There's a large concrete swimming pool at my mom's house that needs 
refurbishing, and I'd like to help her bring it back into use.  Drain the 
water, clean out debris, acid wash, ok sounds relatively simple and cheap so 
far.  Except the part I'm worried about is the filtration system.  It is 
very old and rusted in the pool room and I doubt it works.  So I can better 
"visualize the cost" of this project and keep the cost manageable I figure 
I'll use a pool cleaning robot instead to suck up leaves and dirt that fall 
inside.  But can these things do the whole job in a large pool?  Can they 
keep up with keeping the pool clean without excessive maintenance?  What is 
considered the best model these days as a filter system replacement? 

"scorpster" <s...@ge.com> wrote in message
news:0Q_Ml.29456$Y...@nlpi066.nbdc.sbc.com...

> There's a large concrete swimming pool at my mom's house that needs
> refurbishing, and I'd like to help her bring it back into use.  Drain the
> water, clean out debris, acid wash, ok sounds relatively simple and cheap
so
> far.  Except the part I'm worried about is the filtration system.  It is
> very old and rusted in the pool room and I doubt it works.  So I can
better
> "visualize the cost" of this project and keep the cost manageable I figure
> I'll use a pool cleaning robot instead to suck up leaves and dirt that
fall
> inside.  But can these things do the whole job in a large pool?  Can they
> keep up with keeping the pool clean without excessive maintenance?  What
is
> considered the best model these days as a filter system replacement?

Any good pool store can answer your questions.  (None of
us would buy supplies from a bad pool store.)  The point is,
they know your local conditions (e.g. Georgia, Ohio, Maine.

-- 
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

"scorpster" <s...@ge.com> wrote in message 
news:0Q_Ml.29456$Y...@nlpi066.nbdc.sbc.com...
> There's a large concrete swimming pool at my mom's house that needs 
> refurbishing, and I'd like to help her bring it back into use.  Drain the 
> water, clean out debris, acid wash, ok sounds relatively simple and cheap 
> so far.  Except the part I'm worried about is the filtration system.  It 
> is very old and rusted in the pool room and I doubt it works.  So I can 
> better "visualize the cost" of this project and keep the cost manageable I 
> figure I'll use a pool cleaning robot instead to suck up leaves and dirt 
> that fall inside.  But can these things do the whole job in a large pool? 
> Can they keep up with keeping the pool clean without excessive 
> maintenance?  What is considered the best model these days as a filter 
> system replacement?

The robots pick up insects and leaves, but only after the pool is cleaned 
and filtering. You'll still need a sand, DE, or cartridge filter to get the 
fine particles, not to mention chemicals
> 

I can't help you much but I'm interested in the answers.

But, off hand, it "seems to me" that several of the "hang on" systems used 
for those relatively cheap above ground pools combined with the robot to 
sweep up the bottom would provide essentially the same coverage as a pool 
with build in drains to a central pump/filter house.

Since you are talking "large" you are definitely beyond using the throwaway 
filters.   You want/need sand and/or diatom filters.   I believe I have seen 
sand filters for larger above ground pools so they may be your answer.  When 
you have extra use, you can run the 2nd/3rd filter and when the party is 
over you can clean the most used filter.

In the filter game, it's usually better to run 27/7 with a small filter than 
"cycle" a larger filter.    You may well find that only running one 
pump/filter (w/robot) keeps you water in good conditions.

I assume you attend to the chemistry of the pool.


"scorpster" <s...@ge.com> wrote in message 
news:0Q_Ml.29456$Y...@nlpi066.nbdc.sbc.com...
> There's a large concrete swimming pool at my mom's house that needs 
> refurbishing, and I'd like to help her bring it back into use.  Drain the 
> water, clean out debris, acid wash, ok sounds relatively simple and cheap 
> so far.  Except the part I'm worried about is the filtration system.  It 
> is very old and rusted in the pool room and I doubt it works.  So I can 
> better "visualize the cost" of this project and keep the cost manageable I 
> figure I'll use a pool cleaning robot instead to suck up leaves and dirt 
> that fall inside.  But can these things do the whole job in a large pool? 
> Can they keep up with keeping the pool clean without excessive 
> maintenance?  What is considered the best model these days as a filter 
> system replacement? 

On Fri, 8 May 2009 11:27:08 -0700, "scorpster"
<s...@ge.com> wrote:

>Except the part I'm worried about is the filtration system.  It is 
>very old and rusted in the pool room and I doubt it works. 

Start there, see if it works (remove the doubt) and then fix anything
broken. Get the model number and try to locate a service manual for
the filter system.

You need both the filter and the robot.

Call Mom on Sunday....

scorpster wrote:
> There's a large concrete swimming pool at my mom's house that needs 
> refurbishing, and I'd like to help her bring it back into use.  Drain 
> the water, clean out debris, acid wash, ok sounds relatively simple and 
> cheap so far.  Except the part I'm worried about is the filtration 
> system.  It is very old and rusted in the pool room and I doubt it 
> works.  So I can better "visualize the cost" of this project and keep 
> the cost manageable I figure I'll use a pool cleaning robot instead to 
> suck up leaves and dirt that fall inside.  But can these things do the 
> whole job in a large pool?  Can they keep up with keeping the pool clean 
> without excessive maintenance?  What is considered the best model these 
> days as a filter system replacement?

No way.

While the pool "robots" are much better than the cleaners than attach to 
the suction side or pressure side of the pump (or that have a dedicated 
pump) they can't filter that much water.

I have the Dolphin. It was $800 with the caddy, and that was with a 20% 
off at Leslie's. Leslie's is a good place to buy it because they offer a 
longer warranty on the Dolphin. Mine broke like a week before the 
warranty was up and it was repaired free.

On my pool, all the water for the filter goes through the skimmer, the 
drain in the bottom doesn't work, so I needed the better cleaner.

Installing a real pump and filter isn't that hard or expensive as long 
as the plumbing from the pool is okay. If you're good with PVC and 
wiring you can do it yourself. Just plan the PVC arrangement so that the 
pump is removable/replaceable in the future.

"SMS" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message news:UI%Ml.6806
> Installing a real pump and filter isn't that hard or expensive as long as 
> the plumbing from the pool is okay. If you're good with PVC and wiring you 
> can do it yourself. Just plan the PVC arrangement so that the pump is 
> removable/replaceable in the future.

I'm pretty good with DIY basic pipes and electrical, so I'd be inclined to 
replace all the rusty pool room equipment rather than worry about the 
maintenance even if I could get it to hobble along after flipping the 
switch.  There's a large heater box with a roof vent (don't need one for hot 
California summers), a large cylinder with a pressure gauge which I remember 
from childhood always needed a lot of maintenance, I think this is called 
the DE filter, and a maze of metal pipes.  So let's suppose I just remove 
all this equipment from the 1950s-70s.  Would this filter room equipment 
cost me thousands to replace?  Does it get very "technical" to install like 
for example installing a central air conditioner?  Is the filter room 
technology much better these days and less maintenance than it was 30 years 
ago?  The pool dimensions are 18' x 37' feet and deeper than most pools I've 
seen. 

"scorpster" <s...@ge.com> wrote in message 
news:Ue0Nl.21962$a...@nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com...
> "SMS" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message news:UI%Ml.6806
>> Installing a real pump and filter isn't that hard or expensive as long as 
>> the plumbing from the pool is okay. If you're good with PVC and wiring 
>> you can do it yourself. Just plan the PVC arrangement so that the pump is 
>> removable/replaceable in the future.
>
> I'm pretty good with DIY basic pipes and electrical, so I'd be inclined to 
> replace all the rusty pool room equipment rather than worry about the 
> maintenance even if I could get it to hobble along after flipping the 
> switch.  There's a large heater box with a roof vent (don't need one for 
> hot California summers), a large cylinder with a pressure gauge which I 
> remember from childhood always needed a lot of maintenance, I think this 
> is called the DE filter, and a maze of metal pipes.  So let's suppose I 
> just remove all this equipment from the 1950s-70s.  Would this filter room 
> equipment cost me thousands to replace?  Does it get very "technical" to 
> install like for example installing a central air conditioner?  Is the 
> filter room technology much better these days and less maintenance than it 
> was 30 years ago?  The pool dimensions are 18' x 37' feet and deeper than 
> most pools I've seen.

I don't think new equipment is much different from the old. Wiring methods 
and materials have changed though. I think you need to decipher what you 
have, and how it's connected, then you'll have a better idea of what you may 
want to replace it with. Flexible non metallic plumbing makes the job 
considerably easier then what you may have existing.
> 

On May 8, 1:03=A0pm, "scorpster"  wrote:
> "SMS"  wrote in message news:UI%Ml.6806
> > Installing a real pump and filter isn't that hard or expensive as long =
as
> > the plumbing from the pool is okay. If you're good with PVC and wiring =
you
> > can do it yourself. Just plan the PVC arrangement so that the pump is
> > removable/replaceable in the future.
>
> I'm pretty good with DIY basic pipes and electrical, so I'd be inclined t=
o
> replace all the rusty pool room equipment rather than worry about the
> maintenance even if I could get it to hobble along after flipping the
> switch. =A0There's a large heater box with a roof vent (don't need one fo=
r hot
> California summers), a large cylinder with a pressure gauge which I remem=
ber
> from childhood always needed a lot of maintenance, I think this is called
> the DE filter, and a maze of metal pipes. =A0So let's suppose I just remo=
ve
> all this equipment from the 1950s-70s. =A0Would this filter room equipmen=
t
> cost me thousands to replace? =A0Does it get very "technical" to install =
like
> for example installing a central air conditioner? =A0Is the filter room
> technology much better these days and less maintenance than it was 30 yea=
rs
> ago? =A0The pool dimensions are 18' x 37' feet and deeper than most pools=
 I've
> seen.

I guess you didnt get stuck doing pool maint as a kid, like I did.

I would suggest calling a pool service & telling what your situation
is.  Some of the better ones could easily give you a very good idea of
the costs involved.

Mercifully, I sold my old 1950's/1960's house (the OC) with a pool
before I had to pop for all new pump & DE filter.

I owned the house for ~15 years and had  the same pool guy all that
time.  I had the pool re-plastered & re-tiled but kept the coping &
deck.    When the original DE filter started to leak, my pool guy had
a used unit that another customer had replaced with new.  He installed
it for me at a small fraction of a new unit and I sold the house a few
years later.

My guess is that your pump & motor are probably fine and hopefully all
the plumbing....if anything your just need a new DE unit.

Filters are sized based pool volume.....looks like oyurs is in the 20
to 25k gallons.

Since you're stuck with the pipe sizes......IF oyu need a new pump, it
has to be happy with the existing plumbing.  Once oyu have a pump size
oyu can choose a filter size.

If the original pump & filter arrangement kept the pool adequately
clean, then thats a good starting point.  Depending on the age of the
equipment, the pump & filter might be undersized by today;s specs.


When we had my parents pool filter system replaced the pump & filter
were both upsized about 50%.  The old system worked fine as did the
new one....we just minimized pump time consistent with a clean (low
usage) pool.

If you;re in central OC (Tustin or Orange)  I can recommend my former
pool guy.

cheers
Bob

"fftt" <r...@gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:8...@d39g2000pra.googlegroups.com...
If you;re in central OC (Tustin or Orange)  I can recommend my former
pool guy.

Excellent info from all.  Bob, my mom is also in OC so would appreciate the 
referral to your former pool guy.  My email is scorpionleather fancy symbol 
then yahoo.com.