In California you would have violated the new "Fun Tax". Too much fun and too early in the season they would say. We will soon need a permit to have fun here, but I am glad to see that fun still exists. Sorry for my rant, just finished my taxes.

You have a wonderful pool and I always enjoy the photos. How do you achieve the Fog effect?

Off topic; Why does a HVAC "return" lead to the motor and a pool "return" head away from the motor?

heretoplease-

You're too funny! After I posted these pics this morning, I finished my taxes also and can relate to your "fun tax" comment.

The fog is created by a high pressure pump that uses city water. It pressurizes the water to 1000 psi before it escapes out nozzles that are mortared into the rocks around the pool and in the waterfalls. It flows about 1-2 gpm depending on how many nozzles are in the system.

Regarding HVAC, that is a good question and one that confused me a lot when we first started our build. My PB thought I was crazy because I kept referring to the pump suction as a return. I can still remember the look on his face!

The only explanation I can share that helped me learn the pool jargon and keep it straight in my head. In HVAC, the compressor is the heart of the system so all lines are identified with respect to it. So the suction line is "returning" low pressure refrigerant to the compressor so it is called the return line. The discharge line is....well....discharging high pressure refrigerant from the compressor. Simple as that.

In the pool industry everything is with respect to the pool or body of water. Kinda makes sense since the pool is..well...the heart of the system....even though all the work is done by the pumps....the body of water is still the focus and not the pump. So in the pool industry, a return line is the line returning water to the pool. That water just happens to be provided by the discharge from the pump....referred to in the pool industry as the pump return line...not to be confused with the compressor return line which is the suction side of the compressor.

Geez, now I'm confused again!

Looks like fun! We had unseasonably warm temps here this weekend (80's) but my kids did not brave the 50 degree water in our pool...wimps!
Judy

Got it.
The return = suction, the pool = compressor, and the return = discharge...

????.

This is how Captain Kirk defeated NOMAD. I am glad I didn't ask where the orfice is. LOL.

I would like to talk to you more about HVAC. I recently moved into the industry, from automotive, to help a friends business.

Thanks.
Bryan

Bryan-

I like it.....some Star Trek humor and HVAC humor all in one post! If we start mentioning orifices, discharge and suction too much, this thread will get banned!

Welcome aboard the HVAC train. It's gonna be a wild ride with the 410a transition this year and on top of that.....now we have all the excitement created by the new stimulus bill promoting higher SEER levels with significant rebate money.

It's going to be a guessing game this year to have the right products ready for the demand this will create.

Get ready for the ride!

Judy-

Yeah...our 80 degree weather looks like it will end later this week.....bummer.

It's going to be interesting to see at what age the kids become wimps. Right now at ages 9, 5 and 4, the cold water is just a nuisance but not enough to stand in the way of some serious fun!

I know that I don't go in before the water is at least 85. With girls most stop going in all together when they are 14 or 15 because they don't want to get their hair wet.

dd50-

Yeah...for me 77 degrees is about the threshold. A bit nippy when first jumping in, but refreshing, especially after doing some work around the yard. 85 is very comfortable without the initial shock, but I just don't feel as refreshed after swimming. 80-82 feels about right to me.

So far, my 9 y.o. doesn't seem to mind the hair bit, but I think you're right. At 14 or 15, other priorites start to emerge and fun takes them in different directions....I can't bear to think of that yet! I certainly hope swimming still fits into the fun category in the teenage years.....fingers crossed.

Its not as bad for us guys. It's our wive who will feel the pain. My girls are 16.

When the boys start calling to take them on tht first date, be sure they see you cleaning the shotgun. They'll get the idea that 11pm means 11 pm.

For those that don't have one by the way, the chainsaw works too.

I agree with your temp specs trought. I think its perfect @ 82 also. We have had 80+ temps for the last few weeks I was starting to get excited about jumping in soon, alas, highs for the next few days will be in the lower 60's this week.... 'sigh...
Funny about the shotgun pool guy, my husband has threatened to add the shotgun and then mention to the boys that he isn't afraid of going back to prison....
No, let me state he has never been!!! I think it's a Jeff Foxworthy joke?
I can definately say that our pool has been wonderful for our teen girls and their friends and groups. I can't tell you how many impromptu pool parties were had last summer.
If I can only keep my 15 year olds drumline guy friends from jumping off the top of the grotto....
boys......

Great stories....keep 'em coming....I need some ammunition for those teen dating years!

One of my customers told a great story recently.....his daughter had a significant other over for dinner and as they all were seated, he left the table and went into the kitchen. Instead of bringing out the food, he brought out one of his new shotguns.....to show it off...he says. He's an avid sportsman and luckily the surprised boyfriend was also. The story has a happy ending....they married several years later and have children now! He and his son-in-law frequently trap shoot together.

poolguy - the chainsaw is a great one! There's a local haunted house during halloween that has a chainsaw at the end....without a chain of course. Even when you are expecting it, the sound of that thing makes you stop cold in your tracks!

susannap-

I like the "back to prison" bit. Regarding impromptu parties....that's encouraging....I'm hoping our backyard will be like yours....the place everyone ends up....better our backyard than someplace else!

Wow, I hope my son never dates any of your daughters! We also like having our house be the place to hang out and the pool makes it an attractive destination. Not all of my son's friends are into swimming though, and last year we realized that even the boys are worried about their showing their bodies in bathing suits...sad really.

Um, what weapons do we use to keep predatory girls in check???

Trhought and Jmck- At this point I feel the need to share my "mantra" in life being the mother of 15,16 & 18 year old girls..... (Sanity is irrellavent and completely overrated.)

"NOW I KNOW WHY MOTHERS IN THE WILD EAT THEIR YOUNG"
Saw that on a bumper sticker once, I believe when one of my daughters had just spilled a cherry coke Icee all over the (beige) back seat.....
Seriously though, I wouldn't trade the world for any of them!

Anyone getting rain? We have had nothing but rain for over 24 hours now which is wonderful as we are in a horrible drought right now, yay.

The best defense against predatory girls is education, activities, and constant, open, and frank communication. I can't tell you what I mean by "frank" but I think you know it has something to do with hormones and thinking above the belt line, not below it.