I have a call in to a local pool company to come pressure test the lines but I’m about at my whits end trying to find a leak! We have a 17 year old fiberglass pool. We have done the bucket test. The bucket loses about 1/4” a day and our pool is losing 3/4” to 1” a day. So I’m fairly confident we have a leak. I’ve checked the skimmer box and returns with dye and can’t find anything obvious. There are no air bubbles in the pump basket or coming out the jets. We lose water when the pump is both off and on (although I think we actually lose more when it’s off). Any other ideas of where to search in the meantime of waiting for the pool company to come check?! As a side note our water chemistry has been fantastic this year thanks to the help of this forum! So this leak is extra frustrating….just when I think I have this pool figured out!
Leak Detection…still searching
- Thread starter asoccio
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,732
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Have you stopped adding water to the pool and see where the water level stops falling?
What type of pool lighst and light niche do you have? Leaks can develop in the back of the light niche and where the wires come in.
What type of pool lighst and light niche do you have? Leaks can develop in the back of the light niche and where the wires come in.
- May 27, 2021
- 1,356
- Pool Size
- 17000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
When you bucket tested with the pump off did you leave the returns, skimmer, and main drain unplugged? You can further isolate where exactly the leak is by plugging those with winterizing plugs with pump off then performing the bucket test. If the leak remains the same you know its in the basin. If the leak stops you know it’s in the plumbing and you can further isolate which line by unplugging one line at a time and re-testing.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 52,078
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Do you have a serviceable main drain? If so, there may be a hydrostatic valve that needs to be checked.
I have no stopped adding water only because our summer is coming to an end and I am trying to enjoy the last few weeks with the kiddos! After they go back to school I may try this to see if it stops at the light. We only have 1 light.
Thank you! I did leave them open when I did the bucket test. I didn’t even think about plugging them. The main drain and skimmer are plumbed to one valve, but I could isolate the returns easily with winter plugs. Great idea.
IT WAS THE POOL LIGHT!!! Thank you for suggesting that. After weeks of dye, bucket tests, and measuring we have FINALLY stopped losing water. We never use the light. It’s an old pool with one light. So I put some epoxy around it and since have no water loss. What a relief!!!
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,732
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
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