Looking for a creative solution to a return line blockage...

[Big Boonie]

Here's my situation: Built in mid 80s 21x41 vinyl pool with 4 return jets, 2 skimmers, vacuum port, and bottom drain. Pump and filter equipment approximately 15-20 ft from pool. When I bought the place, there was a bulkhead type fitting on the return line just above ground level (between the multiport valve and ground) that had a vinyl coated, two wire cord protruding. There was a defunct panel of some sort mounted to the wall nearby which I assume was part of a sensor/chloronator/???. As I got around to replacing some of the valves and other bits, I cut this bulkhead fitting out and left the wire in the return line as I could not pull it out easily. A few years go by with no issue...until I replaced the pump when the old one failed. The increased flow of the new pump ( I suppose the old had a lower flow or had slowly degraded the flow amount), apparently pushed this wiring further down the line until it restricted flow to all 4 return jets. I was unable to scope from the pump end, but I have a pic from down inside one of the return jet lines.

In order to maintain a sufficient flow to the system, I temporarily (although now seemingly semi-permanent as I work on ideas) routed a pvc line from the multiport valve to the pool on the patio surface.

Ok, I'll snake it out. Nope (at least no success yet).

As part of my fiberglas step repair, I drained the water down below the steps which allowed be to work above water line on the jets.

I'll dig up the return line near the pool deck and cut it, retrieve the cord, and patch it up. Oops, the return line is directly under 3 other lines that I assume must be the vacuum, skimmer, and bottom drain lines, making a cut there extremely problematic. (I deduced how to identify the proper line by pouring hot water in from the equipment end until the pipe could be felt to be warmer than the others)

Hey, I'll just use my surface return pipe to reverse pump water into the jet back to the equipment end (after plugging the other 3 jets) and maybe push the cord back out. Hmmm, not so easy or even safe for the plumbing. I did not glue all my pvc together in case the pressure rose too much and the pump pressure against the clog continually pushed the joints apart. I experimented on removing one of the return jet plugs to reduce the pressure some, but that also failed to dislodge the wire.

Now I'm looking for one last bit of genius to retrieve the wire without a large excavation and effort. I'm not optimistic, but maybe someone out there has that spark of an idea...

 

[Texas Splash]

I can't think of much more than what you've already done or thought of so far. Kudos to you for the images and effort invested to retrieve that wire. One question - in pic #1, there seems to be a white block of some sort off to the right of the image. Is that connected to the wire or is it just an optical illusion of some sort? Something else?

 

[Big Boonie]

That's a really good question. I thought it was just a part of the pvc tee fitting, but on closer examination, it looks like the cover/insulation on the two wire cable. You'll notice what looks like a white and a black wire in photos 1 & 2. As part of the saga that i didn't mention, after the wire balled up in the return line, I found a wire end at the return jet after removing the eyeball. I pulled about 4 feet out before it broke down in the line. That spiraling piece in the photos is what's still in the pool end of the line. I suspect that at the tee fitting upstream where the line from the filter is where the "mass" is due to the restriction of flow on all jets to varying degrees. Scoping the jets on either side of the one with the wire didn't reveal anything. I've ordered a longer endoscope to snake in from the filter end. If I can locate/snag a bit from that end, I might be able to retrieve it. If anything, I'm patient...or maybe it's procrastination...I don't know...

 

[Texas Splash]

@JamesW, are we missing anything you might consider?

 

[Big Boonie]

Don't know. I've pondered this at some length and wanted to see if anyone here might have a trick or two up their sleeve...

 

[mknauss]

Wild idea -- but used it in oil wells with coiled tubing that would get 'stuck' due to friction.

Get a friction reducing liquid, I am thinking Dawn dish soap?, and push that into the line with the wire. I assume you can get some water flow through the line. You can dilute the dish soap with water but be sure it is still real slick.

It will mess up the pool for a while -----------

 

[JamesW]

Hard to tell. Maybe the cord went to low voltage lights.

Do you have a picture of the pool and equipment?

How far down is the wire in the pipe?

 

[Big Boonie]

Thought of a bit of soap. Kinda reluctant, but have an idea of keeping the returns plugged for now. I'm using the screw-in type rather than the rubber friction-fit that were on it when we bought the place. I made a pvc set-up that will screw into a return port that I may put back into one of them and will put it above the pool water line. A bit of soap from that end with a garden hose/clog-buster attachment should force the soapy water out at the pool filter end where the line is currently open (my chlorinator is detached from that line and is in use on my temporary line). I'll get some photos when it stops raining here.

I don't think the wires went to lights through the return lines. I'm pretty sure it went to an old auto-chlorinator. I removed the control box shortly after moving in and didn't get good photos of it before tossing. I have an old photo after some storm damage that shows the unit next to the pump timer box on the wall. I'm also posting a photo during my paver project that shows the layout.

As to the distance to the wire, here's what I know today. The photos from the endoscope I took are in the return port indicated in the photo. The line from the pool travels in a few inches, elbows down to a tee that ties it with the other 3 return port and, upstream of the indicated port about 6-8 feet judging by where the line are located under the pavers, there is a tee that goes to the equipment as well as the continuation of the run to the last return port visible on the right. I've marked in green the approximate location of the lines.

 

[Big Boonie]

Oops. The run from equipment to first tee is a guesstimate of about 18 feet, which my current endoscope can't handle. As I mentioned, I have a 33 foot scope on the way from Amazon with a bit stiffer cable that should do the trick. I'll post updated photos as I manage to get them. If it can see the problem from the filter end, we may have a better idea of how to tackle it.

 

[JamesW]

No chlorinator would have the wire in the pipe.

Probably went to lights.

 

[Big Boonie]

Last bit to preview for now. Photos of wiring I managed to pull from return port when problem first noticed. Marked Kreepy Klear as I now see while taking these pics. Upon a quick Google search, it was a salt system apparently and a unit was mounted on a return port (picture from internet search attached). The pool unit was gone when I moved in, with only the wall unit mounted and wire snipped off at the pipe bulkhead fitting. I'm also posting a current photo notated with some details.

 

[Big Boonie]

Parts 27/28 are a Jaco fitting with grommet according to the parts list. That's what I've been referring to as bulkhead fittings. Aqua-Man Pool & Spa site had the schematic I borrowed this from.

 

[jimmythegreek]

Have you tried an actual drain snake? With a rotary wire head you may be able to curl it out. It was definitely some type of lighting as James said not a chlorintaor that's why there was a box by the pad

 

[Big Boonie]

Have you tried an actual drain snake? With a rotary wire head you may be able to curl it out. It was definitely some type of lighting as James said not a chlorintaor that's why there was a box by the pa

 

[Big Boonie]

Actually I found more discussion of the Kreepy Klear or Pure and Clear salt chlorine generator systems. Apparently they were one of the first on the market and the cell mounted in the pool over a return port with the wiring run through the plumbing. Expensive and soon outdated as cells were developed inside a section of pvc for installation on the return line outside of the pool. I’ve found a few pics from someone else’s unit.

 

[JamesW]

Ok, interesting. Thanks for the information. Hopefully, you can get it figured out.