Welding a lot of PVC joints...

[leejp]

It was hot today... the cement set up fast and I had to work quickly. I eyeballed non-critical measurements cut the critical ones a bit long and "honed in" on the final length (make several small cuts). Used a mitre saw... went quick. I fitted the joints using a level, tape measure and a small framing square. Everythint at least looks pretty good. Complicating this was the small concrete pad. I wanted to get the pump, filter and the chlorinator all sitting on the pad. Took some headscratching but did it. Thankfully it was a lot less than the 50 joints I estimated.

The joints look pretty good and for the most part I had a nice "bead" of goop all the way around each joint. You guys are right... the fittings do not go all the way in sometimes. I'm not really worried about leaks on the weldend joints... If I do get any. I'll use marine epoxy to seal those up.. takes 15 minutes. simple and permanent. I'm mostly worried about the unions, valves... (the threaded connections). Hope my measurements were good ant they are all square!.

Update... Here are the pics...

I had been considering keeping with my old EC-65 and 3/4 HP maxflo pump for a couple years until upgrading but when I spotted a Hayward Pro Grid 4800 + Vari-Flo Valve + 1HP Superpump on Craigslist for just $300 I just had to jump on it.

Here it is all plumbed in with ~$100 in schedule 40 or 80 fittings, valves, unions... from Home Cheapo. I also threw in a $35 in-line chlorinator from fleabay. The picture is taken after an afternoon rainstorm so the set up is wet. No leaks on the welded joints... Buttt...

A small leak (slow drip) at 1 union. I bought threaded Unions + 2 male fittings (vs a glue union) so I can re-use them when I reconfigure. Well... the union's fine but the one of the male threaded ends are leaking.
2 small leaks at the pump inlet and outlet. The leak at the inlet is forcing amall amounts of air into the loop. The outlet leak is dripping slowly.

So as I feared... threaded joints are the problem. Need to re-tighten with a liberal amount of fresh teflon tape.

Also... the fleabay chlorinater is no good out of the box (leak at the setting dial). The seller is gracious enough to send me a new one but I'm wondering if I should have spend the 2x for a Hayward or Rainbow. I had a Hayward off-line that was nothing but trouble so I thought I might as well try a no name.

The plumbing is quite intricate as it had to meet several requirements...

• Everything on the pad (pump, filter and chlorinator)
• plumb into existing flex-pvc skimmer, main drain and return connections
• allow the connection of a no-booster-pump pressure side cleaner with adjustable flow between the returns and the cleaner port
• allow room for a SWG (next years project).
• easy dis-assembly for maintenance, repair and storage