Building & Grounds
Baptistry & Waterfall
The Baptistry and waterfall water systems are interconnected and controlled by components installed within the baptistry equipment room and behind the baptistry wall. The baptistry pool holds approximately 1,200 gallons of water.
Generally, the waterfall provides an aesthetic touch during worship services, and the baptistry pool is utilized for baptisms. A timer controller automatically turns the waterfall on during normal worship service times, and an "on demand" switch can activate the waterfall during any unscheduled time.
Note: A fence gate separates the baptistry pool / equipment room from the baptistry water heater. The fence gate can only be unlocked from the outside. Gate lock keys are hung in the baptistry equipment room and in a key lock box near the water heater.
Baptistry Components
All components are in the baptistry equipment room, with the exception of the Water Heater, which is on the opposite side of the baptistry wall.
Preparing for a Baptism
The baptistry is comprised of three separate elements relating to baptisms: the water pump, the waterfall, and the water heater. It takes a few hours for the water to heat sufficiently for a baptism. If the baptism is scheduled for a morning, it is advisable to pre-heat the water the day before the baptism.
Note: The water heater will only heat water when the water pump is running.
Day Prior to a Baptism
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Turn the Water Pump and Waterfall On by activating the 8 HR mode on the On Demand Timer Switch. This will run both the Water Pump and the Waterfall for 8 hours, which should be enough time to heat the pool.
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Turn the Water Heater located behind the baptistry wall on:
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Press the “Spa Off” button on the Water Heater Control Panel. This will ensure the Water Heater Control Panel is in a reset state.
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Press the “Spa On” button on the Water Heater Control Panel.
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You should hear the heater blower turn on. Repeat steps 1-2 above if you do not hear anything.
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Adjust the temperature using the up and down arrow buttons. An optimal water temperature for a baptism is between 83 – 90° F, warmer for hotter days and cooler for colder days.
Two Hours Prior to Baptism:
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Turn the Water Pump and Waterfall On utilizing the On Demand Timer Switch. Set the time as needed to have the baptism.
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Turn the Water Heater located behind the baptistry wall to “Spa On” if it is not already turned on.
Just Prior to Baptism:
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Note: It doesn’t matter whether the waterfall is running during a baptism. If you do not want the waterfall to run during the baptism turn the pump/waterfall off by setting the On Demand Timer Switch to “Off” and setting the Baptistry Timer to “System Off”.
Following the Baptism:
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Set the Baptistry Timer to “Run”.
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Set the On Demand Timer Switch to “Off”.
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Turn the Water Heater Control Panel to “Heater Off”.
Water Heater | Water Pump | Water Heated? |
|---|---|---|
Off | Off | No |
Off | On | No |
On | Off | No |
On | On | Yes |
Turning the Waterfall On
The baptistry pump and waterfall can be turned on quickly utilizing the On Demand Timer Switch in the baptistry equipment room. Simply press the number of hours you wish the system to run. The On Demand Timer Switch will automatically turn the baptistry pump and waterfall off after the specified time. Alternatively, the system can be turned off by selecting the "Off" position on the On Demand Timer Switch unless the Waterfall/Pump Timer is actively running the system.
Water Flow
Following is the likely water flow for the baptistry system, including pump, heater, and waterfall operations. It is important to note that the waterfall feature is dependent on the pump, so the pump needs to be running and the waterfall valve both need to be operational for the waterfall to flow.
Temperature
The temperature of the baptistry water is controlled by the Water Heater. It takes a few hours for the water to heat sufficiently for a baptism.
To heat the baptistry water,
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Turn on the Water Pump by activating the 8 HR mode on the On Demand Timer Switch. This will run both the Water Pump and the Waterfall for enough time required to heat the pool.
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Turn on the Water Heater located behind the baptistry wall.
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Press the “Off” button on the Water Heater Control Panel. This will ensure the Water Heater Control Panel is in a reset state.
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Press the “Spa On” button on the Water Heater Control Panel.
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You should hear the heater blower turn on. Repeat steps 1-2 above if you do not hear anything.
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Adjust the temperature using the up and down arrow buttons. An optimal water temperature for a baptism is between 83 – 90° F, warmer for hotter days and cooler for colder days.
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Water Level
The water level is controlled by a manual Water Valve inside the baptistry closet. The water level should be maintained half way up the water outlet.
Pump and Waterfall Control Panel
The baptistry pump and waterfall are controlled by a control panel in the baptistry equipment room. The control panel consists of both a digital control timer (an irrigation timer) and a manual timer switch.
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The digital control timer is used to turn on and off the pump and/or waterfall according to a fixed schedule. It can be programmed to turn on just the pump, or both the pump and waterfall. It has the following zones defined:
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Zone 1 - Controls the pump/filter only.
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Zone 2 - Controls both the pump/filter and the waterfall.
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Zone 3 - Controls both the pump/filter and the waterfall. This is an overflow zone for Zone 2.
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The digital control timer is limited to running 240 minutes (four hours) for each zone. Our Sunday worship and class period requires that the pump/waterfall run for 300 minutes (five hours). So the run time is split between zones 2 and 3. Both logical zones are physically connected to the same control panel inputs.
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The manual timer switch allows anyone to turn on the pump and waterfall on demand for 1, 2, 4, or 8 hours. At the end of the specified run time the switch turns both pump and waterfall off.
CVCC Baptistry Physical Control Schematic
CVCC Baptistry Logical Control Schematic
Baptistry Equipment Room Electrical Schematic
Baptistry Components
Pump:
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Century Centurion 8-177450-03
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1HP
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115VAC
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14.8 Amps
Filter:
Heater:
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200,000 BTU
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Natural Gas heating unit
Chlorinator Feeder:
System Maintenance
The baptistry is maintained weekly by:
David's Pools
(818) 706-3788
2023 Baptistry Rebuild
Jack Williamson and Allan Argano led a baptistry rebuild project in 2023. Here are photos from that project.