What is this? Mystery return port?

[mattsauber]

Hi Everybody, first post here. I've purchased a home with a pool (see sig.) and I've never been a pool owner. We just finished opening up the pool for the season and I think it went okay. Everything appears to be in working order and the pool is clearing up with the help of the BBB method.

There is only one thing. I'm not sure what this mystery hole in the side of my pool is. It has a plug cover on it. It didn't have any air in it this winter, so I don't think it was winterized. When I unscrew the plug nothing shoots out or sucks in - it does nothing that I can tell. By my filter/pump there is a pipe sticking out of the ground - could this be what it is connected to?

What is this thing?

I've attached pics for reference.

Thanks!

 

[257WbyMag]

Welcome to TFP!

Does it look like a return eyeball? How wide is the opening? Not sure about the black 90 degree. If I were to guess, I would say that it is an older and no longer used pipe on the suction side.

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP.

Have you verified that the 2 things you have circled are connected?
My guess is an old cleaner port for either a suction or pressure side cleaner that was disconnected. The black 90 is likely just to keep stuff from falling into the pipe/pool.

 

[mattsauber]

Thanks for the replies.

It is the same size as and threaded like an eyeball socket.

I haven't verified they are connected. I was just guessing the two things that didn't make sense to me were somehow connected. How could I check to see if they are connected? There is some skummy water in that black pipe so I don't want that making it's way into the pool.

 

[jblizzle]

I would have suggested blowing water or air through the pipe, but not sure how you can do that with letting the water in the pipe back into the pool.

May just have to open it up and let the water in and then follow the shock process to clear the pool (likely will not be that much bad water).

 

[duraleigh]

Hi, Matt,

Since your return line has a union and a coupling after the puck chlorinator, I wonder if maybe that wasn't an old pressure line for a pressure side cleaner?

I can't see how big the white (beneath the black elbow) pipe is but if it's less than 1.5", that's what I might suspect.

(Good talking with another Kansan today :-D )

 

[SkyKid]

Do you have an air compressor?
If you do then use a blow gun and stick it in the eyeball in the pool and blow some air in there
That way you're not putting water into your pool and if you feel water coming out of that eyeball before you blow air into it then you'll know it's not connected to it

 

[alanpaul]

When we bought our home, the pool had a similar set-up.
The previous owners used that pipe just to add water to the pool, simply by sticking a running hose down the pipe.
When we had some pool plumbing work done, we were told we were fortunate, that it was a never-used extra port, installed when the pool was new in 1988. We had it plumbed into the suction side of our system, and we use it with a suction pool cleaner, vacuuming whenever the pump is running.
By the way, why not use a wet/dry shop vac to try to vacuum out the dirty water from your pipe? If it doesn't have enough power to suck up to your equipment area, you could put th hose end up to the port in the pool and suck downwards. Even add a little water from the top....
Good Luck!