For the past two wks, have suspected I may have a water leak in my pool. I have an automatic pool cover and this is the first year I havent been keeping the pool coverd, due to the extreme heat we have been having - low to mid 90s, so I have been trying to convince myself the water loss is due to evaporation. I did my first bucket test over a 24hr period. Filled the bucket with pool water, marking the inside of the bucket at the water level. Sat the bucket on the steps in the pool and marked the outside of the bucket at the pool water level. Last night, had 1/4" loss of water from bucket, but a 3/4" loss of water from the pool. During the 24 hr period, the pump ran for 8 hrs. I am doing the bucket test again and so far over the past 12hrs, there is no water loss, but so far, it has only covered the cooler evening hrs and the pump has been off. I am wondering if I should keep the pump off today and finish up the bucket test without it to get a more accurate reading? Does it matter one way or the other? In Pool School, it says to block all openings. The only opening I have is at my skimmer - it is an Aqua Genie. There are no "plugs" for the actual opening, but I can plug the hole inside the skimmer, if that would be sufficient? Should I just close all the valves at the equipment pad instead? Before I call my pool man, I want to make sure I am doing this correctly. My biggest concern is leaving for vacation Monday and losing 3/4" of water every day means the water level will eventually be too low for the pump and it will burn up in my absence.
Leak Assistance, Please
- Thread starter h2ctpdjl
- Start date
Plugging the skimmer hole should be just fine for the test. If it were leaking between the skimmer body and the pool, you would see some sort of cracks or opening in the skimmer or pool wall or the point where they meet. If you cannot pinpoint the leak before you leave on vacation, bring the pool to shock level, cover it, and leave the pump off. The pool should be in good shape when you get back.
Thanks - since I am plugging the skimmer hole I am assuming I should keep the pump turned off for the next 12hrs until the test is completed?
When/if I need to do the "dye test", do I also have the pump off or does it need to be on?
If there is no difference in loss between the bucket and pool with the pump off and a big difference with it on, then that points to a leak in the discharge side of the plumbing. Plugging the skimmer won't really tell you anything that you don't already know. I would leave th pump off for the rest of the test just to confirm.
ok, thanks. If I see no difference (water loss) in the bucket test this time with the pump off, then should I run the test again with the pump running the whole time or just for its normal schedule or does it really matter? As always, greatly appreciate the help from this forum.
I don't think you need any more info than you have now unless something isn't clear. By all accounts it's leaking with the pump running but isn't when it's off. That means you have a leak on the discharge side of the pump.
Can you tell if there's water going out the waste line when the pump is running?
Can you tell if there's water going out the waste line when the pump is running?
Nothing going out the waste line. I did have one slight problem that I have since fixed while doing the first bucket test. I had posted a problem with water spurting out the top of the sand filter around both the bolts of the collar when the pump comes on. Someone suggested ( could have been you ) that I just tighten the bolts, which I did. When doing this, I noticed that there were three very small leaks coming out from underneath collar as well. I also noticed a wet area around the base of the sand filter where the water was running down the side of the filter and onto the concrete slab. However, once I tightened the bolts last night, the leaks and spurting stopped. I may be grasping at straws, but I am wondering if this could have been the reason for the disappearing water - maybe a bit farfetched? Could those small leaks cause such a water loss? So far today, that area is still dry. I have my fingers crossed that could be the problem. I guess the next thing I need to do at 8pm tonight if there is still no water loss, is to turn on the pump and do the bucket test again?
Those leaks could have certainly been the cause of the loss. They at very least, invalidated the bucket test. You should run it again with the pump running just to be certain.
Doing that as I type. I hope that is the problem. It just didn't seem plausible, as it seemed to be an insignificant amount, but after seeing the wet area around the base of the filter, had second thoughts.......