Pool leaks just started..Help

TFP folks- Hello I have read thru many threads regarding where a water leak might be coming from and I have e few questions to help me narrow it down.
I have a Vinyl pool and about 3 weeks ago here in NC I started to notice the water level was going down maybe an 2-3 inches a week.It was in the 90's most days, kids home from school friends over in and out of the pool all day long so I assumed it was partial due to evaporation and partially due to heavy use.
Well about a week ago I noticed it had dropped over night 2-3 inches so I filled it up and less that 2 days later its almost below the skimmer. I didn't do the bucket test but I can almost be positive its not just evaporation but a full blown leak.
My question is all summer long I haven't had an issue and all of a sudden water is leaving the pool pretty quickly. It seems to go down a bit quicker when the pool is running but last night the pool was off for over 12 hours and it still is going down.
I used the dye test around almost every opening around the skimmer,return jets, light, ladder, walk in steps, and no visible sign of water being drawn into a leak. The equipment pad is bone dry and doesnt appear to have any leaks in the pipes that is visible. I am waiting to see if it levels off under the skimmer which would point to that as the culprit, next would be the jets and last the pool light.. after all those and it still leaks is it a "structural" issue? Or an underground pipe issue?
I have noticed in the past the pool light doesn't work. I've lived here a year and the pool light has never worked and always seemed that the light is about half full of water. Also the pool light cover is not flush with the side of the pool. Could I have a bad seal and over time the leak and water pressure has somehow made its way to the cubby where the wires leave the pool?
No visible signs of damp earth or moving soil anywhere.....
HELP

Thanks again
 
Looks like the water has stopped leaking out just under the wall skimmer frame and hasn't moved much in the last 24 hours. I did noticed that there seems to be a hairline crack around the interior perimeter of the interior skimmer where the basket sits. I also have noticed that there looks to be some old caulking around the interior of the frame. My guess is over time that previous fix has somehow caused a leak.
The water is still in the very bottom of the skimmer pipes are covered which would leave me to possibly think that the leak would not be there. I'm thinking I have a few hairline leaks around the interior of the skimmer what do you all think...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l0WQSHPBH4

IMG 0469 - YouTube
 
Still leaking: Update..Put some JB waterweld in and around what I thought were the problem areas in the skimmer and around faceplate to side skimmer and water is still going below the skimmer...I thought I had isolated to the skimmer because it sat at the same level for 2 days just underneath it but i guess not.I plugged the intake in the skimmer to see if that was it and it still lost water.. Next I'm going to plug up the inlet jets see if that is the issue..
Any more ideas at all guys? Please I'm desperate I have pool leak guy scheduled but he's a week out......Losing an inch a day...
 
You probably don't want to hear that, but...
I would save the money for the pool leak guy and put that towards the new liner. It's the end of the season, save money all winter & and treat yourself to a new liner next spring.

+1

With the unseasonably cold weather we are having you're not going to loose much swim time, if any at all.
 

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