Need help with a leak and plumbing SOLVED

[avspin]

I need some help on fixing a leak. One of my return fittings is leaking from the threads and needs to be replaced. The issue I have is normally I would just bring the three pipes vertical and install a manifold from the top. I live at 1 mile and have snow and freezing. If I come up, I will always have water pooled in the plugged return fitting to the “T” no matter how well I blow it out during winterizing. The other option would be to bring all three pipes to the side and leave everything the same level. But as you can see from the photos there are four ¾” PVC pipes all in the way. These are for deck fountains. If I cut them out of the way, I will still have the same issue with puddling and adding additional failure points.

Background;
The pool is twenty years old.
The equipment is four feet below pool level.
All the plumbing is 2” PVC to the equipment.
I have a 1.5 hp single speed pump.

Currently the pool has been running with the single line, but pressure is up due to the 1.5” return fitting bottlenecking the line. This original was a cleaner line that I converted a few years back. It's been running now for about three weeks.

Options as I them.

• Bring the pipes up, maybe I’m wrong about freezing the fitting out at 24” below grade.
• Bring the pipes out to side and re-plumb the four ¾” lines with slide fittings and move to the side 2-3 of them.
• Abandon the return and just plumb the 2’ flex to the 2” PVC going down with just a 90 elbow.
• Another possible option is to dig further down on the 2" and add a union. But I don't think that I could get it tight enough or even glued due to limited access and could be a failure point in the future..

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

I'm not qualified to answer your questions, but I'll give your thread a bump and maybe someone with plumbing expertise will see it.

 

[1poolman1]

With out an onsite evaluation, the only thing I can add is NEVER install a union underground. Earth movement can cause them to fail among other dangers.

 

[avspin]

Follow up.
This is what I did. Replaced the return fitting and moved the T down the line. This way when I winterize there will not be a water trap. After completing and waiting 24 hours for the silicone (only in the return fitting) to dry. I filled the pool up to check the water tightness of the fitting. I then pressure tested it and it would not hold pressure. Everything else was good, so I tunneled under the concrete to the return fitting that is about 4' away. This, of the four, is the last one left from building the pool that had not been replaced. The dirt was indeed wet. Had to cut more concrete to get to it. Lower the pool again. Turns put the fitting was also cracked on the threads. Replaced that one and plumbed like the other and the pressure held. Yeah!! All filled back with water and compressing the dirt, poured concrete.

Now that I have a working pool I have a new problem. Seems some dirt/DG got into the cover track after I taped over it to prevent this. The cover rope has about 2" of dirt jammed and causing the cover to not operate. Working pool, temp at 87, chemicals perfect, hot Labor Day weekend and no pool. Rope will not come out of the top of the track. Guess it's time t call a cover guy.