checking for blockage ..

[SHADEZ]

I want to check to make sure the are no slight obstructions in my 22 year old pipes .. but i can't afford a snake cam .. whats the best way to do this?

I was thinking i got 75' of thick poly rope and slowly feed it into the inlet until i see the other end sticking out over the pump basket .. then turning the pump off and attaching some type of ball .. im not sure about what kind it is yet I'm still debating .. possibly one of those foamy water bombs pool toys . or maybe plastic ball shaped with plastic lines (kids toys) so the water can go straight through it but will catch any big debris when i pull the rope back .. I'm still spit balling ideas ..

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

Not a good idea. Return lines don't normally get much in the way of a build up. The friction of the moving water generally cleans anything out.

If flex pvc was used, a kink will block you and it won't tell you is there is a hole, say, from termites or a tree root.

When pools have flex used on the skimmer lines and they put 3" tabs in the skimmer basket, when the system is off, the tabs are still dissolving. The precipitate sinks and sits. This causes the flex to swell and weaken. It will eventually kink under suction or get an acorn, rock or other foreign matter stuck like GI Joe with the kung-fu grip.

Scott