Pool plumbing questing

[mdhwoods]

So I have an in ground pool with a skimmer and 3 returns. I have a barracuda g3 which can be hooked up to either the skimmer or a dedicated port for vacuum. What i suspect is a vacuum port on the side of my pool it is dead. It is about 1' below the water line right in the middle of the back wall.

My pump only has 1 pipe coming out of the ground for suction and one going back into the ground for return.

So what I want to know is where the heck is that port plumbed to if anywhere. Since it is an in groud why would that port be there yet seem to go no where. Or is it possible that it is terminated undergroud by the pump but never plumbed?

Just seems strange to go through the troble of putting it there but not hooking it up. I would love to get it working and put my cleaner there instead of at the skimmer.

Thanks

 

[JasonLion]

It is possible that there is a valve that turns that port on and off. The valve might be in a strange place, for example under a cover plate. The valve, if there is one, could be nearly anywhere between the equipment pad and the port.

Another possibility is that the port was disconnected at some point in the past.

It is also possible that it is simply clogged.

 

[mdhwoods]

So chances are at one time it worked. IF there is a valve then it is buried somewhere as there is only 1 pipe coming out of the ground for suction. Wouldn't there need to be a valve to turn the skimmer off and another to turn the vac on? If so then that means there is 2 valves buried somewhere.

 

[mdhwoods]

Well I just don't know. There is no obvious shutoff valve and I really am not in the mood to start digging up my yard looking for one.

arggh

 

[JohnT]

Another possibility is that it was added so it could be connected for future use when the pool was built, but was never connected. Cheap to do when you are building, but hard to go back and add it.

 

[silcozot]

any change it may be pluged? I would try an electric type wire fish and see if it is blocked

 

[mdhwoods]

any change it may be pluged? I would try an electric type wire fish and see if it is blocked

I may stick a snake in it and see how far it goes. I guess if i hit something it will either be a valve or a cap. If i only make it in a foot then it is probably capped off and was never plumbed.

 

[launboy]

Do you have a main drain? Does the skimmer have two holes in the bottom? It's possible(I think) that they could have plumbed the vacuum port to the second hole in your skimmer. This is a common practice with main drains.

HTH,
Adam

 

[mdhwoods]

Do you have a main drain? Does the skimmer have two holes in the bottom? It's possible(I think) that they could have plumbed the vacuum port to the second hole in your skimmer. This is a common practice with main drains.

HTH,
Adam

Skimmer has 2 holes, one goes to main drain and the other to the pump. Side suctions does not go there from what i can tell. Drained pool by tying the 2 holes in the skimmer together. Once the water got below the side suction i would have been sucking air had it been plumbed to the skimmer.

 

[launboy]

Hmm, well then I guess the only way to figure out where it goes is to snake it, or get a plumber with a camera on a snake to follow it and see what the end looks like.

Good luck,
Adam