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Tip #25:Spa Venturis
You can't compress water, but you can compress water flow. When you push water through a pipe and then reduce the size of that pipe, the flow dramatically speeds up. Place the end of that smaller pipe into a larger one and the rush of water creates a vacuum.
Confusing? Just watch a venturi work.
Filtered water is piped up through the back of this pool wall. An antique venturi features a brass nozzle that quickly reduces the water flow just as it enters a mixing chamber, creating a vacuum.
A 1/2" snorkel pipe feeds air into the mixing chamber.
Note the ceramic handhold plastered into the wall to the right of the venturi fitting. This fitting dramatizes the rush of water and air and illustrates a contractors high hopes for this 'new-fangled' pool experience.
So, what happens when you have an air blower and the water pump quits pushing water through the venturi as on this commercial spa?
Without the water flow to push air out of the venturi, air simply boils up along the spa wall, tossing water out onto the deck.
See the Excerpt on Balancing a Spa System from our Pool School PRO CD .
Tip #26: Cleaning up Pool Fittings
Sunlight and chemicals take their toll on plastic pool fittings. This main drain cover has yellowed badly in a brief two years.
In this new business environment, it's vital to do economically everything you can to offer extra value to your customers.
Anytime you work on a pool, it's easy to brighten up the job by simply soaking all the plastic fittings you can reach in a little muriatic acid.
In less than a minute, this fitting looks like new.
For a moment of your time, you can leave a lasting impression.
Neat ideas? Our
Return to the main Contractor's Corner Page, or go on to contractor's page #14 for more tips.
