The return fitting on my pool is leaking. I need to at least take the pipe out to reseal it and tighten it and will probably get new gaskets. I am hoping there’s a way to do this without draining all the water that I just added last weekend but I don’t see how. It would have to be some product that seals to the pool wall.
Leaking Return Fitting
- Thread starter crokett
- Start date
Can you have someone help you and have them put their hand over the hole after you remove the fitting? Then keep it there until you have your new fitting ready to install? The water pressure on the fitting hole won’t be much.
I am confused as to which fitting you are talking about? How do you know it's leaking?
A folded up rag works extremely well. Get two people, and two rags (like hand towel size). One person in the pool one outside.
Fold up the rags to 4 thicknesses or so.
Get your new fitting and parts all ready to go.
Have the person inside the pool press their rag against the return
The outside person removes the nut, and then uses their rag to push the fitting into the pool, while the person inside backs off pressure to allow the fitting to come out.
Now the person inside places there rag over the inside of the fitting and pushes it in, while the person outside backs off pressure.
Then the person inside holds their rag over the inside of the return while the person outside finishes the assemble and attaches the hose.
A folded up rag, even under water, holds back a LOT of the flow.
Fold up the rags to 4 thicknesses or so.
Get your new fitting and parts all ready to go.
Have the person inside the pool press their rag against the return
The outside person removes the nut, and then uses their rag to push the fitting into the pool, while the person inside backs off pressure to allow the fitting to come out.
Now the person inside places there rag over the inside of the fitting and pushes it in, while the person outside backs off pressure.
Then the person inside holds their rag over the inside of the return while the person outside finishes the assemble and attaches the hose.
A folded up rag, even under water, holds back a LOT of the flow.
The fitting that runs through the pool wall that attaches to the return from the filter. I know it's leaking because I can see it leaking. It's a slow drip with the pump off. It's a fast drip/slow trickle with the pump running. If I screw the return eye to the inside and restrict water flow, with the pump running it's almost a spray.
Thanks for the suggestions. I will see if I can get some help. I might cut a square of gorilla tape - I will not remove the plastic over the adhesive - and see if I Can use that as a temporary patch.
I get it now. The process phonedave suggested should do the trick 
Well I think I spoke too soon. My SWG was complaining about high salt. So tonight I vacuumed to waste and just let the vac run to drain it down some. I am refilling now. While that was going on I investigated the leak. I -think- it's leaking around the threads to the 1.5" PVC fitting that connects to the line to the filter and not the gaskets. Also please confirm but my memory (and youtube) say that the return fitting is threaded all the way through on the ID for 1.5" male PVC threads. I should be able to screw my capped PVC plug that I use for winterizing to the inside, disconnect the union from the outside and screw the return line in more tightly without losing any water, correct?I get it now. The process phonedave suggested should do the trick
I was going to say, based on what you told @duraleigh about it getting worse with the filter on, and becoming a spray when you cover the return that the bulkhead fitting itself is not leaking, it is the connection between the hose and the fitting that needs to be addressed
Yes, you are correct. You should be able to remove the eyeball retaining ring, and eyeball from the inside and put in your winterizing plug in. Take a look here - Waterway Vinyl Liner Return Fittings Parts - INYOPools.com at the exploded diagram
You are going to remove part #6 from inside your pool and replace it with a plug
Part 5 is where it gets slightly tricky. Part 5 in that picture is a hose adaptor. It threads into the inside of the return fitting and a filter return hose gets clamped to it. That is if you have hoses. You mentioned threads and a union, so maybe you do not have hoses but have hard pipe threaded into it. So you need to remove whatever you have that is threaded into the rear end of the return fitting.
Either way, those threads are NPT threads National Pipe TAPER. The taper here is important. People tend to get all happy about PTFE tape or thread sealant and use it way too much, but in the case of T threads, the threads are doing the sealing, and tape or sealant (or depending on who you talk to, both) are necessary for a watertight seal. Put your plug in, remove whatever is going into those threads (back up your fitting so you don't unscrew the return) look for chowedered threads, and if they are OK, apply tape or sealant and reassemble. 2-3 thickness of tape is fine. Wrap too much and then crank down when tightening and you will be posting about how to repair a cracked fitting.
And when reassembling your union, no tape on those threads, they are not tapered and do not seal anything. However, some silicone grease on the O-ring inside would be nice.
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Thanks. All of my plumbing is 1.5" PVC. I have unions at the connection to the skimmer and the return and valves on both sides. I don't have part number 5 in that diagram. I have a 1.5" standard PVC fitting screwed into part number 1 from the diagram. That goes to an elbow that turns down the pool wall. After watching a video the other day, I think part number 1 from the diagram is simply threaded all the way through the ID. I have a short section of pipe with a 1.5" thread on one end and a cap on the other that I thread in to close it for the winter.
The ID is threaded all the way through, but it is NPT. So it tapers at a rate of 1/16" per linear inch.
Take out the eyeball, thread in your homemade plug, and then fix the other side. Remember, 2-3 turns of tape and then finger tight then 2 or 3 more turns - tops. Do not crank down on the fitting. You will end up cracking the PVC.