harryc,
Autofill with anti-syphon valve runs about $150 retail plus installation labor. This might run another $150 depending on the length of the pipe run.
I didn't know anyone built pools without an auto-fill anymore.

Our pool builder suggests no auto-fill feature. His rationale is that if the pool is automatically filling up, we would never be aware in the event we ever had a leak.

I am instead just going to run a plain 3/4" pvc under the deck and have it right next to the stairs and have it conected to my hose bib. This way at least I dont drag a house, just turn a valve. My pb had the same thought on not having one.

Molly-
My PB tried the same line on me-
I had them plumb in a "shut off valve" in the water line leading to the auto-fil.
That way, I can shut the autofil off to see if there is a leak.
(Besides, your water bill would go way out of whack if you had a leak big enough to use that much water).
Put it in-you will not regret it.
If you don't put it in, you will kick yourself everytime you need to pull the hose out to add water.
Another thing to remember that the autofil will keep the water level up so the skimmer will not suck in air, possibly damaging the pump.

Steve

Hi, Steve.

I decided not to put in an auto-fill. Instead, I'm adding a valve to a relay on the automation. This way I can turn the valve on for XX number of minutes whenever I want, plus during times when there's a consisten loss from evaporation I can program the valve to run XX minutes each day. This way I don't have to worry about an autofill getting stuck.

Kevin

Kevin -

You're concerned about an autofill valve (basically a toilet valve) getting stuck, but you're adding a relay and valve to manually control the pool level. Sounds like overkill; in 23 years of pool ownership I've replaced "ZERO" autofill valves but I've had to replace 9 electric valves for my sprinkler system. I wouldn't want to constantly guess on the run time for that valve......plus, what happens when you go on vacation?

Steve

Hi, Steve.

I've had just the opposite experience. In the nineteen years I've lived in my current home, I've had to replace all the toilet valves more than once and never had to replace a sprinkler valve.

If I was away, I'd be less concerned about a valve failing to add water to the pool than I would about a runaway fill valve. When I go on vacation, the weekly pool service can monitor the level. I'm also going to have a manual ball valve that can be used to add water if needed.

This is something that should be able to be easily handled by automation. There's no reason why the pool automation companies couldn't add the ability to enter your pool info (like area, perimeter, and gallons) and let you be able to program something like "Add two inches of water". That's an easy enough calculation for automation to do.

I agree that I definitely don't want to leave a hose around the pool or have to drag one out to fill it.

Kevin

WOW! Hard to believe an auto-fill would create this big of a discussion.
I've had pools without an auto fill. It is a significant improvement with low maintenance and a low failure rate. It is real convenience. It's low tech but effective.
Many moons ago, when I had no auto-fill I used a pvc line plumbed under the deck. On numerous occasions I would forget the water was running and end up with a water level that was very high. This is a large waste of water.
I've been using auto-fills on every pool I've built since about 1984. The failure rate has been minimal. That's about 6000 auto-fills give or take plus hundreds of remodels.
This is a no brainer. Put the auto-fill in. You can always turn it off if there is a problem or a leak. It's actually very easy to know if the pool with an auto-fill is leaking because the float in the auto-fill will hiss continuously as it slowly adds water to the pool.

The reason your Pool Builder didn't want to put in auto fill is that he would have to hire a real plumber
with a plumbers license to install it. Auto fill must have a vacuum breaker installed at the connection
to the water system. As for the leveling valve, most use a float valve($2.95) or some use a toilet valve at $7.99.

We are in the planning stages of our pool now and our PB installs a "Y" connector at the hose bib and plumbs a line into the side of the pool. Not the convenience of auto-fill, but no hassle of dragging a hose out.

I have never, nor would I ever, built a pool without an autofill.
Builders who sell against autofills are usually not very good builders and the lines they give like "it'll stick on and flood your yard" or "you'll never know if your pool is leaking" are complete Kuhsheisse.

For some background, the Builders cost of the auto level is ~ $80 + plumber's cost. I had on installed for the convienence factor and wouldn't build another pool without one! My goal was to build a pool that took little of my time to maintain and this is one chore you can leave off the list. Coupled with the saltwater system and automated controls, I add a cup of acid every few weeks, throw the pool sweep in the pool for a couple of hours on the weekend and spend the rest of the time enjoying the pool!

Hi,

My gunite was just poured a week ago then I came across the autofill concept discussed here. So my question is am I out of luck in trying to add an autofill now? What are my options now if any? TIA

Ron

Hello Ron168, You should still be able to add an autofill. Granted they may have to take one of your open holes for the fill area, but I would think its still possible. But if all of your open ports are already dedicated then you may be out of luck.
You're going to wish you had one.
Good Luck.

Get the autofill. You won't regret it. Also don't forget the other part of the picture - an overflow drain.

ron168,
If you just gunited your pool it's not to late to add an auto-fill. Chip a hole in the gunite and add the pipe and canister next to the pool. You won't regret it.

Is it possible to add an auto-fill to a vinyl-liner pool after the liner is installed? I'm doing a self-build. The water level is a few inches below the skimmer right now and the backfill is half-way up the steel walls. (I'm working on the plumbing.)

If not, I thought about plumbing one of the two skimmer overflow lines as a fill. Or I could connect it to the pool slide. I could plumb this with a backflow preventer and a valve connected to a countdown timer to let it run a few hours when the pool needed topped off. Any thoughts?

We did not have an autofill installed, it was offered, but we passed. We do have a line installed with a valve on it to fill manually, no hose involved. We also have a line that drains pool in case of overflow.

We have never regretted the choice. We have never let pool get low, on vacation we have someone come to house and fill if needed. It has been three seasons with no problems. We set the kitchen timer so we never forget, but if we do we have the overfill line.

Our neighbor had pool built by same builder at same time as us and he has auto fill, loves it, is glad he did it.

To each their own I guess. But if the price is that little and you are not sure, just get it so you will not regret it.

Golfgeek,

Are you telling me there is hope?
Would I have to drill the hole (what do you mean by chip?)?
What autofill product would you recommend?
I have looked at the Letro autofil which looks simple to install.

ron

ron168,
You can core or drill a hole for the 1 1/2" pipe. I used the word "chip" because I usually just use a chipping hammer to make the hole in a raw gunite shell.
I use a product called "Water Level Control" by MP Industries, Inc. It's a simple canister with a float assembly and lid. It plumbs with 1/2" or 3/4" pipe. Use a shut off valve and anti-syphon valve.
Letro is fine too. Make sure it is installed straight and plumb. Good luck.

Our builder recommended against a auto-fill. What a mistake. Can one now be added without damaging the plaster?

Lesson to all.. we don't have auto fill and last night my wife turned on water and forgot. 9 hours later and probably 5-10,000 gallons later... the cost of adding an auto fill seems like chump change compared to the 2-3 thousand dollar fine I will get for going over LA water limits.

Our pool builder did not offer, and when I asked, said they didn't think it was necessary. I sort of forgot about it, and now it is a year later and our pool has been used all summer.

I am in Northern New England. Every time our pool gets low (water close to the bottom of the skimmer), we get a rain (and almost always get too full). Basically, so far, this summer, our pool has totally regulated itself on its own through the weather.

This may not be true for every year (and I think it was silly that we didn't have it installed originally), but this issue is localized to areas that don't get much rain in the summer.

I also just had the PVC pipe put in the deck and connected to the faucet with a "Y".

On Saturdays, I throw in the auto-vac,turn on the water, mow the grass, jump in the pool, check the chemicals and then shut off the water. No big deal.

Wow.

I don't even offer the auto leveler as an option on new pools, it's automatic. I add one on renovations too, when it isn't too tough to do. I can't believe anyone would choose not to have one.

Seems kind of like ordering a new car with no windshield wipers.

I don't have windshield wipers either, I use Rain X

I just fix pools.

Scott

There is now a cost effective solution for adding this feature to an existing pool. Although it would be better if autofill were installed with the pool.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.ezautofill.com/

We just recently added an in ground pool and found out that our auto fill line wasn't connected to a water source. The pool company tells us we are responsible to hook up the water to the auto fill line but charged us $1200 in the pool contract. I was under the impression that since they charged us to install the auto fill line they hook up water...is that true? Any information would be so helpful.

In my opinion cost for adding an auto-fill to new pool
is around $150 to $200.

Here is a link that might be useful: Swim Right Pool

Portable auto-fill valves exist than can be set on the deck and dangled into the pool, fed with a garden hose. They cost less than US$100, or less than US$25 in parts if you want to construct your own. The only disadvantage is having a hose lying on the deck, a possible trip hazard, but it is much cheaper than trying to retrofit one in an existing pool. I constructed the one in the photo for around US$25, using ordinary PVC pipe fittings, a Kerick Valve MA052 PVC Mini Float Valve (US$17 from Amazon.com), and a brass 3/4-inch FPT to female hose adapter. The black container is a re-purposed plastic nursery pot with drain holes in the bottom, secured to the pipe with a couple of UV-resistant black nylon cable ties to keep the automatic pool sweep hose from tangling with the float. A brick keeps it from moving. Not seen in this photo is the garden hose that supplies water from a nearby hose bibb. The float is secured to the valve with a wingnut, so fine-tuning of the water level is possible by changing the angle of the float — no tools needed. Since the valve is above the water level, a backflow preventer is unnecessary; there is a natural air gap between the valve orifice and the pool surface. During the hottest part of the summer the water just dribbles or drips from the valve to keep the pool level constant. During the rainy season it gets take out of the pool and is stored away.

We included an autofill valve into our new pool contract ($150). PB hasn't yet started digging, but did say they aren't responsible for hooking up autofill to a water source. Suggested we discuss with our sprinkler installer and tap into our irrigation as water source or it would be significantly more expensive for us to hire a plumber to connect to a water source. Since it will inevitably be up to me, do I need to ask the sprinkler company to do anything in particular when hooking up the autofill to a water source? I want to play ahead before they start digging. Thanks.

There are now new options that are far better than the old toilet valves or float valves. Think about it. Toilet valves are made for filling a toilet... Just a few times a day. In a pool they wear out in a few months and start bleeding water in 24/7 and any additional water just spills over the overflow tube integrated into the autofill bucket. Add that there is now a plastic lid on your deck to deteriorate too. I would check out the wireless autofill systems now available. Some are WAY better than others. The float types also fail often and are easily out of adjustment and overflow. The soft rubber seals wear out pretty fast so remember to keep an eye on them. More reliable is the LevelSmart Wireless autofill system.

Richard, this is good info. We've opted to go with a conventional Poolmiser PM-101 float valve style autofill similar to a Fluidmaster toilet fill valve. Went this route for the simplicity and easy of repairing. Our PB has already plumbed in the PM-101 into our decking next to one of the surface skimmers. Yes, both have plastic lids that are flush with the deck.

Is it easy to convert a Poolmiser to a LevelSmart Wireless autofill at a later time?

Sure it is easy to convert to the LevelSmart wireless autofill in most situations. However, simple is beautiful and there are pros and cons to them all. The float types work great if you keep up the maintenance on them and check them often for wear and leaks. The Pool miser is a great product and I think they are a great company as well from my experience. As long as you remember to check the float types often and make sure they stay in adjustment they work great and are affordable. All depends on the situation. I think an autofill would be a must for any pool, spa or water feature. Installed and maintained properly you won't have a problem.

Some additional but more rare issues I have found on the buckets of the float type autofill is the elbow connections at the bottom of the autofill bucket. The good thing about the LevelSmart wireless autofill and the Leveler is that the plumbing is all at the equipment room or equipment pad and you have no pressurized plumbing to the pool that goes under the pool deck. This is more important in areas like Texas where the soils are more claylike can destroy the pipes going to the pool. During seasonal cycles the pipes can break due to soil movement and you are stuck busting a deck. To eliminate pressurized pipes to the pool structure can reduce the chance of leaks and high water bills and the costly repairs. The only problem with the leveler is the sensor is wired and fails due to corrosion and it hard to replace. With LevelSmart wireless autofill there are no wires or plumbing needed to the pool structure or under the deck.

And Richard you just happen to sell these LevelSmart autofills.

Yes I do. I am the proud inventor of a better mousetrap... At least for some applications. You can see I am almost objective ;)

I ask all to do their research and make their own opinion. Simply put I have been the only one to invent a wireless solution that actually works. Please google my name, Check out www.konalabs.com and thoroughly investigate my credentials in this regards and draw your own conclusions. There are many applications where the other solutions are a better option than the complexity introduced by a wireless system. Aloha.