Low water valve question

[jed1894]

I just bought a foreclosed property with a pool. I am in the process of getting the pool up and running. I have a pool at my main house so I know a little about pools. However, I noticed the foreclosed pool (gunite with bottom drain) has some kind of ball valve or something next to the deck. I was told that this (if still connected) is a safety valve in case my water gets below the skimmer. It has a float about the size of a baseball with a male screw on the end. It is not attached, but I think I can see down in the hole enough to see where it should screw into something. It also looks like I have a return in an area that could be connected to this valve. Two questions:

If I just leave this alone, what will happen?

If I want to fix it, where do I start? Would it be as simple as just screwing the bolt into the fitting?


Thanks, Jed

 

[jblizzle]

That is an auto-fill. It uses a float valve to set the water height and adds water if it gets low. There is a pipe connecting the bucket to the pool which is the "return" you see.

If you leave it broken you will just have to add water manually.

There must be a water valve somewhere probably with a backflow valve that must be turned off otherwise without the float it would be filling with water.

Posted with Tapatalk 2

 

[jed1894]

That is an auto-fill. It uses a float valve to set the water height and adds water if it gets low. There is a pipe connecting the bucket to the pool which is the "return" you see.

If you leave it broken you will just have to add water manually.

There must be a water valve somewhere probably with a backflow valve that must be turned off otherwise without the float it would be filling with water.

Posted with Tapatalk 2

Thanks. I will find the valve

 

[BigIslandPoolService]

Aloha Jed,

Once you get it all running, check to adjust it properly...the float should shut the water off before the water level in the bucket reaches any overflow pipe in the bucket. Otherwise, it will continue to waste your water out the overflow. Also, it should stop adding water before the pool level reaches the ceiling of your skimmer.

Have fun!