Pool filled - plumbing unfinished?

[mccamm]

Our pool has been recently filled with pump running. However all return jets, bubbler, and even pool light is raw pvc that has been cut to be flush and then pool finished around. Is this normal? No eyeball jets, no light install and bubbler is currently pathetic (video attached)? I don’t believe that any of the pvc is threaded for the eyeballs. Are bubblers larger than a 3/4” (guessing) piece of pvc?

I’ve attached photos from pre-fill as well to help show. Because it looks the same now after fill.

Side note: if there is audio on the video it’s from my mom who went out to the site to check.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mc,

The gunite crew adds the threaded adapters

The eyeballs are normally added by the plaster crew. This is done before the pool is filled with water.

What does you pool builder have to say?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[mccamm]

Mc,

The gunite crew adds the threaded adapters

The eyeballs are normally added by the plaster crew. This is done before the pool is filled with water.

What does you pool builder have to say?

Thanks,

Jim R.

I’ve reached out to them but they don’t respond to me. Pool build was done through home builder. Home builder doesn’t have much luck with communication with them either so I’m coming here to at least see if things are on the right track because this seems off to me.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The PVC pipe that the plumber installed should be 1-1/2” stubs protruding through the gunite. The stubs get cut back and threaded adapters added by the plaster crew. After the plaster is dried the threaded adapters should have the return eyeballs added. Some people use internal eyeballs that make the return pipe look flush to the plaster rather than external adapters that look like a hunk of plastic on the wall. The bubbler should have its own specialized adapter that screws into the pipe.

You need to take close up pictures of the returns and bubbler so we can see them better. As close as possible.

 

[PoolGate]

My wall returns were just cut flush to the plaster with no threading and no inserts. The vacuum port got a threaded insert. Bottom of the pool returns got a flange opening.

 

[convan23]

while something sounds amiss if there aren’t any threaded ends on your pipes, our eyes for the returns and bubbler didn’t get installed until we’ll after the pool was filled - after startup was “finished.” The pressure on any of these returns will be weak without the right fitting on it to increase pressure, so that is expected.

 

[mccamm]

The PVC pipe that the plumber installed should be 1-1/2” stubs protruding through the gunite. The stubs get cut back and threaded adapters added by the plaster crew. After the plaster is dried the threaded adapters should have the return eyeballs added. Some people use internal eyeballs that make the return pipe look flush to the plaster rather than external adapters that look like a hunk of plastic on the wall. The bubbler should have its own specialized adapter that screws into the pipe.

You need to take close up pictures of the returns and bubbler so we can see them better. As close as possible.

Thanks for the info. I’m going to take a trip out tomorrow to see. It’s just going to be a lot harder now with water in

 

[mccamm]

My wall returns were just cut flush to the plaster with no threading and no inserts. The vacuum port got a threaded insert. Bottom of the pool returns got a flange opening.

This is pretty much exactly what they did here. If it works then ok but just has an unfinished look imo. Also bubbler has 0 height to it, that’s the other concern.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

There are friction-fit returns and threaded returns. Most PBs around here use flanged pipe adapters on the end of the plumbing prior to plaster to ensure that the plaster makes a solid water-tight connection to the PVC as a straight pipe through the gunite and plaster can develop leaks. Threaded returns are easier to change in my opinion than press-fit ones. Which method is used depend a lot on the PBs experience. A straight open pipe with no eyeball return is not good because the water flow through it will be very weak. Returns should always have eyeballs in them to allow the pool owner to adjust the water flow for good mixing/efficiency.

 

[TampaKathy]

Do your drains have covers?

 

[mccamm]

Do your drains have covers?

Yes.

 

[mccamm]

Took a trip out. These pictures are with the bubbler on and you can see it has little to no affect. Confirmed that bubbler and return jets are just cut pvc - not threaded. There’s little but unsubstantial pressure coming out. Only thing threaded is the vacuum line. Nothing from PB yet.

What is the fix from here so I have some education before the PB throws some bs at me?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

@jimmythegreek @sktn77a any thoughts?

My unprofessional thought is that is a major screw up by the home builder in that threaded adapters should have been added to the pipe ends before plaster was applied. But maybe there’s something that can be done to correct it now that the plaster is in place?

 

[Megahurtz]

The team team that plastered our pool added the fittings the day of plaster. Lights and bubbler were installed by the pool equipment team once the pool was full. I also expected a thread adapter in the returns but they installed a slip type. So I don’t have a female threaded return fitting

 

[jimmythegreek]

They should be able to use press fit fittings. If they are loose you can scuff both sides and that's usually enough friction to have them grab. There's other tricks too