New (+1st timer) Pool Build - North DFW

[convan23]

Independent pool leak "guy" that our builder uses for cases like ours came out today. He found a leak in one of the light niches. It was pretty obvious...surprised the plaster company's diver missed it. The leak is in the conduit for this light. To repair, he added a bunch of epoxy to the conduit so that pool water does not go into the conduit anymore. He said that he's been in the business for ~10 years and how they always fix leaks in conduits (versus digging up the conduit and finding the leak/repairing in the conduit).

Sound right to y'all? Just means when we ever have this light replaced we'll have to re-epoxy it.

 

[joepaiii]

Independent pool leak "guy" that our builder uses for cases like ours came out today. He found a leak in one of the light niches. It was pretty obvious...surprised the plaster company's diver missed it. The leak is in the conduit for this light. To repair, he added a bunch of epoxy to the conduit so that pool water does not go into the conduit anymore. He said that he's been in the business for ~10 years and how they always fix leaks in conduits (versus digging up the conduit and finding the leak/repairing in the conduit).

Sound right to y'all? Just means when we ever have this light replaced we'll have to re-epoxy it.

For a new pool build I don't know if I would accept that as a fix... I would flag that to the builder. What kind of light is it? How often will it need fixed? Can the light even be removed if epoxy was filled into the conduit? Seems like a band-aid fix to me but it is much easier than finding the problem in the conduit.

 

[convan23]

For a new pool build I don't know if I would accept that as a fix... I would flag that to the builder. What kind of light is it? How often will it need fixed? Can the light even be removed if epoxy was filled into the conduit? Seems like a band-aid fix to me but it is much easier than finding the problem in the conduit.

Yeah…the break is obviously under the concrete decking, so not sure what I should ask for. Digging up the decking? Then new decking they patch won’t match the existing and could look even worse?

I agree it sucks on a new pool. Just not sure what’s the most reasonable solution.

Light can be removed. More of a problem of when the light has to be replaced.

It’s a new model Hayward LED. Spa UCL or something like that - not as big as the full size pool lights but not small like a microbrite.

 

[wireform]

As lights don't last forever, just search the forum you're just setting yourself up for future troubles. Lights just get pulled out with a fish wire by the pad connected to the wire ends and then pull back the new with it back to the pad. You will never be able to take advantage of that cuz the epoxy basically cemented the conduit shut water tight. Fast forward a few years and a light change it'll be: a) drop water below niche b) stand in the water cutting out epoxy to free the wire which can get stuck on the way out not being completely epoxyless c)new wire and new epoxy and who knows what d) e) is going to be. Get it fixed the way it's designed to be.

 

[convan23]

@wireform so what are you saying I should ask the PB to do? The break is obviously under concrete decking, probably right after it exists the gunite, based on there are no wet spots in the yard after the decking to the equipment pad.

Also, your profile shows you’re in the industry - what’s your background?

 

[wireform]

Take a chance and dig after the decking as there's no way to assume for certain that it's by the shell. Luck may have it where you can get to it. In the event the deck needs to be cut the fact the concrete is newish will make it blend better then waiting 3-4 years and doing it then.

 

[convan23]

Here are the photos I have during build for this conduit. Anything look out of the ordinary? As far as I can tell, this conduit is ran almost directly under our 6” wide artificial turf strip.

 

[wireform]

Hard to tell but where the green x is looks to have been a kinked conduit and possibly that's where it's cracked.

 

[poolnoobgrandma]

Hard to tell but where the green x is looks to have been a kinked conduit and possibly that's where it's cracked.

If the conduit is cracked, just fixing the pool leak is a bandaid at best. Water will be able to seep into the conduit and eventually damage whatever the conduit was designed to protect. Probably after you're out of warranty. Talk to the PB. Get it fixed correctly.

 

[convan23]

So it may not be the conduit that was leaking. Pool was still dropping even after the conduit was plugged with epoxy so leak guy came back out this morning and looked some more. He found a crack in the niche itself. He couldn’t see it the other day because the niche was in shadow, this morning sun was angled right into it. (The water is also freezing cold which makes it fun to stay under the water and get a good look at things ) He epoxied over the crack in the niche and we will see if we are good now.

This makes more sense as there was plaster that was chipped out of this niche… it was chipped out later after I had already inspected all the niches and I forgot to look at it again before new plaster.

So, assuming the conduit isn’t actually leaking, and it’s just a crack in the niche, is epoxy a suitable solve for this? Replacing the niche seems like more trouble then it’s worth at this point.

 

[wireform]

Underwater marine epoxy works very well as I'm sure there's other products that would work fine too.

 

[convan23]

Leak has been fixed.

Plaster company coming in Friday to look at plaster roughness (see pictures above).

These spots you can find during the daylight if you look really hard, but stand out like sore thumbs at night. I’d like them to agree to repolish the ledge since it’s the worse spot, doesn’t require a full drain, and it’s the most visible. If this was outside of water I’d put tape on all the rough spots. Any creative ideas to mark these spots under water? Trying to think of what would be small but heavy enough to not move around with the current. Assuming there’s not any sort of underwater marker or tape or anything that’s temporary.

 

[KCNM]

Have you tried a rock? I hear those sink good!

I mean, there is underwater tape. Like Flex Tape, from the Flex Seal brand. But I'd be worried that anything formulated to work underwater is going to be formulated to *STICK* underwater. And I assume you want the tape to come back off once the workers get there.

I just thought of the myth: "The Americans spent millions of dollars developing a pen that would work in the microgravity of space. The Russians just used a pencil." A pencil, or probably even better, colored sidewalk chalk, might work.

 

[convan23]

Yeah my dense head didn’t think of trying a rock. I have a boatload of river rocks that would be perfect. I tried some pool diving toys but those are just light enough that the next day they moved around.

 

[KCNM]

Yeah my dense head didn’t think of trying a rock.

Maybe check in there for some then!

 

[convan23]

Plaster company + PB super came out today to look at plaster. They agreed to re-polish it no-questions asked. Aiming for mid-January for drain, polish, and re-fill. So I guess that's good....questions for y'all:

1. With a full drain and re-fill, what do I need to be concerned with? PB said there's a hydrostatic valve in the main drain, but regardless they're going to want to find a time to do this when there's no rain for about a week before draining.

2. Originally I was only asking them to re-polish the tanning ledge, as that's where it's the worse, but most of the surface around the entire pool has imperfections like this. It looks kind of like a salt-finish sidewalk....not cracks but holes throughout the plaster. It's only obvious on the tanning ledge though. If the tanning ledge is the only thing that *bothers* us, would you personally still let them do a full-drain and re-fill since they're offering to re-polish it all - or is that going to open us up to more potential headaches?

 

[convan23]

Pool was drained, polished, and re-filled in the same day this week. After polishing, they came back with fresh mixed plaster and used that to fill in other "holes" they could find on the tanning ledge and along the bottom of the waterline tile. Wish I had good photos of before/after, but it seemed to help...although the polish didn't do a ton. However, at night with the pool lights on the plaster finish now looks smooth.

PB came out today after pool was full to add salt and fire up the salt cell. Added 6x 40# bags to start with and we'll see where that nets us and he'll come back out and add more if needed.

He left me with extra acid, cya and cal-hypo. Since I haven't added calcium yet since filling the pool, I used the cal-hypo to chlorinate the pool today. It left the pool pretty cloudy....didn't realize that I should've gotten the pH balanced first (was pretty high when I added the cal-hypo). Hopefully it clears up quickly.