Has anyone tried Fix A Leak on a suction line
- Thread starter Merccooper
- Start date
Where exactly is the leak an dhow large? A photo would help.
I have never used that specific product, but have used many sealant type products external to the water flow. That reminds me of radiator stop leak and I probably would never put it in my pool water.
I have never used that specific product, but have used many sealant type products external to the water flow. That reminds me of radiator stop leak and I probably would never put it in my pool water.
I believe the leak to be at the main drain at the bottom of the pool. The size is unknown, but not large enough to cause the pump to lose prime.
We don't recommend using Fix A Leak unless you have given up on every possible alternative. It can cause serious problems if not used exactly according to directions.
Fix A Leak will never work on a suction side leak unless you reverse the plumbing so the suction side becomes the pressure side (typically a fairly complex project).
Fix A Leak will never work on a suction side leak unless you reverse the plumbing so the suction side becomes the pressure side (typically a fairly complex project).
I used it to "fix" and underground leak (elbow under my skimmer) a couple of year ago, this involved disconnecting my pump and temporarily capping off the suction line where it went below ground (rigged a temporary above ground line to the pump), lowered water level just below skimmer level, and rigged up a cheap sump style pump and bits of an old suction side cleaner hose to pressurize the line and force the marlig gunk out through the leak in the suction line. Let it sit for a day or two, repeat, and flush out the suction line before reconnecting the pool pump. All this effort bought me 2 years before the fitting failed completely and I had to cut out a 3x3 section of concrete decking and dig out under the skimmer to replace the elbow fitting. (pool builder used drain pipe street elbow, and had it in a bind, so over time the glue failed and eventually the fitting popped off the bottom of the skimmer, but that did take 35 years).
blakeusa
In The Industry
You need to find the leak or broken pipe.. or hire someone to find it for you. If your main drain is leaking your pool will drain to the level of the leak....
What makes you think it is the main drain? and it is possible the leak could be anywhere along the line... if your getting bubbles or air in your skimmer and all else is tight.
Can you shut off or cap your skimmer lines?
What makes you think it is the main drain? and it is possible the leak could be anywhere along the line... if your getting bubbles or air in your skimmer and all else is tight.
Can you shut off or cap your skimmer lines?
Thanks for relating your experience Isaac. Sounds like a lot of work.
blakeusa, yup, I've done a lot of work to isolate the leak. Dug up the lines (skimmer and main drain) from the pool to the pump, replaced all fittings at pump, replace 3 way valve at pump. The only place I am not able to inspect is from just below the surface of the ground (about 2 feet) down the actual drain at the bottom of the pool. Given this, I'm pretty confident the leak is at the main drain. Once the water gets warmer I will try a dye test to re-confirm.
blakeusa, yup, I've done a lot of work to isolate the leak. Dug up the lines (skimmer and main drain) from the pool to the pump, replaced all fittings at pump, replace 3 way valve at pump. The only place I am not able to inspect is from just below the surface of the ground (about 2 feet) down the actual drain at the bottom of the pool. Given this, I'm pretty confident the leak is at the main drain. Once the water gets warmer I will try a dye test to re-confirm.
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