Need help with pool fill line

[gel0028]

Hello everyone, I recently bought a foreclosed home with a pool. This is my first pool and since the home was a foreclosure, I did not get the oppurtunity to have the previous owner show me how everything on the pool works. By reading this website, I think I have a good understanding now how the filtration system works but I have one problem that I havent been able to work out. There is a PVC pipe sticking out of the side of the pool, about a 1" diameter pipe. This pipe is just above the water line. Now I thought it was a dedicated line to fill the pool, however I cannot find anywhere to turn the water on. What is going on here? Is it possible that it was plumbed to the pool but never connected to a water source? I really do not want to start digging to find the other end of the pipe. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Ed

 

[Bama Rambler]

Welcome to TFP.

There's a good chance that's an overflow and not a fill line.

If it's a fill line there should be a valve with a backflow preventer real close to it.

 

[harleysilo]

Welcome to TFP.

There's a good chance that's an overflow and not a fill line.

If it's a fill line there should be a valve with a backflow preventer real close to it.

And if it is stick a hose in it and see where the water comes out....

 

[Bama Rambler]

You can try that but if it goes to a buried cistern you may not see it.

 

[gel0028]

I don't think it is an overflow line. On the other side of the pool there is a small square grate at the water line that i am sure is the overflow drain. It rained a few days ago and there was definately water draining through that grate.

 

[gel0028]

Welcome to TFP.

There's a good chance that's an overflow and not a fill line.

If it's a fill line there should be a valve with a backflow preventer real close to it.

And if it is stick a hose in it and see where the water comes out....

I do have a backflow preventer on the side of the house. My sprinkler system would not come on. I went to the backflow preventer and noticed the valve was in the off position. When I tried to turn the valve to the on position, the handle fell apart in my hand from rust. I assumed that backflow preventer went to the sprinkler system since the water was turned off and the sprinklers didnt come on. This may be a dumb question but is it possible for the sprinklers and the pool fill line to use the same backflow preventer?

Thanks,
Ed

 

[harleysilo]

You can try that but if it goes to a buried cistern you may not see it.

Alternatively if the line fills up and starts squirting out around the hose it may mean there is a valve on the other end....

 

[Bama Rambler]

Yes they can share the backflow preventer but then your fill would either have to have a separate valve or an auto fill float.

 

[gel0028]

Yes they can share the backflow preventer but then your fill would either have to have a separate valve or an auto fill float.

Weird, No valves that I can find and there isnt a float anywhere. I guess I need to replace the valve on the backflow preventer and see what it does.

Ed

 

[danpik]

Any pictures you could load? I am suspecting this may simply be the filter return outlet

 

[gel0028]

Any pictures you could load? I am suspecting this may simply be the filter return outlet

So what do you think?

 

[clw72]

That looks like a fill line to me. If it's not tied into a hose bib on the house, it may be tied into your sprinkler system. Our previous house had a separate zone on the sprinkler system for the pool fill line.