So I had a leak detection company come and inspect everything and they told me I don't have a leak. Before I had called them I did a bucket test and the pool was declining at a faster rate then the bucket. I also did a dye test where 1 jet was slighty sucking it in, 1 blowing it out slightly and 1 where nothing was happening(pool was off and the jets not tested sealed up). One thing I had noticed was the pool had been off for 3 days and bubbles trickled out of the jet where i suspect its coming from. The day after the leak inspection I did another bucket test and in 2 days it dropped half an inch and the bucket a quarter of an inch. Am I doing something wrong or did the leak company send out somebody that didn't do a good job? Also this is an inground cement pool.
I swear I have a leak but company says I don't
- Thread starter fflaque
- Start date
Toxophilite
Silver Supporter
Half-inch in 48 hours in August in Tampa does not sound like an unreasonable evaporation rate. If it is windy there and your bucket wasn't made as close in fill and depth as the pool as feasibly possible, you could get a slight discrepancy in measurement comparision.
Last edited:
F,
How did you do the bucket test?
The bucket needs to be in the water, not sitting on the deck.
The water level in the bucket needs to be about 4 to 6" from the top of the bucket, not just a little bit in the bottom of the bucket.
The test is not all that accurate and unless you have a massive leak needs to be done for 4 or 5 days to get any useful data.
Thanks,
Jim R.
How did you do the bucket test?
The bucket needs to be in the water, not sitting on the deck.
The water level in the bucket needs to be about 4 to 6" from the top of the bucket, not just a little bit in the bottom of the bucket.
The test is not all that accurate and unless you have a massive leak needs to be done for 4 or 5 days to get any useful data.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Toxophilite
Silver Supporter
That's a serious bucket tester!!!!F,
How did you do the bucket test?
The bucket needs to be in the water, not sitting on the deck.
The water level in the bucket needs to be about 4 to 6" from the top of the bucket, not just a little bit in the bottom of the bucket.
The test is not all that accurate and unless you have a massive leak needs to be done for 4 or 5 days to get any useful data.
Thanks,
Jim R.
I started about 5 pm the day before where it was touching bottom of the tape and the top was at the brim.
F,
The best way to find a leak is to let it leak down until it stops.
Of course, you can't add water to the pool so that approach kind of ruins the pool season.
Most leaks are at the following places.
Skimmer #1
Pool Returns #4
Light #2
Main drain. #3
It is also good to know if the leak is worse with the pump on or off.
What did the leak detection guy do when he came out?
Thanks,
Jim R.
The best way to find a leak is to let it leak down until it stops.
Of course, you can't add water to the pool so that approach kind of ruins the pool season.
Most leaks are at the following places.
Skimmer #1
Pool Returns #4
Light #2
Main drain. #3
It is also good to know if the leak is worse with the pump on or off.
What did the leak detection guy do when he came out?
Thanks,
Jim R.
Do you have a patent on that bucket test Design? That is done by someone that has a lot of time to lay out and develop.F,
How did you do the bucket test?
The bucket needs to be in the water, not sitting on the deck.
The water level in the bucket needs to be about 4 to 6" from the top of the bucket, not just a little bit in the bottom of the bucket.
The test is not all that accurate and unless you have a massive leak needs to be done for 4 or 5 days to get any useful data.
Thanks,
Jim R.
I like it!!!!
- Dec 13, 2020
- 909
- Pool Size
- 19600
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
The bucket should be in the pool with water level no higher. Bucket water and pool need to be at the same temperature. If the bucket level is higher, it gets extra sun.
Also, filling near to the top makes it easier for wind, inadvertent bumps, etc. to slosh water out. Best if the water level is well below the rim. Mark the level with a sharpie for measurement.
Another point - not a problem here but in general - is to use a bucket with vertical sides, not tapering like a funnel. Taper dorks up the results if there's rain during the test.
here is the last pic i took right before it rained. Its clear from the pic the water level dropped from the top of the white to the bottom of the white and it measures exactly .5 inches over a period of 41 hours. Also forgot to mention there is no screen enclosure.