How to properly plumb for a pool water "fill" fixture?

Hey guys, I am plumbing the equipment pad and I was wondering what the "standard" or "best" way to plumb the pad so that I can turn on a hose bib and add water to the pool?

I highly doubt everyone drags a hose out to the pool to fill it. My equipment pad is basically 3 feet or so away from the hose bib at the back of the house and I was wondering what would be the proper method to plumb it into the equipment so that I can just turn on a bib and have water added to the pool?

I mean, it would seem to either be best at either the return line or the feed to the filter, or even possibly the outlet of the filter before the heater after the filter check valve?

Just looking for some ideas on how to do this properly and only once.

I'm sure not the expert here, BUT, if you put a permanent line from the house source to the pool, be CERTAIN to install a good check valve. If you loose water pressure at the house, you don't want pool water to be able to "back up" into the house. I'd also put it on the suction side to minimize the chance of a water leak.

Pappy

Oh yeah, I would most certainly not only use a check valve, but also a bib so *I* control the water going into the pool, nothing automated.

I figure I would only "fill" the pool with the pump off.

I have a Jandy check valve between the filter and the heater/heater bypass valve and a flap check valve just after the heater before the heater outlet valve (that valve along with the inlet side 3-way will allow me to shut off the heater on both sides for servicing without affecting the operation of everything else).

I've seen pool fill tubes above the water level pouring into the pool. I do use the hose when add water.

I would be carefull you are not adding too much PSI to your system. You could overcome any increased PSI by opening the hose bib only as much as needed and watching your pressure gauge, but that might result in slow fill time. What I did was plumb a 1 inch line to a hose bib, above that a ball valve and above that a 1 inch barbed fitting that I then run a 1 inch braded hose directly to the pool. With this set-up I have water from the hose bib I can use for diluting chemicals or whatever, but I also have a 1 inch line that fills the pool with some serious speed.

I use a hose as well, but I have run a hose spigot over near the deep end of the pool. It's on some fencing just beyond the pool decking. Convenient yet out of the way. The spigot is just an extension from another spigot on the side of the house. It runs just under some wooden decking and comes out where I need it. It's also a convenient location to use for pressure washing the deck and other various things.

Well, here is what I came up with...

I put a tee fitting on the return line just before the union where it transitions to the pipe underground, on the tee'd part I put a 2" x 3/4" threaded bushing in, from there a 3/4" threaded male fitting, a 3/4" PVC check valve with 1/2" lb spring pressure (for a positive seal), a 3/4" PVC ball valve, then about 8 feet of 3/4" flex PVC to a 3/4" nylon hose barb x 1/2" MPT male fitting(I know I am looking for a brass one, but for starters the nylon will work fine, but it will be swapped in the near future) to a 1/2" brass gate valve to a 1/2" tee fitting (with the original hose bib on the tee'd part) to a 1/2" vacuum breaker (I was shocked they had one) and finally to the copper line going into the houses main water supply (non-softened)...

Overall I like the fact it has 2 check valves so I have zero concern about pool water backing up through the houses water feed. I also like the fact of two valves to control the flow of water into the pool...

The one issue with the vacuum breaker inline is the ability to winterize the hose bib. I really have zero interest is continuously removing and reinstalling a 1/2" vacuum breaker every winter and spring, so I am going to try to find a 1/2" bleeder valve to add to the line prior to the vacuum breaker so I can drain the entire assembly for winter.

Overall I like the "manual solution" I came up with and am really happy I don't have to drag the hose over to the pool... I already hate having to do it for the hot tub and that is only about 10 feet away from the hose bib... :D

I forgot to add, the reason I went with a 3/4" feed is so that I have an option in the future of just removing the water feed by unscrewing it and putting in a 3/4" tee so that I have a return water source for a booster pump if I so desire.

That as well as adding in another tee for a chlorine feed is yet another option...

Most municipalities REQUIRE a vacuum break for ANY bib that feeds a pool, even with a garden hose. My town was adamant about it. So you gotta have it.