Pool plumbing questions...

[Aussie777]

Afternoon all,

Is there any special fittings required for pool plumbing (from a manufacturer / quality stand point)? The plumbing I have looks to be made up of standard PVC 1.5" pipe etc.

If I were to use the standard PVC cement as available say from home pro, can I expect any problems or should I buy from a pool supply store and use what they use?

I need to install a ball valve prior to the pump inlet and plan on using standard PVC hardware ex home pro, but if there is a specific standard that should be used, I appreciate the heads up.

Suggestions, experience and comments appreciated.

Cheers,

777

Never fly the "A" model of anything!

[curtklay]

No problem. Standard schedule 40 pvc pipe and glue are used the world over. The Homepro stuff is fine.

[Chaichara]

Do not use 'standard' PVC plumbing (pipes & fittings) or glue under any circumstances. Standard plumbing is 8.5 grade while the high pressure PVC pipes are 13.5 grade.

13.5 may not be available in stores such as HomePro, or small local hardware shops but will certainly be available at most more professional builders supplies depots such as Thai Watsadu, GlobalHouse, Home Hub, and HomeMart.

You must also use HD glue which is not so easy to find. I believe one of our sponsors (over there on the right) sells the stuff.

Edited October 18, 2013 by Chaichara

[fdimike]

Fully agree with using ONLY 13.5 strength pvc as Chaichara says. However, you can use any pvc cement PROVIDED you clean the pipe with acetone prior to gluing. Acetone is not very easy to find in Thailand but you can small bottles of it at any beauty supply store. Just make sure you don't get anything with oil in it. This is the same thing used to remove nail polish (enamel) from ladies nails at nearly all beauty salons. Once joined this way you should have no problems. I have a large pool (approx 150,000L) and have no problems with leaking fittings because I insisted they clean the pipe before joining.

Sent from my GT-N8000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[curtklay]

Well, I stand corrected. I didn't mean to give you a bum steer. Amazing Thailand.

[curtklay]

This is more confusing than it appears. In the USA, "standard" pvc is "schedule 40" and is white in color. It is used for all plumbing applications including pools. The exception is high heat areas like going in and out of a gas heater. "Schedule 80" is used there and is thicker and grey in color. Color coding makes it easy.

Here, there are 2 grades of pipe, but they're both blue. Whether it's 8.5 grade or 13.5 grade is stamped on the pipe. In my town, the local stores only sell the blue 13.5 grade, which is why I said the Homepro pipe is fine to use. I didn't even know there was a lower grade. As long as it's marked 13.5, it is OK.

swimingpoolsthailand.com says on their website, "never use standard grade (8.5) blue pipe. Always use 13.5 grade heavy duty pvc" and then they show all blue pipe and fittings. Leave it to Thailand to complicate what is simple elsewhere.

So, to the OP; if your Homepro has blue pipe marked 13.5 (and I'll bet they do) you can use it with no problem. As far as the glue goes, I have always used standard pvc cement, but clean the fittings with solvent first.

Edited October 19, 2013 by curtklay

[SantiSuk]

Do not use 'standard' PVC plumbing (pipes & fittings) or glue under any circumstances. Standard plumbing is 8.5 grade while the high pressure PVC pipes are 13.5 grade.

13.5 may not be available in stores such as HomePro, or small local hardware shops but will certainly be available at most more professional builders supplies depots such as Thai Watsadu, GlobalHouse, Home Hub, and HomeMart.

You must also use HD glue which is not so easy to find. I believe one of our sponsors (over there on the right) sells the stuff.

But you are that sponsor!

We don't mind the pro's coming on here giving proper advice - no need to hide

[Chaichara]

Do not use 'standard' PVC plumbing (pipes & fittings) or glue under any circumstances. Standard plumbing is 8.5 grade while the high pressure PVC pipes are 13.5 grade.

13.5 may not be available in stores such as HomePro, or small local hardware shops but will certainly be available at most more professional builders supplies depots such as Thai Watsadu, GlobalHouse, Home Hub, and HomeMart.

You must also use HD glue which is not so easy to find. I believe one of our sponsors (over there on the right) sells the stuff.

But you are that sponsor!

We don't mind the pro's coming on here giving proper advice - no need to hide

I'm not actually the sponsor, but I'll admit to having a very close connection (due to our locality we may even share the same IP address) and occasional collaboration. That's why I never directly shill for them. If they want to post, they can. But I am a retired pro from the pool industry.

[curtklay]

I am also a retired pool pro; 25 years in California. But I have no connection or collaboration with any pool company in Thailand.

[Aussie777]

Thanks for the replies. I will do dome searching and see what I can come up with. Cheers!

Never fly the "A" model of anything!

[PoolDoctor]

Actually, we have used both grades of PVC quite successfully for a long time. Yes, 13.5 is nice, but sometimes in a cramped corner turn we have to use the lower grade because the 90 degree bends are shorter. Anybody who has done plumbing will know what I mean. If underground, use 13.5, but anything else is generally ok if in the equipment room. Pool systems operate to about max 11psi which is well within the pressure guidelines of most glued PVC. We never clean with acetote or anything, we just make sure the connection is dry, and deep (pre-marked with a marker line assembled, then separated for the actual gluing.