Trenchless repair/reline of 1/2" pvc filler line?

[wysocki]

I have a 1/2" PVC pool filler coming from my house to the pool (30') and it has developed a leak somewhere in it. The entire line is under concrete slab so there's no option to excavate it. I'm wondering is there any good method of relining or otherwise being able to use it again. I was thinking about maybe snaking a 1/4" plastic tube through it (which would supply enough flow) but I don't know what kind of tube would be feasible. The stiff plastic they use for refrigerator ice makers would hold the pressure, but I don't think it would be able to snake through the couple of elbows in the line. The softer stuff they use for aquarium air hoses wouldn't hold the pressure, I believe. Maybe use some kind of pressure regulator?

Anyone have any ideas on how I could re-instate my filler line?

 

[jblizzle]

What is the pipe used for? Is it manually turned on to top off the pool?
Or is this the supply line that runs to an auto-fill?

 

[wysocki]

The system was intended to automatically fill the pool, but I'm not sure if it was Kosher. At the house, there is an anti-siphon valve which is (was) always on. It fed the 1/2" pvc line which went to poolside into one of those in-deck enclosures which had a float valve (like inside a toilet) attached to the other end of the pvc. When the water dropped in the pool (and the enclosure) the valve opened and water flowed into the pool through a short pipe. The supply pipe was always pressurized.

 

[Bama Rambler]

You could blow a string through it with an air compressor and then "pull" some tubing through the pipe if all it has are a couple of elbows. Polypropylene or polyethylene tubing should bend around them when warm. The only danger you face is kinking it where it goes around the 90's.

 

[jblizzle]

Ok, so it is like a normal auto-fill setup. Your first post made it sound like it was just a fill line that ran right to the pool that you turn on and off.

How do you know it leaks? You see water coming out somewhere or hear it?

That is a small pipe to try to fit something inside of it that will still handle the pressure.

 

[wysocki]

Yeah, the poly tubing would probably take the bends and even if it kinks a bit I just need a dribble to keep the pool up to level over time. I just don't want the tubing to blow up with the full 50psi of water. I noticed it last summer when (during a drought) the joints in my patio decking were wet. I turned it off at the house and it stopped but now it's a pain to refill 1/2" to 3/4" per day with a hose.

 

[Patrick_B]

Welcome to the forum!

Lots of PE tubing can handle that kind of pressure with ambient temperature water no problem. Black Par-Flex is one, but there are many others.

 

[wysocki]

Thanks for the Par-Flex tip, Patrick! I just sent them a note asking if I could get a small sample to see if/how it would make it through the pvc. Then I'll have to engineer connections on both ends! I'll edit this post with any progress I have.