Mystery pipe ID

[Enumjon]

Hi all! My equipment pad has 3 pipe stubs that seem to serve no purpose. One is just an open corrugated drain pipe. The other 2 are pvc stubs near the heater. One of the pvc pipes has a cap that slips right off. Every drain and return in the pool and spa have attached piping. Any ideas what these might be?

 

[ajw22]

Blow some air into each pipe and see if you hear or see where the air is coming out.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Y'know, I think I'd put a hose with strong water into the one pipe with the removable cap and see if you can find its other end. Perhaps in the yard, or in the spa or pool. But it can't hurt to look.

Maddie

 

[ajw22]

Y'know, I think I'd put a hose with strong water into the one pipe with the removable cap and see if you can find its other end. Perhaps in the yard, or in the spa or pool. But it can't hurt to look.

Maddie

I would start with some air first. The pipe may lead somewhere you don't want water. Or you may end up with a pipe full of stagnant water.

 

[Enumjon]

I was worried about filling it with water - but will try the air idea.

 

[Enumjon]

Ok, the plot thickens. Used the blower from the shop vac in all 3 lines, nothing. Oh, in banging on the pipes a little more the cap came off both pvc pipes. The pvc lines seemed to be completely blocked, no airflow. Could not tell on the corrugated pipe, could not get a good seal.

So I decided to add water to the corrugated pipe. Water ran for a minute or two, nothing happening. Not filling up, not going anywhere. So I walked around to the back side of the pool to check for running water. There is a pipe there that functions as a waste drain. That pipe haD a cap, and a wedge cut out for the waste water to flow out, but not collect rainwater. Well, it was wet around the pipe and the cap was broken off.

Now I am on to something. I station a kid by the waste pipe and repeat all the previous actions I did. Air in all pipes, water in the corrugated one. Nothing! So strange.

 

[HermanTX]

I would say the corrugated pipe is connected to a drain system. Like a downspout of your gutter would connect to it and rain water would flow to the sewer. Also could be where a waste hose could be placed. Those corrugated pipes are very common in my area for connection to underground drain lines to the street or sewer system.
You have a spa, do you have an air blower? Could one have been installed and removed which was connected to one of those PVC pipes? It would connect to your jets in the spa or even have separate jets for air only. Assuming they are not blocked. It may take a lot of air volume to create a surge in your spa.
Just some ideas for further thought.

 

[Enumjon]

Both good ideas. The corrugated is not connected to gutter downspout outflow, I did check that. But it could very well be attached to our septic. I do not have an air blower for the spa. I just have a booster pump, so those may well be air to the spa.

 

[RMcGirr83]

If it was connected to your septic I'm pretty sure you'd know it just by the smell.

 

[duade]

I moved into my house last fall. I had a mystery pipe that I could not figure out. It was a two inch grey PVC pipe adjacent to my pad. Tried using air and water hose methods described above. No luck.

Took a child's bike horn (like a clown would use at the circus). Put the horn into the pipe followed by a towel to prevent the noise from coming back at me. Had the 10 year old walk around the yard while I honked the horn. He heard the horn about 60 feet away on the other side of the pool. The pipe turned out to be a low voltage conduit from the pad to a light fixture i didn't know was there (it was buried in bushes).

I must admit, it was not my idea, it was my 10 year old's idea.

Good luck!

 

[Dirk]

Genius! Though I shudder to think how that brain will be used when it gets to be 16 or so!! Good luck to you, too!