No one, regardless of age or swimming ability, should swim alone. Be sure there is always another adult present. Night Swimming Never swim at night without adequate lighting. You need to be able to clearly see any and all swimmers in the pool, clearly see the bottom and underwater features (steps, benches, etc.) and be able to determine the depth of the pool. Do Not Swim When The Possibility of an Electrical Storm Exists A pool is a natural ground for lightning. Lightning need not strike you or your pool in order to injure someone in the pool. Never take a chance with lightning. Do Not Allow Electrical Appliances Near the Pool Keep anything electrical, such as radios, lamps, extension cords, etc. at least ten (10) feet from the pool. Serious injury can occur if anything electrical comes in contact with the water in the pool. Keep Chemicals Away from Children 3

4 Keep your chemicals in a secure and well-ventilated area. They should always be kept out of reach of children. Never Mix Chemicals Chemicals should never be mixed together in their original concentrated form! Be sure to carefully follow the directions on each container. If you have an automatic chlorine feeder or bromine feeder, be certain you use the compound recommended by the manufacturer. ATTENTION! - Mixing chemicals can cause fire and/or explosion! Remove Solar Cover Before Swimming If you use a solar cover, be sure the cover is completely removed before any swimmers enter the pool. A swimmer can become trapped under the cover and drown. Diving NEVER DIVE IN AN ABOVE GROUND POOL! Above ground pools are designed to be stable at a 4 foot water depth. Diving in such a shallow area can cause severe injury or worse. 4

5 C. General Information (Please Refer to Manufacturer s Manuals for More Information) PUMP To service the pump, follow these steps carefully: 1. Turn off pump 2. Close slide valve or block skimmer 3. Remove pump (hair & lint trap) lid 4. Empty pump basket and replace it in pump 5. Reinstall pump lid, be sure O ring is clean and lubricated. 6. Snugly tighten lid do not over tighten 7. Turn on pump. Water will then start circulating. 8. Release air from filter using air relief valve. Leave valve open until you get a continuous stream of water. 9. If pump loses prime (is not circulating water), do the following: a. turn off pump b. remove pump lid and check for debris on O ring c. fill pump housing with water d. replace lid and turn on pump e. release air from filter with air release valve Let the pump run for up to 10 minutes and should pick up prime; if not, the same procedure may have to be repeated. FILTER The only two things that are necessary to check on the filter are: 1. Pressure gauge which will normally start at lbs of pressure. If pressure increases by ten (10) pounds, the filter needs to be cleaned or back washed, depending on the type of filter on your pool. 2. Air release valve. Use after each backwash cycle, when normal filter cycle is interrupted, pump basket has been cleaned or filter had been setting for a period of time allowing air to get into the system. As soon as the pump is turned on and begins to regain prime (the pressure gauge begins to rise), open the air relief valve. You will notice the following: a. Air will come from the air relief valve. b. When water flows freely (no air) from the valve, close the valve. MULTIPORT VALVE **** ALWAYS TURN OFF THE PUMP BEFORE TURNING THE VALVE**** **** ALWAYS TURN THE VALVE IN THE SAME DIRECTION**** 1. FILTER a. For normal everyday use circulate chemicals and filter water continuously. i. Pump should be filtering 24 hours a day b. Also used when vacuuming small amounts through the filter media 5

6 2. BACKWASH (Done when Pressure reaches 10 psi above starting pressure) a. For cleaning the filter by reversing the flow b. Can be used to lower water level small amounts while cleaning sand 3. RINSE a. For start up cleaning b. For resettling the filter media after backwashing 4. WASTE a. For vacuuming to waste b. For lowering the water level or draining the pool 5. CLOSED a. NO FLOW. DO NOT USE PUMP WITH FILTER IN THIS POSITION 6. RECIRCULATE a. For circulating water without running through filter media. b. Not recommended for daily use 7. WINTERIZING a. Valve position for a winterized filter only b. If stored outside for winter, leave in this position SKIMMER 1. Remove skimmer basket and empty as needed. 2. Located inside the skimmer is a hinged door called a weir-- that is designed to keep foreign objects inside of the skimmer basket area. The weir should move freely. LIGHT (Aqualuminator) This is exclusively an underwater light. Never turn light on unless submerged under water. Severe damage will result if light is turned on when not submerged! Bulb needs to be removed when winterizing see closing instructions HEATER Gas fired heaters come in various sizes depending on the size of the pool to be heated. They are available in both natural gas and propane gas. Or, your heater may be an electric heat pump. Regardless of the size or type, the operational procedures are basically the same. Heaters are equipped with an on/off switch and a temperature control adjustment. The heater will only work when water is flowing through the system. To Operate Heater: (refer to heater owner s manual for specific information on operating) 1. Turn switch to on position 2. Set temperature control to desired temperature 3. The heater will come on and stay on until the desired temperature is reached. It will cycle on and off to maintain the desire temperature To Shut Down Heater: 1. Turn the on/off switch to the off position. There is no need to move the temperature control 6

7 CAUTION: ALWAYS ALLOW A MINIMUM OF 15 MINUTES FOR THE HEATER TO COOL DOWN PRIOR TO TURNING OFF THE PUMP. OTHERWISE, SEVERE DAMAGE TO PLUMBING MAY RESULT! Automatic Chlorinator (Chlorease, Frog ) In-Line feeders are not designed to totally regulate the sanitizer level. It may be necessary to add some sanitizer manually. Or, in some cases adjust the feeder to a lower or higher setting. Feeders are designed to help regulate the sanitizer level, not totally regulate it. Always remove chlorine/bromine tablets or sticks from the feeder when pool is to be shut down for any period of time, e.g. winter. If you shut down your pump for more than a few minutes, corrosive chlorine may damage your pool equipment. NEVER MIX CHEMICALS! COVER Solid, winter covers need to have at least two inches of water on top of the cover, and excess needs to be removed. Excess water may cause damage to your cover and create a dangerous situation for children and pets. POOL INTERIOR Vinyl Liner Proper maintenance and chemical balance is essential for all pool interiors. Vinyl liners are susceptible to tears and punctures. Care should be taken to avoid any and all sharp objects in the pool. Although there is a tremendous amount of weight on top of the liner, the liner will become weightless when there is water behind and/or under the liner. This may cause the liner to float. Be sure to direct all downspouts away from the pool area, don t over-water the yard around the pool area, and always maintain good drainage. Even with these preventative measures it is sometimes not enough. You may notice areas in the liner that bulge out from the wall, or bulge up from the bottom that will look like air bubbles. If this occurs, usually this is water behind the liner. An underwater light will magnify the trowel marks and other imperfections in the pool bottom that is under the liner. These may cast shadows, giving the bottom a wavy appearance. This is a normal effect on vinyl pools. Never throw any granular chemical or tablet chemical directly into the pool. These chemicals may cause severe bleaching of the liner and in some cases cause damage to the liner. 7

8 D. Opening / Spring Start up POOL EQUIPMENT Olympia Pools can arrange to professionally set up and install your pool for you. We can assist you in learning how to operate your equipment. There is no substitute for first hand knowledge of your pool s equipment. You should familiarize yourself with all equipment attached to your pool. Carefully read the owner s/operator s manuals for each piece of equipment before installing or operating. Once you are familiar with the equipment, it can be properly installed and ready for initial start up. CLEANING Making sure your pool is clean at start up will help with the pool s operation, water balancing and increase the overall swimming experience for the season to come. 1. Ensure water lines, liner, filter, skimmer and pump basket are clean and free of obstruction. 2. Lubricate gaskets and O-rings 3. Manually skim out any debris in the pool 4. Brush down the walls WATER LEVEL The first thing to do after everything is clean is to raise the water level. This may require installing the light/return first, or may require plugs be inserted into the return and skimmer before the equipment is hooked up. If the level is too high from winter accumulation, it can be lowered after equipment hook up. Refer to the How To section of this manual for procedures on lowering water level) (With an Aquador, the lid simply remains in place, and water level should need very little adjustment) The water level should be filled to the half way point across the skimmer face plate. (Indicated by the dotted line below) ASSEMBLING THE EQUIPMENT 1. Ensure hoses or pipes are attached from skimmer to pump, pump to filter, and filter to return a. If a heater or auto feeder is attached there may be additional pipes or hosing required b. If a main Drain is installed in the pool, ensure it is connected to the pump. 2. All clamps and fittings secure and sealed 3. Check for leaks 4. Unplug the skimmer (remove Aquador) and return (inlet or Aqualuminator) 5. Filter properly filled and clean (refer to How To section for cleaning or changing sand) a. Have clean or fresh sand or filter media in the tank b. Backwash/discharge area is sufficient and away from pool area c. Air relief valve, sight glass and pressure gauge in place 6. Pump is clean and properly plugged in 8

9 a. Make sure Multi-port valve is in Filter position b. Turn pump on and check flow c. Priming or releasing air may be needed 7. Skimmer and inlet working 8. Check for leaks 9. Record initial pressure gauge reading BALANCING THE WATER Have your water tested by an Olympia Pools professional for precise balancing instructions. Balance the ph, Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness and remove metals before initiating chemical sanitizer start up. Once the water is in balance, follow the chemical start up instruction you received with your start up kit. If you did not purchase a start up kit, please see an Olympia Pools professional for instructions on chemical start up procedures. 9

10 E. BASIC WATER CHEMISTRY WATER BALANCING FACTORS Proper water balancing is the most important factor for ensuring safe and healthy swimming. All ranges listed below are general guidelines, and may vary depending upon the chemical system you choose for your pool. Please consult your OP Pro for information about the specific system you have chosen, and always refer to product labels before adding chemicals. NEVER MIX CHEMICALS TOGETHER. 1. Alkalinity a. * NEVER raise by more than 10 ppm or lower by more than 50 ppm in a 24 hour period b. *ALWAYS adjust alkalinity before adjusting ph c. Definition The amount of Buffer in the system limiting drastic changes in ph d. Appropriate ranges between parts per million (ppm) e. Problems resulting from imbalances include but are not limited to i. Too High 1. Cloudy water 2. Staining of pool 3. Skin / Eye irritation or rashes 4. Scaling environment in Pool ii. Too Low 1. Corrosive environment in Pool 2. ph bounce 3. Pitting, etching or wrinkles in liner 4. Skin / Eye irritation or rashes 2. ph a. *NEVER change ph by adding more than 2.0 lbs. of increaser or decreaser in a single treatment* b. Definition the measure of the acidity or basicity of the water c. Appropriate ranges between d. Problems resulting from imbalances include but are not limited to i. Too High 1. Cloudy water 2. Staining of pool 3. Skin / Eye irritation or rashes 4. Scaling ii. Too Low 1. Corrosive 2. ph bounce 3. Pitting, etching or wrinkles in liner 4. Skin / Eye irritation or rashes 3. Calcium Hardness a. * ALWAYS adjust alkalinity and ph before adjusting Calcium b. Definition The amount of dissolved calcium in the water c. Appropriate ranges between ppm d. Problems resulting from imbalances include but are not limited to i. Too High 1. Cloudy water 2. Scale build up on walls, fixtures and in filter of Pool ii. Too Low 1. Corrosive environment in Pool 10

11 F. HOW TO SECTION This section is not meant to be all inclusive, but rather a selection of instructions for the most common areas of routine maintenance. Please refer to equipment owner s manuals, chemical instructions, and most importantly your Olympia Pools Professional for more detailed advice. Backwashing the Filter For cleansing the filter by reversing the flow 1. Turn OFF pump. Ensure that suction and backwash lines are open (unblocked) 2. Attach and/or unroll backwash hose 3. Turn the Valve to the BACKWASH position 4. Stand clear of the filter and turn pump ON 5. Backwash for approximately several minutes (until water in sight glass runs clear) 6. Turn pump OFF. Turn valve to RINSE 7. Stand clear of the filter and turn pump ON 8. Rinse filter for approximately 3-5 minutes 9. Turn Pump OFF. Set valve back to FILTER position 10. Stand clear of the filter and turn pump ON 11. Take note of the new filter pressure. Manually Lowering the Water Level 1. Turn OFF pump. Ensure that suction and backwash lines are open (unblocked) 2. Attach and/or unroll backwash hose 3. Turn the Valve to the WASTE position 4. Stand clear of the filter and turn pump ON 5. Let water line lower to desired level 6. Turn pump OFF. Turn valve to FILTER 7. Stand clear of the filter and turn pump ON Manually Vacuuming the Pool Make sure you have brushed the pool walls down prior to vacuuming. Vacuuming is done without changing the multiport valve position from FILTER so the sediment vacuumed will be caught by the filter media. **Vacuuming may also be done with valve in WASTE position to by pass filter for larger amounts of debris. If using this method, make sure you turn pump OFF before changing filter position. 1. Attach the vacuum head to the telescopic pole 2. Attach vacuum hose to vacuum head 3. Place open end of vacuum hose by inlet (return jet) allowing water to flow into hose until filled 4. Take open end of hose over to skimmer while holding hand over the end to keep water in 5. Attach open end of vacuum hose to skimmer a. If using vacuum plate: Attach open end of hose to plate and place plate over skimmer basket b. If no vacuum plate: Remove skimmer basket and place hose into suction hole of skimmer **If air was allowed to get into hose, pump may lose prime. DO NOT BE ALARMED. Allow things to remain as are for a few minutes, pump should re-prime.** 6. Once prime has re-established (no more sucking air)you are now ready to begin vacuuming pool 11

12 7. When vacuuming, push vacuum head along floor of pool just as you would a household vacuum on carpet. a. Proceed slowly so as not to stir dirt up into water. b. As you vacuum, keep an eye on the filter s pressure gauge. If it raises 10 ppm, cleanse filter according to backwash procedure above. 8. When vacuuming is completed, be sure to remove all vacuuming equipment from pool. Cleaning the Filter Media Filter media should be chemically soaked and cleaned over night at least once every three months, and may be needed more frequently with larger bather loads or more frequent use of the pool. There are two main methods for cleaning the sand in your filter. This guide is designed to be used with PooLife Sand Filter Cleaner for chlorine/bromine Pools or with Baquacil Filter Cleaner for Baquacil Pools. Other brands may require different instructions. Please refer to the product label before using this guide. ** Soaking times may vary dependent upon the type of filter cleaner being used. Please refer to the product label before using this guide. 1. Cleaning the sand with the pump off a. Turn pump OFF b. Turn Valve to CLOSED c. Plug Skimmer (Line from Skimmer to Pump), or close slide valve if present d. Drain Filter Tank by removing filter drain cap so water flows out (replace cap when done) e. Pour Filter Cleaner into pump basket f. Unplug Skimmer g. Turn Valve to BACKWASH h. Turn pump ON i. When Liquid is visible in Sight Glass Turn Pump OFF j. Let sit 8-12 hours (overnight)** k. Turn Valve to BACKWASH l. Turn pump ON m. Let run until bubbles no longer come out of backwash hose n. Turn pump OFF o. Turn Valve to RINSE p. Turn pump ON for 3-5 minutes q. Turn Pump OFF r. Turn Valve to Filter s. Turn pump ON and resume normal circulation 2. Cleaning the sand with the pump in recirculation cycle a. Turn pump OFF b. Turn Valve to RECIRCULATE c. Turn pump ON d. Drain Filter Tank by removing filter drain cap so water flows out (replace cap when done) e. Turn pump OFF f. Turn Valve to CLOSED g. Plug Skimmer (Line from Skimmer to Pump), or close slide valve if present h. Pour Filter Cleaner into pump basket i. Unplug Skimmer j. Turn Valve to BACKWASH k. Turn pump ON 12

13 l. When Liquid is visible in Sight Glass Turn Pump OFF m. Turn Valve to RECIRCULATE n. Turn pump ON o. Wait 8-12 hours (overnight)** p. Turn pump OFF q. Turn Valve to BACKWASH r. Turn pump ON s. Let run until bubbles no longer come out of backwash hose t. Turn pump OFF u. Turn Valve to RINSE v. Turn pump ON for 3-5 minutes w. Turn Pump OFF x. Turn Valve to Filter y. Turn pump ON and resume normal circulation Changing the Filter Media Depending upon which chemical system you use, filter sand may require replacement seasonally. Consult your OP Pro for your specific filter media changing recommendations. The main thing to be aware of in changing sand is to take care not to break the laterals in the filter. The laterals are the finger like projections coming off the bottom of the PVC tube that runs from the multiport valve down the center of the filter. If these are broken, sand can get washed into the pool through the inlet during normal filtration. 1. Removing old sand (There are various ways of performing this removal) a. Filters with top mount multiport valves i. Turn pump off ii. Block skimmer or close slide valve. iii. Drain Filter tank iv. Remove Valve v. Using a shop vac, remove old sand. b. Filters with removable top domes i. Turn pump off ii. Block skimmer or close slide valve. iii. Drain Filter tank iv. Remove Dome v. Using a shop vac, remove old sand. c. Filters with removable top halves i. Turn pump off ii. Block skimmer or close slide valve. iii. Drain Filter tank iv. Remove top half of filter v. Using a shop vac, remove old sand. d. Bottom plug sand removal i. Turn off pump ii. Remove filter drain plug (entire plug, not just cap) iii. Open top of filter (remove valve, dome, top half, etc.) iv. Using a garden hose to fill, add water to filter 1. Sand will pour out bottom 2. This is a messy way to remove sand, so be prepared to clean up sand pile when finished. 2. Adding new media a. Check with filter manufacturer s manual for amount of media required 13

14 b. Make sure Filter drain plug and cap are back in place c. Add water through the top of filter to a point where it completely covers the laterals in the bottom of the filter d. Make sure the PVC tube in the center has its top covered so sand can t get inside e. Add the required amount of sand slowly through the top f. Reassemble top of filter g. Turn pump back on with valve in Filter position 14

15 Symptoms G. Trouble Shooting Guide 1. No action in pool, pressure gauge normal or high A, L 2. No action in pool, no or low pressure M, B, C, D, E, F 3. Leaks at pump N, E, P 4. Leaks at filter P, S 5. Motor will not start after shutdown G, H, I, T 6. Motor stopped while running, switch on T, I, H, G 7. Motor hums, but will not start G, H, J 8. Pressure excessively high, action in pool impaired L, Q 9. Pressure excessively high, action in pool normal O 10. Air bubbles coming through returns B, C, D, E 11. Backwash lever, if applicable, difficult to move U 12. Motor (pump) noisy A, K 13. Skimmer lid blows off B, C, D, E, V 14. Light does not work R, I 15. Pump will not prime B, C, D, E 16. Pump loses prime B, C, D, E 17. Heater will not come on, motor running T, L, I, M, Q 18. Automatic cleaner will not work A, C, F, L, M Action to Pursue A. Pressure side of pump is shutdown. Open gate valves. B. Leak at suction side of pump. Call for repairs. C. Water level too low. D. Skimmer weir stuck. E. Leak at hair and lint lid. Remove, clean o ring and seat. Reseal. F. Pump has lost prime. See priming instructions G. Dirt in starter windings of motor. Call for repairs. H. Motor burned out. Call for repairs. I. Circuit breaker tripped. Reset and check if tripping occurs. J. Pump impeller is broken. Call for repairs. K. Bearing out in motor. Call for repairs. L. Filter needs backwashed/cleaned. Refer to T if backwashing/cleaning does not correct. M. Skimmer basket or hair and lint basket dirty. Clean. N. Pump seal is leaking. Call for repairs. O. Defective pressure gauge. P. Plumbing leak. Call for repairs. Q. Sand, D.E., or Module is clogged, must be changed. Call for repairs. R. Reset GFCI S. Tighten air bleed valve. T. Check switch U. Turn pump off V. Bleed air off filter after backwashing. 15