How Far From The Pool Can The Pump Be?
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How far away from a swimming pool can you locate the filtration equipment? The short answer to that is as far as you want, provided you are willing to design the system to handle long distance pipe runs. Perhaps a better question to look at is how far from the pool can you put the pump before you have to start making special considerations or changes to the plumbing system design to account for the distance? This is still a dynamic question that is hard to answer in specific since every swimming pool is unique. You might have additional site conditions that do not apply to another pool which will change the answer for how far you can pump the filtration equipment from the pool location.
In general, the closer that you put the pool equipment (pump, filter and heater) to the pool the more efficient your overall swimming pool installation will be. There is an electrical code limitation that applies to almost all pool installations where the equipment must be a minimum distance from the pool edge, for safety, but aside from this provision you really do want to have your equipment located as close to the pool as possible to limit on the amount of pipe (length / distance) that your pool system has. Every foot of pipe is more resistance to flow that your filtration system needs to overcome in order to operate. The less pipe length your system has, the more efficient the overall design.
Pool equipment 5' from pool - In many areas the pool filtration equipment must be located a minimum of five feet away from the pool. This number can change depending on where you are so always check with your local code office before designing your pool system. You should not be able to reach the pool equipment, which is electrically powered, from inside the pool. If you have pool equipment that is installed the minimum distance from the pool which meets code, then this represents the most efficient overall system.
Pool equipment 10' to 20' from pool - Most residential swimming pools will fall into this category. This pipe run distance is usually enough to go from the pool to an equipment installation on the side of the house (to keep it out of view). While common this installation is less efficient than one where the pump is located closer to the pool, but well within the limitations of the pump specifications.
Pool equipment 30' from pool - The filtration equipment 30' from the pool is about the limit of what I would recommend to people designing their own pool. If there is no other option for the location of the filtration equipment then I would agree with a location 30 feet away from the pool, and there should be minimal if anything required to change in the plumbing system to account for this distance.
Pool equipment 50' from pool - While possible to locate the equipment remotely, up to 50' away from the pool, I would definitely be advising to try to find room in your plans to have the equipment set located closer to the pool. While the pump should be able to provide adequate suction and flow for the system, if properly sized, there will be appreciable losses ini the system in terms of friction and turbulence in the pipes. You would also have appreciable heating losses for any heated water you are piping back to the pool. Depending on the height of the pump relative to the water level in the pool you may or may not need to increase pipe sizes, especially on the suction side of the system, to account for the distance losses.
Pool equipment 100' from pool - It might be possible to located your pool equipment 100' or more from your pool area but I would strongly encourage you to look at your site design to see if there is a way to get the equipment closer. Even if the system will work, you will have an inefficient plumbing system...and your plumbing system needs to run pretty much all day, every day, for the life of the pool so this is definitely something you could, and should, be investing in. With remotely located equipment installations the pipe sizes for the system might need to go up one in order to meet the GPM requirements for your pool. Two pools with matching pipes and equipment, with one pool close and one pool far, the far pool will have less GPM than the close pool with all other settings being equal. So to meet your GPM needs, you might need larger pipes to account for the losses over distance. You can still have enough GPM to run your filtration system properly, but you will be paying for some energy / transmission losses over the pipe length. The more complicated your pool and plumbing system, the more pipes you have, so the more important it is to limit long distance transmission losses in your pipes.
A pump on the same level as the height of the water in the pool is not as good as a flooded pump system, but better than a pump that has to draw water and lift it vertically also to reach the pump suction. If you needed to locate your pump as far from the pool as possible, you would try to find a way to have a flooded pump system, or at least the pump on grade. I would not recommend a long distance run plus a lift to the pump. While pool pumps are generally rated for a maximum of 8' to 10' lifts above the height of the pool you would not want to couple this along with a remotely located mechanical room. The combination of the two efficiency losses would likely require a different (larger) pump as well as potentially increasing the plumbing line sizes.
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Swimming Pool Steve is an award winning, second generation swimming pool specialist from Ontario Canada and one of the most trusted voices in the swimming pool industry. With over 20,000,000 views on the Swimming Pool Steve YouTube Channel, winner of the Pleatco Pool & Spa Industry Leadership award and author of hundreds of pool and spa articles both online and in print. Steve is committed to helping pool and spa owners as well as pool and spa industry workers learn more about the technical side of building, renovating, repairing and maintaining all types of swimming pools and spas. Follow Swimming Pool Steve on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
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