Mystery pipe and returns

[TheMerk]

Hi all,

Bought the house in 1/2017. First time pool owner, stumbled upon TFP about halfway through last summer, threw out the tabs and I've been following the methodology ever since with great results:

Anyway, now that the pool chemistry is in line and I have a routine, I'm taking a look at the equipment, and I have a question about a mystery pipe at the equipment, and mystery outlets in the pool.

Here's the pipe. It's next to the existing water return pipe:

Here is a pic of one of the mystery "outlets" in the pool. There are 2. Both are at the midway point on the pool's longest side:

My thought is these are possibly for an autofill? Not a true autofill in that there is no bucket or level, but maybe this was meant to be plumbed into the sprinklers or house water, making it easier to top off in the hot Phoenix heat?

May other thought is that maybe these are just additional returns, and I could plumb in a manifold to split the existing water to go in this pipe, but then I don't know what effect that would have on current pool circulation.

Also, It's a mystery to me if this mystery pipe really is connected to these mystery returns.

 

[Arizonarob]

The only way to find out is to send a snake down the pipe and see where it pops out.

 

[tim5055]

If I was going to guess, I would say the pool was plumbed for a future pool cleaner. It’s possible that the pipe at the pat has a “T” and goes to both of those places.

 

[TheMerk]

A future pool cleaner? Like what type of device?

Very interesting. I hadn’t thought of trying a snake down the pipe. I might give that a shot and see where it comes out.

 

[MinerJason]

Snake is a good idea, but might be tough to get past a tee fitting if there is one.

You could also plug one of the potential returns, put a drain king or similar bladder type clog cleaner in the other one, and see if water comes out of the pipe at the pad. Then switch the plug and drain king and try again.

 

[Phillbo]

Stick a garden hose in the opening in the pool and wrap a towel around it to form a seal and see if water comes out the open pipe.

 

[Melnic]

Is the suspect return threaded?
wouldn't a cleaner pipe have to be threaded at the pool?

 

[Sseaman]

Might try using a compressor or leaf blower to send some air through and see if you get bubbles in the pool, just keep the pressure low since you dont know where it goes

 

[tim5055]

A future pool cleaner? Like what type of device?.

Generally it would be for a pressure side cleaner.