How do you pressure test lines?

[ktyler]

I'm still having trouble getting everything figured out with my pool builder. We have had a leak that I think is in the lines and he is saying it can't be because the pressure would drop immediately after pressure testing. This is how they tested, every return in my pool was plugged with pvc and in my skimmer one has pvc and one had the line he hooked the pressure hose to. Nothing is plugged at my pump or those lines. We are using my pressure gauge on the filter to watch if it moves. We are leaving it over night to see. Can you guys tell me if I do have a leak in a pipe what I should see with the pressure? It's about 18psi right now on my gauge at the pump.

Here's what I have been having going on, our liner kept floating away from the edge, we had a wet winter, so thought that was keeping the ground saturated, we also have a lot of clay. He decided to install a sump pump to pull the water away from the pool and pump it away. He installed that and it immediately started pumping water, and my liner got tight again. Even when we are very dry it still goes off every 2 1/2 hours pumping water, the water is really clear, so I tested it with my kit and it shows that it has chlorine in it. This is the third time he has pressure tested the lines, but the first time he left it over night. The time before he just plugged up all of the returns with the pvc, but no pressure on it, and my sump pump did not go off for 48 hours. I took the plugs out and the pump immediately started filling again. So that makes me think it's in the lines, but he said the pressure would drop immediately.

So I'm just looking for your opinion on how you guys test it and if this is correct I would see it immediately. He also said if there were a leak we would hear it just standing on the deck of the pool.

Thanks for any help.

 

[ktyler]

This is what we have plugging the lines.

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[JasonLion]

If you had a problem the pressure would go down to zero. That usually happens in the first few seconds, if it is going to happen. Rarely, slow leaks can take a few hours to show up.

 

[Charlie_R]

You note the water has chlorine in it, yet you haven't said if your pool water level is dropping more than can be accounted for by evaporation etc. You can check this with a "bucket test".

Is it possible that your skimmer or returns have a crack that would be covered by the test plugs? Stranger things have happened. If possible, a visual check of all pipe connections to the pool may be in order. It may have to wait until the water warms up some.

 

[ktyler]

Yes my water level goes down in the pool about 3/8" per day. Thank you for the help, we will try the skimmer and returns connections, they tested around the returns before but never with the eyeballs out.

 

[ktyler]

It went from 18 psi to 16 psi in about an hour and 20 minutes.

 

[ktyler]

Last night at 7:30 the pressure was down to 11 psi and this morning it was at 0. It was all pressured up at about 1:30 yesterday afternoon. Is it normal to go to 0 over night?

 

[JasonLion]

No. Some fluctuation with temperature change is normal, but going to zero indicates a leak. Since it took hours to go down, it must be a fairly slow leak.

 

[Charlie_R]

No, it should have stayed at the initial pressure. How high is your PB pressurizing to? He should be going to at least 30 psi, or close to what your normal system pressure is. PVC pipe can handle quite a bit more, depending on temperature.

 

[ktyler]

Thank you guys for the replies. He is going to about 19-20psi each time.

 

[Charlie_R]

That could indicate he knows there is a problem, and may be trying to minimize it. Have him take it to 40 psi, and see how fast it drops with him there.

 

[ktyler]

Thank you Charlie, yes he knows there is a problem. He just can't find out where it is, and he is not wanting to pay the $400 to have american leak detection to come out. We are still under warranty with his contract. We have known it was leaking since it was finished in September and it's been a wait ever since.