Leaks and Vacuum Intake

[kri5tian]

Oh wise ones,

I've had a leak detector guy come out 3 times, and the leaking doesn't stop. On his last visit, he said he removed the fitting that covers the vacuum intake and that he could come back and drain the pool to below that intake, then replace the fitting. Needless to say, I'm not calling this guy again.

I bought some dye to test for leaks. I thought that my leak was in my skimmer, because recently my pool pump broke, so I let the pool go 4 weeks with no pump. The leaking seemed to slow down just below the simmer; and water was still in the skimmer hole, so I was confident that the skimmer plumbing wasn't leaking.

I used some dye around the skimmer, but found no leaks. I used some dye around the removed vacuum fittina and DID see the dye get sucked in. So, here are my questions to you guys.

The fitting that was removed has threads, but the pvc inlet that remains does NOT have threads. I don't know what's going on there!

I never used this inlet, because I don't have a "creepy crawler." [Does everybody have a creepy crawler? I just vacuumed manually every week or so.] If you were me, would you just "plug" this hole with something for the time being, then use epoxy around it to stop the leak? If so, what would you plug it up with? I know my pool needs to be resurfaced badly, but I don't have the money to do that right now, and I would like to attempt to do it by myself (or with some help) in the future. If you want to know why I even want to plug this fitting, it's because I want all my suction to take place at the skimmer and the main drain, not here. Also, this pipe might allow some leaves/debris inside, and then clog up that pvc.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!!!
kc

 

[kimkats]

I say you are on the right track with what do to. Now to find something to go in there. Threads and no threads?? That is crazy! Makes me wonder if he took out another part that was pressed fitted in there. I say you measure the pipe and go looking at a plumbing shop that the PROS use aka not Lowes or Home Depot. See what they can find for you to press in there to close it up.

Good luck!

 

[Olivier]

it look like 1.5" pvc pipe. home depot and lowes sells the cap that you can permanently cover it. i would do these steps
1) clean the inside of that pvc pipe so it can be nice and rounded. called it OPH
2) get the pipe that fit into that opening you just clean and cut a section of the pipe with 1" extra in length after fit into the opening hole. (EXTPipe)
3) get a coupler that has slip on one end and threat on other end. CPL
4) take EXTPipe plug in OPH, and put CPL on it test fit to see everything line up. NO GLUE YET
5) get the threat PVC CAP cap the CPL threated end.
if everything fit fine, then disassemble start to glue it . in step 5 don't use glue but use good teflon tape on the cap threat.

when you done those steps, let it sit for 2 hours. while waiting, clean up the messing area around the OPH. then either use underwater putting stick to patch it up for water tight/proof or marine rated silicone to patch round the base of the EXTPipe. make it nice and smooth. let it sit for 24 hours and swim again. or cry again. either way, it is your PITA problems