Loose return jet pipe

[bwatl]

I purchased a Poolskim and was in the process of installing it in my IG gunite (requires removing the eyeball fitting and replacing with the Poolskim adapter as well as installing a flow reducer on the second return jet).

While attempting to use an adjustable plumbers wrench to gently remove the eyeball fitting from the second jet -- reaching down from the water line (return lines are very low), I noticed that instead of loosening the cover fitting, the entire fitting seemed to turn (the outer male eyeball ring as well as the female wall socket/fitting). After a couple of turns, I saw what seemed to be the pvc feed pipe pulling away from the gunite wall approx 3/4". I used the wrench to then push the enter jet fitting back into the wall, and it did rather easily.

Should the fitting/pipe be that loose that it can pull away from the gunite wall that easily? I assumed the female fitting was somehow plastered in place. I now see a gap between the fitting and the plaster wall. I'm afraid I've broken the fitting loose and now will have a major leak issue. I will reiterate that I was turning the outer eyeball fitting very gently, nothing that I could image would break the female socket/fitting away from the plaster if installed properly.

Appreciate your thoughts as well as any detail on how these fittings are installed into the wall. Thanks...

 

[bwatl]

Just a bump to see if anyone had thoughts on this. After observing for several days, there doesn't appear to be a significant water loss, so I assume the look return jets aren't a big issue. But I'm curious if any one else has experienced this issue.

Should I have posted this in another forum? Thanks, everyone.

 

[Bama Rambler]

You may have slip in fittings so it coming loose is no big deal. That would also explain why it was easy to push back into the pipe.

 

[bwatl]

Thanks for the response -- perhaps the slip in fitting explains. Just for my own education, how do these fittings work/what is their "anatomy" and how do they create a water tight seal in the pool wall/beam?

 

[Bama Rambler]

They don't create the water tight seal. The piping is ran through the wall and cut off flush with the inside surface. the seal is between the pipe and the wall. The slip fitting just slips inside the pipe to provide a fitting for the eyeball.