What is this ? Drain valve? Old Timers I need Help.

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BilScott

BilScott

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Bronze Supporter
Aug 9, 2017
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Pinellas county, Fl.
Can anyone tell me what this is. My pluming doesn't have any valves for the jets,skimmer,main drain. This PVC cap covers what looks like a valve of some sorts. This PVC " Thing " would line up with the skimmer and return jets (same side).
Thanks, Bil
 
Do you know if the pool had a main drain at any point in time? It could have been leaking and they just capped it off.

Another possibility is a well point to pump out ground water. Does the cap come off?

Also, is that another pipe next too it that goes underground?
 
Sorry i should have been clearer. The top Pic is with the cap off. I just used my hand and it pulled off easily. Bottom pic with top back on. The two slots in the Pipe going into the ground are nicely cut and rounded off, looks almost like a spanner wrench could be used to turn it.
Thanks, Bil

Don't know if it had a main drain.
 
It could just a abandon pipe for the irrigation. If you shine a flashlight down the pipe, can you see the bottom or is filled with dirt?
 
Thanks JamesW. I've found that the Suction-limiting vent is a good bet.
(II) SUCTION-LIMITING VENT SYSTEM - A suction-limiting vent system with a tamper resistant atmospheric opening.

A suction-limiting vent system is also called an atmospheric
vent. It is a pipe teed to the suction side of the circulation system on one end and
open to the atmosphere on the opposite end. The pipe is normally full of water
equal to the same height as the pool. When a blockage occurs at the main drain,
air is introduced into the suction line thus causing the pump to lose prime and
relieving the suction forces at the main drain (suction outlet)
 

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As the description notes, it is generally used for main drains which you do not have correct? I doubt it would be used for skimmer because the lines are not as deep so it wouldn't take much line suction to start sucking air. Attaching a cleaner to the skimmer would have more than a few feet of head and so would start sucking air from the vent.
 
If you can grab a shovel and it's not too much work, start digging. I'm thinking that, with the split down the middle, it was used as some kind of anchor in the ground to hold up a shaft, like a Tikki Torch. I'd be willing to bet some donuts that if you dig down, you might find the other end set in some concrete...just a guess, but it doesn't look it's a part of the plumbing system to me.
 
Do you have another capped off pipe by your equipment. my PB put in an extra pipe and it comes out of the ground =near my spa and the other end is by my equipment.... told me it was just a spare as the lines run about 100' from the equip pad
 
It’s not an atmospheric safety vent - it wouldn’t function properly in that placement..

I’m going with the guy above that speculated it is a means to remediate ground water or as my friends down south call them “mud suckers” so you don’t “float the boat” - or it doesn’t have a darn thing to do with the pool.
 
I do have a main drain in the deep end. I've put my hands over it with the pump running many times and can't feel any suction. My system is as simple as it gets, 1 supply line and 1 return line. There are no capped off lines anywhere. This mystery PVC cap and pipe are 60 feet from the equipment pad. Our yard sits 15 feet above sea level.
Thanks everyone for your help.
 
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