Last couple days have noticed wet spot near a decking drain. Been raining a bit, so didn't think much of it. Went out today in sunshine, area was dry. Ran the circ pump, water appeared, so apparent leak on pressure line to pool. Worried about water damage, can I leave the circ pump off for a few days until I can cut the concrete and fix the leak? Weather has been rainly and cold for San Diego area, highs in 50s, lows in 40s.
Leak under pool decking
- Thread starter 70runner
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 54,460
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
You can leave the pump off. What test kit do you use? Maintain your FC level using liquid chlorine. Pour it into the water and mix it around with your pool brush. If you have a robot cleaner run it in the pool to mix the chlorine further.
Actually I have it serviced every Wed so don't have any chems at hand. Travel a lot, so tough for me to manage pool. I do have a test kit, but no chlorine. Trying to get a sense of how long I can shut down circulation before needing to treat pool? Realize it's an estimate. Is 2-3 days too long?
- Jul 21, 2013
- 54,460
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Do what you need to do. Worst case you will need the SLAM Process once you get the pump running if your FC drops too much and you get some algae.
You may be ok this time of year but can’t say without knowing your FC level, CYA, and water temperature.
You may be ok this time of year but can’t say without knowing your FC level, CYA, and water temperature.
Appreciate your help. Water temp is 50degF. I'll try to ck FC level tomorrow. Don't have means to ck CYA level.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 54,460
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
At 50F you should be good for a few days to a week.
Times like this are why you should have a TF-100 Test Kits and be prepared to do your own testing.
Found the leak, cracked 1 1/2" pvc 45 elbow. Slow leak without pump, heavier with pump. How would you folks tackle
this? Will I have to drain the pool to allow a dry repair?
this? Will I have to drain the pool to allow a dry repair?
- Jul 21, 2013
- 54,460
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
That a return line? You have a valve by the equipment pad that closes off that line? Plug the line in the pool. Then you can work on the repair.
@jimmythegreek thoughts on repair technique?
@jimmythegreek thoughts on repair technique?
- Jul 21, 2013
- 54,460
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Trial and error and process of elimination. How many returns? How many skimmers? You have a main drain? Was 1 1/2” PVC used on both returns and skimmers or are skimmer lines 2”? What valves do you have on the lines at the equipment pad?
If you have the ability to pump to waste then you could do so and see if it still leaks with pressure. If it does it is a suction pipe to one of the skimmers If it leaks more like an ooze or not at all then it’s the return.
One skimmer, 2 spa returns, 3 pool returns, 3way valves on both circ and jet (spa) pumps. Main drain on both pool and spa, with secondary safety drain on spa. Don't know specifics on plumbing, pool was built before we bought home. I could use the 3 ways to isolate pool/spa and narrow which returns to plug. Or just lower pool/spa level below returns to make repair.
Don't see any other way to repair this except 4 90s to replace the broken 45.?.
Since this area is a major junction of angle fittings, giving some thought to not replacing concrete, rather use some sort of removable cover for future access if needed.
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You could plug the returns and skimmers, disconnect the pump and blow both directions to see which one has the leak. But at that point it’s kinda irrelevant. Just plug everything, cut the pipe and shop vac anything that doesn’t naturally drain after a while. I’m a bigger dude so I’d need a little more space to work. I’d expose the pipe a bit both Directions and also around the pipe itself.
Unless a pro has a reason this wouldn’t work, this is what I would do with regular PVC repair work: Cut a 8 inches on either side of the 45. Use slip collar type splices to extend new pipe through a new 45. They have a name but I don’t know what it is. Just a straight splice and the finished result would look identical except for the splice collar on either side. Dry fit it all to ensure the right lengths and then prime and glue it permanently. Don’t forget to clean the ends of the pipes like you would with copper pipe. Rough edges/ Burrs can make bubbles. You can either sand the insides or just carefully use a Sheetrock knife to trim any uneven spots.
You can even take the old 45 piece with the stubs attatched to Home Depot to make sure you are getting the right parts. And it will give the water time to drain from the hole. Also probably a good idea to shop vac out as much dirt as you can that washed itself into the pipe while draining.
Unless a pro has a reason this wouldn’t work, this is what I would do with regular PVC repair work: Cut a 8 inches on either side of the 45. Use slip collar type splices to extend new pipe through a new 45. They have a name but I don’t know what it is. Just a straight splice and the finished result would look identical except for the splice collar on either side. Dry fit it all to ensure the right lengths and then prime and glue it permanently. Don’t forget to clean the ends of the pipes like you would with copper pipe. Rough edges/ Burrs can make bubbles. You can either sand the insides or just carefully use a Sheetrock knife to trim any uneven spots.
You can even take the old 45 piece with the stubs attatched to Home Depot to make sure you are getting the right parts. And it will give the water time to drain from the hole. Also probably a good idea to shop vac out as much dirt as you can that washed itself into the pipe while draining.
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- Jul 21, 2013
- 54,460
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Kwik Repair Fittings
Check out the deals in Kwik Repair Fittings at Anderson Manufacturing Company, Inc.
Make sure you get Schedule 40 pressure rated fittings and not DWV fittings from HD.
Good suggestion. It's hard to see in pic, but the lines are really packed together. Those slide repair couplers are pretty wide at the oring end so they may either not fit or put some side stress on adjacent lines. One trick a local pool fixer suggested was to heat blanket the PVC and bend it to fit. Risk is the cemented slip joint on both ends could be compromised by the heat.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,993
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Just spit-balling here, as this is somewhat outside of my experience. They make slip couplings for this purpose, I believe. Not the ones with the union and o-rings, just one that you glue in place. They don't have the center stop, so you slip it on one pipe, apply glue, and slip it over the other pipe. Gotta be quick, and use a slow-setting glue. (Never tried this myself.)
Or what about a length of flex PVC? And two couplers. Long enough that you could glue in one end, then bend it enough to mate with the rest of the pipe, a few feet away? (Never tried this either, and I don't know the reliability of flex.)
Couple ideas to ponder... I just know I'd hate to replace one 45 with four 90s. When I re-plumbed, I used all sweep 90s, because I have it in my head that they make a difference in flow (and so pump efficiency). Four 90s is a lot more resistance than a 45, that's for sure. Not to mention three more fittings, which is six more welds. That's a lot more failure points... (Though, you're going to have one or two more fittings no matter what.)
Or what about a length of flex PVC? And two couplers. Long enough that you could glue in one end, then bend it enough to mate with the rest of the pipe, a few feet away? (Never tried this either, and I don't know the reliability of flex.)
Couple ideas to ponder... I just know I'd hate to replace one 45 with four 90s. When I re-plumbed, I used all sweep 90s, because I have it in my head that they make a difference in flow (and so pump efficiency). Four 90s is a lot more resistance than a 45, that's for sure. Not to mention three more fittings, which is six more welds. That's a lot more failure points... (Though, you're going to have one or two more fittings no matter what.)
Exactly. These. ***BUT THE SCH 40 ones***
NIBCO 2 in. PVC DWV Hub x Hub Coupling Fitting C4801HD2 - The Home Depot
The NIBCO PVC DWV coupling is used in residential and commercial drain, waste and vent systems. The PVC DWV coupling features a hub x hub connection and connects PVC DWV piping lengths with solvent weld
www.homedepot.com
Once you test fit everything glue the 2 straight pieces back. Then the 45 should slip on fairly easy. If not, dig back a foot on both sides to gain that little bit of flex needed.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 54,460
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Do not use flex PVC in buried applications. Termites like to chew through it.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,993
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Thanks Allen. I thought there might be some sort of reliability issue. Bummer.