New home with in-ground pool/spa combo. What is this valve/dial/thingie in the spa?!

[Avarice]

Very new to owning a pool/spa and this site has been indispensable. I've gotten the pool (mostly) in order and now am familiarizing myself with all of the functions of the spa. Had a new 333k BTU Sta-rite propane heater installed which has worked wonderfully.

What I'm still trying to figure out is the function of this piece of the spa:

Referring obviously to the bit next to the return.

 

[Casey]

I'm not sure what it is as I don't own a spa... wish I did though!!!! They are nice.... Lets bump ya n see if you can get some help today.

 

[pooldv]

That fitting is a plug. Usually they are plugged because a leak developed and they decided to plug it rather than dig it up and fix it. It screws in, if you are feeling adventurous you can unscrew it and see what happens.

 

[OldPoolMan]

Yes, its a threaded plug. Its not a jet, but you would need to remove it to determine where it goes.

 

[Avarice]

That fitting is a plug. Usually they are plugged because a leak developed and they decided to plug it rather than dig it up and fix it. It screws in, if you are feeling adventurous you can unscrew it and see what happens.

If that is indeed what it is, I am not feeling adventurous at all!! Curious though that a plugged leak would be at the same level in the spa as all of the other returns. I would not have guessed that's what it was, but you guys have no doubt seen much more than I.

How about the big, open return at the bottom of the spa? I was surprised that it's just an open hole from which water gushes when I have the "fountain" turned on. This allows water to spill over from the spa to the pool. Is this unusual for the hole to be uncovered? I wonder if there used to be a pipe in there or something of a water feature that actually shot water out like a fountain.

 

[pooldv]

Yes, there could have been a pvc pipe with a fountain head on top to make a bubbler or bell fountain or something.

 

[f18lumpy]

Looks just like the plug I have for my Polaris equipped pool. The pipe won't hold pressure under a test, so the pool company recommended disconnecting the booster pump and capping the return in the pool. Is it possible its for a pressure side pool cleaner?