Blue Square Labs Q360 - User Manual

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Summary

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

General Safety Precautions

Follow basic safety precautions, use caution with high pressures and suction, and supervise children.

Warranty and Design Submission

Submit System Design Form and pool plan for warranty qualification; notify Blue Square of design changes.

Installation and Spa Guidelines

Install valve above ground, do not bury lid/inlet, and install check valves for elevated spas.

INTRODUCTION AND COMPONENTS

Q360 System Benefits

Details the benefits of deep circulation, efficient flow, and debris handling for cost savings and cleaning.

Water Valve Components

Lists components of the Q360 High Performance Water Valve including housing, cassette, turbine, and O-ring.

Jet Assembly Components

Lists components of the Q360 Jet Complete including jets, collar, and protective cap.

INSTALLATION PROCEDURES

Site Planning and Valve Placement

Verify pool excavation matches plan, consider shell thickness, and place valve accessible and above grade.

Plumbing Layout and Considerations

Position feed pipes near pool center to reduce costs and ensure proper bonding per local codes.

Elevated Spa and Head Placement

Install check valves for elevated spas and stake cleaning heads according to the design plan.

Feed Line Routing and Niche Excavation

Run feed lines to bond beam, excavate niches, and ensure proper pipe depth and orientation.

Cleaning Head Risers and Stub-ups

Install 2" Schedule 40 risers for cleaning head collars, perpendicular to the pool floor.

Valve Plumbing and Connections

Connect valve housing using heavy-bodied PVC glue and primer; consider discharge lines configuration.

Discharge Line Configuration

Install discharge lines in stacked or flat configuration, using appropriate PVC glue and depth.

Auxiliary Equipment Integration

Integrate heaters and chlorinators with bypass lines as needed for system protection.

System Pressure Testing

Test system at min 35 psi, removing cassette/turbine for even pressure distribution.

Stub-up Preparation and Head Installation

Clear stub-ups of debris, install test plugs, and then install cleaning collars and heads.

STARTUP AND MAINTENANCE

Working Valve Assembly for Startup

Install cassette, turbine, and lid onto valve housing, ensuring proper gear engagement and seal.

Initial System Cycle and Jet Installation

Run system to blow out debris, then install jets after interior finish cures, noting nozzle types.

System Operation Guidelines

Operate Q360 heads at specific flow and pressure; run system whenever pump is on for circulation.

Determining Optimal Cleaning Cycles

Reduce run times gradually from 24 hours to find minimum cleaning time (min 6 hours recommended).

CLEANING AND TROUBLESHOOTING

Filtration System Maintenance

Routinely clean pump basket, skimmer, and filter; backwash filter when pressure increases.

Cleaning Head Removal and Reinstallation

Use jet removal tool to turn counter-clockwise to remove head from collar and clockwise to reinstall.

Troubleshooting Dirty Spots

Clean filter/baskets, close auxiliary valves, and check pump RPM for variable speed pumps.

Troubleshooting Dirt Between Heads

Adjust jet flow direction by pressing down on the jet multiple times to change its orientation.

Troubleshooting Jet Not Cleaning

Remove jet, check nozzle for debris, rinse, and run system to clear internal debris.

Troubleshooting Jet Will Not Retract

Gently touch jet with pole; if recurring, remove jet, inspect for debris, and run pump to clear.

COMPONENT REPLACEMENT

Cassette Replacement Procedure

Remove turbine/old cassette, install new cassette, ensure gear engagement, and reassemble lid/clamp.

Overview

1. Function Description
2. Important Technical Specifications
3. Usage Features
4. Maintenance Features

The provided manual describes the Blue Square Q360 In-Floor Cleaning System, a comprehensive solution for swimming pool circulation and cleaning. This system is designed to offer efficient pool maintenance, leading to potential savings in chemical, electrical, and heating costs for pool owners, while also providing superior cleaning benefits.

Function Description

The Q360 In-Floor Cleaning System utilizes a unique engineering design to smoothly transfer power from a turbine to the pool's ports or outlets. This process ensures minimal friction loss and back pressure, maximizing the flow rate to the in-floor cleaning jets. The system's open gear design allows for effective pass-through of debris, which significantly reduces cleaning system disruptions and maintenance costs compared to other in-floor systems.

A key feature is the innovative pressure-safe valve design, which ensures that at least one port is always open, protecting the system. The valve's large 2" inlet and six 2" ports are designed to maximize flow rate. The system promotes deep circulation, which is scientifically proven to be the most efficient method for swimming pool circulation.

Important Technical Specifications

The Q360 High Performance Water Valve components include:

• Valve Housing or Body: The main structure of the valve.
• Cassette: Contains the gear train for directing water flow.
• Turbine: Drives the gear train to cycle through the ports.
• Clear Lid: Allows for visual inspection of the turbine and gears without disassembly.
• O-Ring: Ensures a watertight seal for the lid.
• Band Clamp w/ nut: Secures the clear lid to the valve housing.

The Q360 Jet Complete components include:

• Jet (High Flow & Low Flow): The cleaning nozzles, available in 1½" opening for High Flow Jets and 3/16" nozzle for Low Flow Jets.
• Collar: Holds the jet in place within the pool floor.
• Protective Cap: Covers the jet during construction or when not in use.

Plumbing Specifications:

• The Q360 valve uses 2" Schedule 40 pipe for feed lines.
• Discharge lines from the valve should be installed in a stacked or flat configuration.
• The valve housing and fittings should be connected using heavy-bodied PVC glue with a compatible primer.
• Lines should be installed a minimum of 6" below grade or according to local codes.
• The system is designed to rotate counter-clockwise from a top view, typically from shallow to deep areas of the pool.
• If a spa is included, a dedicated line from the valve and a check valve are required for raised spas.
• Unused outlet ports can be used for surface returns.
• Heaters should be plumbed in a bypass line before the water valve, with the bypass valve adjusted to ¼ open.
• Chlorinators (erosion feeders, ozone generators, in-line salt converters) may require a bypass line if they have a venturi or restrictive channels.

Installation Requirements:

• The valve should be installed above ground, with the top of the clear lid and inlet 2-3" above the finished pool water level.
• If below water level installation is necessary, serviceable check valves or manual valves on all inlet and outlet ports are required to prevent flooding during servicing.
• Cleaning head collars require a 2" Schedule 40 riser with no reaming, positioned perpendicular to the slope of the pool floor.
• The system must be pressure-tested at a minimum of 35 psi or according to local code requirements, with the cassette and turbine removed during testing to allow equal pressure distribution.

Usage Features

System Operation:

• The Q360 cleaning heads are designed to operate at a specific flow rate and pressure.
• The system should run whenever the pump is on to ensure proper circulation and cleaning.
• Optimal cleaning time is determined by running the system 24 hours a day initially, then gradually reducing run times by four hours every two days until a minimum cleaning time is established. A minimum of six hours a day is recommended, with longer cycles for pools with high debris conditions.

Jet Functionality:

• Each cleaning head has a designated nozzle with a precise cleaning radius, and perimeter heads have a one-foot overlap to ensure comprehensive coverage.
• The cleaning jets must be in the full down position for removal.
• To change the cleaning jet flow direction, the jet can be pressed down 5-6 times while it is in the up position and water is flowing from the nozzle.

Maintenance Features

Routine Maintenance:

• Filtration System Cleaning: Routinely clean the pump basket, skimmer, and filter screens. Backwash or clean the pool filter when pressure increases 5-10 psi above normal operating pressure or when dirty spots appear between jets.
• Valve Inspection: The clear lid allows for inspection of the turbine and gears without the need for disassembly.
• Cassette and Turbine Removal: These components should be removed during pressure testing and stored for reinstallation at startup. They are also removed for replacement or troubleshooting.

Troubleshooting and Repair:

• Dirty Spots: Clean the pool filter, pump basket, and skimmer baskets. Ensure all auxiliary valves (surface returns, waterfall, spa overflow) are closed. For variable speed pumps, verify sufficient RPM.
• Dirt Trapped Between Heads: Verify that water flow from adjacent jet nozzles is not opposing. Adjust jet flow direction if needed.
• Cleaning Jet Advances but Not Cleaning: Remove the jet with the Jet Removal Tool. Check for debris in the nozzle. Ensure the jet travels freely up and down and ratchets. If not, hold the jet up and rinse with water. Run the pump with the jet removed until the problem bank is clear of debris, then re-insert the jet.
• Cleaning Jet Will Not Go Down: Gently touch the jet with a pool pole to see if it retracts. If the problem recurs, remove the jet, inspect the head and collar for debris, and run the pump through a full cycle to blow out any debris. Re-insert the jet. For variable speed pumps, increasing RPMs may be necessary to ensure the jet fully ratchets.

Installation and Startup Maintenance:

• Debris Clearance: After construction, clear system lines of debris using air and water. This involves removing test plugs from the farthest cleaning heads and flushing pipes.
• Jet Installation: After the interior finish cures, install jets in collars, ensuring correct High Flow and Low Flow jet placement according to the design plan to avoid high pressures and water being forced out of the pool.

The system's design emphasizes ease of installation and repair, making it user-friendly for homeowners to maintain a clean pool.

Blue Square Labs Q360 Specifications