Cycle Stop Valve replaces four Variable Speed Pool Pumps

[Cary Austin]

 Cary,

 Here's the update I promised you. The system works like a charm.

 This pool has 4 water features, a slide, a waterfall, a spa cascade, and a wet wall. I required the ability to run each of these water features independently. This pool also has four cleaning modes, two sets of in floor cleaning nozzles, skimming, filtering, and vacuuming. In addition this pool also has a 50 foot zero entry lip.

 In order to accommodate all the above a typical configuration would include 6 pumps. Two pumps for the in floor cleaning system (One for each set of cleaning nozzles). These pumps would also accommodate the solar heating system, the filtration system, the pool vacuuming, as well as the heating of the Spa.
 Two variable speed pumps for the water features.
 One variable speed pump for the zero entry lip.
 One pump for the spa jets.

 With this design each variable speed pump supplies two water features and has 4 possible speeds, Off, the 1st feature by itself, the 2nd feature by itself, and both features running. Aesthetically each water feature is adjusted to the correct water flow by balancing the variable speed pump settings and the valve settings to each feature. In this design the cleaning system, the water features, and a Zero entry lip all require the redundant movement of an independent volume of water. Having the same water that goes down the waterfall also go over the Zero entry lip or running the water from the water features through the filtration system is not possible due to the fact they're on separate pumps. This means that in order to enjoy the water features during the same time period as the pool filtration is running then 2 or 3 pumps need to run, moving twice as much water and using twice as much electricity as necessary.

 Now, let's look at a cycle stop valve configuration. This configuration only requires 2 pumps, one pump for the Jacuzzi heating and jets and one pump for everything else. Since the cycle stop valve will maintain the return water pressure at a constant 20 PSI regardless of flow rate several things become possible.

 Aesthetically each water features valve can be adjusted to the proper flow rate individually without worrying about how it affects the other water features. The cleaning system can be running or not as required without affecting the aesthetics of the water features. The Zero entry lip now uses the same water that the water features or cleaning system uses and thus reduces the amount of water flowing through the system. There is no degradation of water flow due to dirty filters or resistance from the solar panels.

 Yours truly,
 Mark

 PS. There are more advantages than what I've listed above, but wordsmithing is not my favorite activity. If you want to do more with this concept give me a call.

[Cary Austin]

Recent letter I wrote to someone else about variable speed pool pumps.

A spa usually has it's own, and much smaller pump, on a separate system with warmer water.  Like a hot tub.   I would use the pool pump to turn over the pool water before I dump it out the waterfall features.  If you have all three features running you are turning the water over at 60 GPM.  Just put ball valves going to each of the features and regulate them anyway you want.


Using a 1HP pump that can only build 58 PSI max you don't really need a CSV.   But if you want to maintain a constant pressure on the features regardless of how many you have going, you can use a CSV3B2T Cycle Stop Valve to hold a constant 35 PSI or so.  All a pressure regulator like a CSV or even a variable speed pump does is keep the system at the same pressure when using only one or two features as it does when using all three and the pump can only build 34 PSI.  The CSV or variable speed pump would just hold a steady 34 PSI no matter how many features you have running.


In other words when you have all three features running the waterfall will have a good lazy flow.  When you shut off one feature the other two will have a medium flow.  And when you shut off all but one feature that one will have a much stronger flow.  But you can just use the ball valve to that feature and slow the flow anyway you want.  A CSV or a variable speed pump will just hold a good lazy flow on the one feature after you shut the valves to the other two.  But you have to shut valves to the other two anyway, why not just adjust the ball valve to the last feature the way  you want it while you are at it.


I would love to sell you a CSV just as bad as everyone else would love to sell you a variable speed pump, but you don't need either one.  Just put in a pump large enough to do everything you want to do all at the same time, and use ball valves to all the features so you can regulate them anyway you want.  With pool pumps that only build 58 PSI max, the difference between max pressure and minimum pressure when you have everything on at once, is very little.


A CSV or a variable speed pump is a lot more useful with a booster or well pump that can build 100-150 PSI, and you only want 50 PSI to the house features.  Also with a house you have no control over how many features are being used at one time, so using a CSV to  hold a constant 50 PSI no matter how many or how few features are on is a good idea.  With a pool you turn on or off the features you want manually anyway, so you can manually adjust the flow as needed with ball valves.