Leak at Return

[Gollie]

Just discovered a very small/slow leak coming from the return jet plumbing on the outside of the pool. Tried to google a fix, but all the results I found related to the rubber gasket, which is not where this leak is coming from.

I don't know the technical terms for most of the plumbing stuff so please bear with me. Anywhere there is a permanent connection in the plumbing, the installers used some kind of gray sealant. I assume it was a thick liquid when initially applied and then quickly dried to a (kind of crusty/crumbly-looking) solid. In the picture, you can see that it's light gray around most of the connection, but where it's darker, that's where it's leaking.

Because this stuff is some kind of permanent adhesive, I don't even know where to begin for a fix. Is there something (maybe the same stuff, whatever it is) that I could apply without having to dismantle the whole friggen thing? If so, what? If not, is my only option to get a whole new return jet set/kit, remove the entire exisiting one (inside and out), cut a new piece of whatever that few inches of grey pipe is, and essentially redo the entire fitting? ()

Also, this pool was installed not even two years ago. Its been through two winters and 1.5 summers. That's it. It seems pretty early for whatever this sealant stuff is to be failing. Or am I wrong? Should I expect to have to deal with this every year or two???

Thanks in advance!

 

[Tnt17tnt]

Plug it from the inside of the pool if you have the adapter plug. Then yank that off. Can either seal it again from the inside (clean it good) with Oatey purple primer and glue and then the outside with silicone if it makes you feel better (I did not) or you can get the outside threaded adaptor or coupling to 1 1/2" pipe you have currently. Possibly ace hardware would have that but if not I can send you a link where I got mine and 2 sets

 

[Gollie]

Plug it from the inside of the pool if you have the adapter plug. Then yank that off. Can either seal it again from the inside (clean it good) with Oatey purple primer and glue and then the outside with silicone if it makes you feel better (I did not) or you can get the outside threaded adaptor or coupling to 1 1/2" pipe you have currently. Possibly ace hardware would have that but if not I can send you a link where I got mine and 2 sets

Thanks!!! If you have the link handy, that'd be a great help!

I do have the adapter plug for the inside that goes on for winter, so I'll use that. When you say, "then yank that off," you mean the couple of inches of grey pipe, correct? (Not the whole outside part including the white part with the threads that's closest to the pool wall.) It doesn't feel super yankable so

 

[Tnt17tnt]

White part with the threads leave as it's attached through the wall to the other threaded jet (in pool return). I looked at mine on the skimmer next to it and it's a 2" hayward female to 1 1/2" slip but that won't work I don't think for your return there.
I would go to a Ace hardware (not Lowe's or Home Depot my advice but you can try ) and use a tape measure to make sure the "pool side" where your threads are is 2". A Union would work that is threaded. Then on the other side you want it to be 1 1/2" and "slip" which means it will slip onto that gray pipe. Worst case scenario take a picture of what's to the left more and you can probably add something threaded as well or cut and add a coupling with new pipe and glue both ends and be brand new.

 

[Gollie]

White part with the threads leave as it's attached through the wall to the other threaded jet (in pool return). I looked at mine on the skimmer next to it and it's a 2" hayward female to 1 1/2" slip but that won't work I don't think for your return there.
I would go to a Ace hardware (not Lowe's or Home Depot my advice but you can try ) and use a tape measure to make sure the "pool side" where your threads are is 2". A Union would work that is threaded. Then on the other side you want it to be 1 1/2" and "slip" which means it will slip onto that gray pipe. Worst case scenario take a picture of what's to the left more and you can probably add something threaded as well or cut and add a coupling with new pipe and glue both ends and be brand new.

I think I got it , but I'll go to Ace tomorrow and read your reply to my go-to guy there. I'm sure it'll make perfect sense to him haha.

Thank you again!

P.S. My pump/filter and all of my plumbing are Hayward as well. Always seemed a bit strange to me since, near as I can tell, there's nothing special or proprietary about the pipes, connections, valves, etc

 

[Tnt17tnt]

I think I got it , but I'll go to Ace tomorrow and read your reply to my go-to guy there. I'm sure it'll make perfect sense to him haha.

Thank you again!

P.S. My pump/filter and all of my plumbing are Hayward as well. Always seemed a bit strange to me since, near as I can tell, there's nothing special or proprietary about the pipes, connections, valves, etc

You may have to cut some of that pipe with cutters as well if that's hard glued. Then they will sell you the slip coupler and some small section of pipe (mine will sell me 4 and 5 foot already cut).
Here's mine. Gives you an idea. You could always do a soft hose line too from here back to your filter with hose clamps.
The black threaded I am not pointing to is from Hayward on my suction side going from the bottom of the skimmer to my pump. But unfortunately it won't fit the return side your referring to on the white threaded part
Hayward SP1500UNPAK2C 1-1/2-Inch... Amazon.com

 

[Gollie]

You may have to cut some of that pipe with cutters as well if that's hard glued. Then they will sell you the slip coupler and some small section of pipe (mine will sell me 4 and 5 foot already cut).
Here's mine. Gives you an idea. You could always do a soft hose line too from here back to your filter with hose clamps.
The black threaded I am not pointing to is from Hayward on my suction side going from the bottom of the skimmer to my pump. But unfortunately it won't fit the return side your referring to on the white threaded part
Hayward SP1500UNPAK2C 1-1/2-Inch... Amazon.com

The picture and extra explanation are a HUGE help!

I called the company that installed our pool and they said they use PERMATEX® FORM-A-GASKET® NO.2 SEALANT, so that's what the gray stuff is. Based on the product description, it doesn't seem like the best choice for the job though. I know absolutely nothing about plumbing sealants, so I could be totally wrong.

The pool service manager said I could get some and apply where it's leaking to at least get me through the rest of the season, but do you have a product you use and would recommend instead? (Edit: I live in the NE, so whatever I use has to be able to withstand temps as low as the teens-20s and up to at least 100°F.)

The service manager also said that they recommend replacing the plumber's tape every year, which is quite annoying.

Assuming adding more of the permatex stuff fixes the leak for now, I'm going to hold off on a more major/permanent fix until I close the pool in September. I'll definitely be returning to this thread!

 

[Tnt17tnt]

I've used the Permatex as well and it's helped. But I only added it after the backup and if needed since the other stuff I've tried didn't hold under much pressure.

 

[Tnt17tnt]

The picture and extra explanation are a HUGE help!

I called the company that installed our pool and they said they use PERMATEX® FORM-A-GASKET® NO.2 SEALANT, so that's what the gray stuff is. Based on the product description, it doesn't seem like the best choice for the job though. I know absolutely nothing about plumbing sealants, so I could be totally wrong.

The pool service manager said I could get some and apply where it's leaking to at least get me through the rest of the season, but do you have a product you use and would recommend instead? (Edit: I live in the NE, so whatever I use has to be able to withstand temps as low as the teens-20s and up to at least 100°F.)

The service manager also said that they recommend replacing the plumber's tape every year, which is quite annoying.

Assuming adding more of the permatex stuff fixes the leak for now, I'm going to hold off on a more major/permanent fix until I close the pool in September. I'll definitely be returning to this thread!

Looks like there is an older thread here on TFP and Permatex is talked about to use as well.

PVC threaded pipe sealant

I'm replacing some sections of PVC hose (1-1/2" tiger-flex) with PVC hard-pipe. For the the pipe-to-hose connections I decided to use screw-in barbed hose adapters (with clamps), requiring terminal female thread PVC fittings on the hard-pipe. I've followed what I thought to be correct practice...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Gollie]

I've used the Permatex as well and it's helped. But I only added it after the backup and if needed since the other stuff I've tried didn't hold under much pressure.

Holy Toledo! That's one heck of a collection!

I guess I'll stick with the permatex, but I see you have form-a-gasket #1, which says it's hard setting. The #2 that the service manger said they use says it's non-hardening. The stuff that's currently on there seems pretty hard to me, so I wonder if he accidentally sent the wrong one? Or maybe in the context of sealants, hard setting vs non hardening refer to a property other than what they seem to obviously be describing?

P.S. You've already gone above and beyond in helping me, so if you want to tap out, I absolutely wouldn't blame you haha

 

[Tnt17tnt]

Holy Toledo! That's one heck of a collection!

I guess I'll stick with the permatex, but I see you have form-a-gasket #1, which says it's hard setting. The #2 that the service manger said they use says it's non-hardening. The stuff that's currently on there seems pretty hard to me, so I wonder if he accidentally sent the wrong one? Or maybe in the context of sealants, hard setting vs non hardening refer to a property other than what they seem to obviously be describing?

P.S. You've already gone above and beyond in helping me, so if you want to tap out, I absolutely wouldn't blame you haha

One may had been for the car coolant line and leak...I think it was. Neighbor told me use the blue then liked the black. One is for more fuel and oil and one for water connections. However the black has worked great in this connection.

 

[Gollie]

One may had been for the car coolant line and leak...I think it was. Neighbor told me use the blue then liked the black. One is for more fuel and oil and one for water connections. However the black has worked great in this connection.

I can't thank you enough! You've been a huge help!!!