Choosing Between Breather I, II and III: Automatic, Manual or Electrical

Vacless makes twelve versions of its safety vacuum release system, grouped into three lines: Breather I, Breather II and Breather III. The model numbers follow a pattern. The first digit is the line, so SVRS-10 and SVRS-11 are Breather I, the SVRS-20 series is Breather II and the SVRS-30 series is Breather III. The last digit before any ADJ suffix tells you the port position, with 0 for center and 1 for offset. Four questions sort out the rest.

Question one: where does the pump sit relative to the water?

Pool people split suction installations into two kinds. In a suction lift installation the pump sits above the water surface, so it has to lift water up to the impeller. In a submerged suction installation the pump sits at or below the water level, so water arrives under its own head. You can usually settle this by looking at where the pump is relative to the pool.

It matters because of how Vacless lists the lines. The Breather I and the Breather III are listed for suction lift or submerged suction installations. The Breather II, with manual reset and a release chain, is listed for suction lift installations only. If your pump is below the waterline, the Breather II is not the one to pick.

Question two: automatic, manual or electrical reset?

• Breather I, automatic reset. After a release, the seal springs back to its normal position on its own and the pump can re-prime. No one has to touch the valve.
• Breather II, manual reset. After a release, the seal stays locked in the open position until someone pulls it back by hand, using the release chain. Vacless notes that the unit may let water escape through the air channels from gravity-fed water pressure while it sits locked open, and that it should be reset manually after a release.
• Breather III, electrical. The valve works the same mechanical way, but a snap-acting limit switch also signals a control box that turns the pump off. The control box uses a 5 to 10V DC supply with time delay relays, and the system adds a three minute delayed restart and an audible alert.

A delay relay on the Breather III keeps a start-up surge from tripping a false shutdown. Per the company's sequence of events, the pump starts and runs on 110VAC, 220VAC or three phase power, and after 15 seconds a delay relay energizes the low-voltage circuit. The Breather III pages also describe automatic or manual reset for the electrical line.

There is a judgment call between I and II that no data sheet makes for you. Automatic reset keeps water moving after a release. Manual reset means the pump stays in a stalled state until a person walks over, which some operators want because it forces someone to look at the pool first. Which is right depends on the site and on the operator's own rules.

Question three: center port or offset port?

Every line comes in a center and an offset version. This one is a fit question, not a safety question. It depends on where the drain plug port sits on the pump housing and what clearance you have around it for the valve body, the gauge on adjustable models and, for the Breather II, the release chain. Look at the pump before you order. The model selection chart on the Vacless site and your distributor's counter staff can confirm which port position applies to a given pump.

Question four: standard or adjustable?

Standard models are the straightforward choice. The adjustable models, marked ADJ, are the ones Vacless describes as adapting to existing pool piping and filtration configurations, offering suction relief for unusual applications that are compliance tested up to 200 feet. If the plumbing run is long or irregular, the ADJ version is the one the company points to. Check the installation manual for the model you are looking at to see what the 200 foot figure covers.

A short path through it

• Pump below the waterline: Breather I or Breather III.
• Pump above the waterline and you want the valve to reset itself: Breather I.
• Pump above the waterline and you want a person to reset it: Breather II.
• You want the pump to shut off and sound an alert when the valve trips: Breather III.
• Long or unusual piping: look at the ADJ version of whichever line you chose.

Whatever you pick, the valve is designed for pumps from 0.5 to 10.0 horsepower, is meant to be used with an approved anti-entrapment drain cover, and carries a 3 year warranty. Use the dealer locator to find a distributor near you, or call tech support at (818) 701-6204 if a pump and port combination does not fit the chart.