Caretaker Coverup

[SwimCoach427]

My caretaker system is 23 years old. It stopped working 8 or more years ago, though it never worked well - ever. We got a kick butt robotic cleaner and have been happy. DILEMMA - We are getting the pool resurfaced right now. While the water is out, I want to cover up those ugly pop up heads. Does anyone know if there is anything out there that will pop on and cover them up? They are old, faded, and brittle. Pool guys can't just cover over them - I asked.

Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

Do you have existing returns in the walls of the pool?

The pop up assemblies can be removed and filled with hydraulic cement. But only if you have a means for the water to return to the pool other than the infloor system.
@proavia can provide some guidance.

 

[proavia]

Do you have separate returns in the pool walls that return water to the pool?

 

[1poolman1]

My caretaker system is 23 years old. It stopped working 8 or more years ago, though it never worked well - ever. We got a kick butt robotic cleaner and have been happy. DILEMMA - We are getting the pool resurfaced right now. While the water is out, I want to cover up those ugly pop up heads. Does anyone know if there is anything out there that will pop on and cover them up? They are old, faded, and brittle. Pool guys can't just cover over them - I asked.

Thanks!

If you don't have wall returns, the caretaker heads can be replaced with floor returns. It takes some roto-hammer work to get down to where they can be attached to the pipe. You can replace all of them, or figure how many are needed, find the above-ground portion of those pipes and plumb the filter output (or whatever is last in you system) to them, glue caps on the rest, fill the remaining pipes in the pool with hydraulic cement, and plaster over them. Sounds like a lot of work, because it is.
This is a floor return that you would see. This is grey, they come in other colors. They are used mainly in competition pools so there is no current to affect competitors. Many home pools have them as well, especially "disappearing edge pools," for the same reason.