Leak confirmed by bucket test... NoW I am stuck on how to fix.

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LINY

LINY

0
May 23, 2016
35
Long Island, NY
Thanks in advance if you can help me...

I did an overnight bucket test to see if I am losing water or it’s evapouration... it’s a leak I am losing about a 1/4 of an inch.

There are no visible signs around the pump equipment my waste line is buried but I have checked the spider gasket in the multi port valve looks good, no splitting, I then remembered we replaced the multi port valve last year. The eye glass has no visible sign of water passing through so I concluded it’s unlikely the back end.

I have no bubbles in the return line or in the basket of the pool pump, so I assume a leak in the plumbing doubtful?

I have no light fixing in the pool.

Now I am stuck... what’s strange is we seem to lose the exact same amount of water it seems to get to this level then stop. But I am going to confirm that tomorrow and see if we lose anything else.

Where else do you recommend I look?
 
You say that you are losing 1/4" of water, then it stops ... WHAT is RIGHT at the water line when the loss stops? I would look there.
 
Pics of your pool and the water level the water starts at and ends up at would let us see what you are dealing with.
 
Top mark on skimmer was what the pool was at and second Mark is where it fell too.. we suspect the steps will refill tomorrow after seeing if we lose anymore water today and go round with food coloring to see if I can locate anything. Liner is only 4 years old.
 

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I think the bucket needs to be on a lower step in the water so the bucket water is the same temp as the pool water. Evaporation is very dependent on water temp differential with air temp.

What temp do you keep your pool? 1/4 inch evaporation can be normal for a warm pool on a cool night.

I would look around the back of the skimmer.
 
Thanks for the advice... I did wonder if the bucket was on too high a step, will place on lower step.

When you say check the back of the skimmer do you mean take off the front plate piece that I see as I look at the skimmer? I am not sure how I would do that! (I’m just the pool girl trying to figure out how it became my job! Lol)
 
LINY said:
Thanks for the advice... I did wonder if the bucket was on too high a step, will place on lower step.

When you say check the back of the skimmer do you mean take off the front plate piece that I see as I look at the skimmer? I am not sure how I would do that! (I’m just the pool girl trying to figure out how it became my job! Lol)
Click to expand...

That is your weir door. Review this old thread and see if it helps — Removing an old weir

Otherwise post pics of it and see if someone can identify how to remove it.
 
ajw22 said:
I think the bucket needs to be on a lower step in the water so the bucket water is the same temp as the pool water. Evaporation is very dependent on water temp differential with air temp.

What temp do you keep your pool? 1/4 inch evaporation can be normal for a warm pool on a cool night.

I would look around the back of the skimmer.
Click to expand...


I am am not entirely sure what you mean by look around the back of the skimmer ...can you clarify?

This is why I was saying about taking off the front plate, the weir doors look ok
 

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With the water level setteling within the skimmer it is the natural place to check. There have been posts by folks who have found cracked skimmers creating leaks.

If the water level drops below the skimmer then it rules out the skimmer area.
 
Thanks ajw22... You were right....

We discovered a crack in the skimmer and previous repair which is reopened and this crack is connected too... that original crack went unnoticed when we had a new liner put in 4 years ago, when we moved in to the house, we haven’t done anything to it yet as we are not sure what to use... or if we should be thinking of having the skimmer replaced. Though I’ve read that it’s not recommended unless the liner is also replaced, assuming this is true(?). and if that’s the case, it will have to be patched. So tonight I reasearch lots of products from Hayward’s schmear compound to pool putty to marine putty and to be honest I still don’t know which way we should go as we need to repair the previous repair also! Any advice appreciated.

I am continuing the bucket test just to make sure, I really hope that the two levels stay the same and this is our only problem.
 
LINY said:
Thanks ajw22... You were right....

We discovered a crack in the skimmer and previous repair which is reopened and this crack is connected too... that original crack went unnoticed when we had a new liner put in 4 years ago, when we moved in to the house, we haven’t done anything to it yet as we are not sure what to use... or if we should be thinking of having the skimmer replaced. Though I’ve read that it’s not recommended unless the liner is also replaced, assuming this is true(?). and if that’s the case, it will have to be patched. So tonight I reasearch lots of products from Hayward’s schmear compound to pool putty to marine putty and to be honest I still don’t know which way we should go as we need to repair the previous repair also! Any advice appreciated.

I am continuing the bucket test just to make sure, I really hope that the two levels stay the same and this is our only problem.
Click to expand...

I guess I am glad you found it.

I have no direct experience with fixing a skimmer crack but have seen other folks here post about using pool putty. Let's see who else here comments.

Can you get a pic of the crack? It may help us understand the location and size crack you are dealing with.

Can you identify how the crack was previously repaired?
 
9D8B387B-08FD-4F39-91A7-114310798F60.jpgI continued to lose water overnight not as much and on closer inspection (via photograph) I could see a hair line crack still under the water line... at least I know it’s there now... will allow it to drift down before attempting the repair just to make sure. I have no idea what it’s been repaired with, it’s solid hard there so assume some type of epoxy.
 
LINY said:
View attachment 82908 I have no idea what it’s been repaired with, it’s solid hard there so assume some type of epoxy.
Click to expand...

A lot of people use JB weld waterweld epoxy. It will only be a temp fix like it was last time. Eventually the crack will open up again, but it should hold until they replace the skimmer.

My guess is the ground around the skimmer is flexing and putting stress on the plastic skimmer and it cracked. That stress will continue to be there and will crack the fix eventually. At some time the permanent fix is a new skimmer.
 

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