Pool Stains

[PoolStored]

I decided to just drain and re-fill my pool.

It may be to0 late, as you are draining and re-filling, there are some risks/considerations with draining. You don't want the plaster to be dry for long periods, and there is risk of the pool popping out of the ground if your ground water is high. You also don't want to use your pool pump, use a trash pump or sump. The risk is that you run your pump dry and that is expensive

I would recommend reading this...

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Riverhog14]

Yea I already started, I'm confident its not going to pop out. I'm either going to immediately re-fill it tomorrow or I'm going to open the plug in the bottom of the drain.

 

[PoolStored]

I'm going to open the plug in the bottom of the drain.

Not sure what this means...

 

[Riverhog14]

OK so going to switch gears now from fixing my pool stain to fixing my pool leak!!

I have noticed a VERY slow leak in my pool over past 2 years or so.... ITs pretty slight, almost so slight I thought it was just evaporation. I'm still not entirely sure I even have a leak, but if I do its VERY slow.

I've tried messing with dye, and I THINK I may have a very slow leak in my return jets.

However, now that I am in the process of draining my pool, I have noticed one return jet that is clearly emitting water from somewhere. There is obvious water dripping down from either the jet housing itself, or the plaster area around ther housing... I don't think its coming from the PVC pipe itself, because that water has already gone way down in the pipe....

Take a look at the return jet in question. Now compare it to all of my other jets and my pool vaccum port - all of those are dry, except this ONE return jet. This is strange! Could this be the source of my leak???? Where is this water coming from?? Between the Gunite Pool and the Plaster???
Also, upon closer examination, you can see this one retun jet is up at an angle. How did that happen? Did something push the pipe behind it down with time? OR i wonder if the angle was this far off at the time of installation? Compare the angle of the jet housing with the angle of the pool wall. There is a huge difference...

Something is definitely wrong around this jet. Taking my finger, I slowly tapped around this jet. Everything FELT solid the entire time. Everything SOUNDED solid, AT FIRST. Once I got around the 6 O'Clock position through the 9 O'Clock position, tapping with my finger, there is a very distinct difference in sound around that area around the jet, and it is very hollow sounding. Click on this iCloud link to view video. Turn your sound up very loud and listen closely. On the first video, I tapped around a normal appearing/sounding jet first, then I tap around this jet in question second. Listen to the difference when i get just below and to the left of the jet in question. ITs hard to hear on video but it sounds like a hollow sound, and it sounds like its echoing through the PVC pipe.

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Video

Thoughts???

 

[Riverhog14]

>>>

 

[Riverhog14]

I can't see this just looking due to the angle, but when I hold my phone below the jet and angle up, I think I found my source of my leak..... What yall think?? See where the little piece of plaster is missing where it bumps up to the pool jet housing, right at t he 6 o'clock position.

 

[ajw22]

Not sure what this means...

He means opening the hydrostatic drain that would relieve any water pressure from under the pool.

 

[ajw22]

See if the white trim ring unscrews.

I also see two notches in the jet that is what a special tool connects to screw the jet on and off. So I think that jet can be removed from the pipe. Removing the trim ring and the jet may give you a better view of the situation.

You may be able to get the tips of a needle nose pliers into the notched to turn it.

 

[ajw22]

Pool Service Products | Catalog

Pool Service Products, based In Orlando, Florida, is a wholesale distributor serving the swimming pool professional. We specialize in tools, hard to find parts and much more.

www.toolsforpools.com

I think you have a trim ring like this screwed in…



There are less expensive wrenches but you can see how this wrench fits into the notches to unscrew your jet…

 

[ajw22]

See here for some other removal tools that may work…

Hayward Inlet Eyeball Removal - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Riverhog14]

No the white trim ring does not unscrew... its almost like its plastered right up to the white trim ring looking thing....

Those notches are part of the jets, they hold where the actual final jet ring screws on top, which I removed. The white large ring appears to be one solid piece through the pool plaster. I definately cant take it off without damaging the plaster, and furthermore I believe it is PVC cemented to the PVC pipe.

 

[ajw22]

There are a few different ways that jet can be built up. Let’s see if @AQUA~HOLICS has seen this before.

 

[ajw22]

You might want to fill the pool up to below the jet while you figure this out and not leave the pool sit empty.

 

[ajw22]

It sure looks like you have this eyeball seat…

 

[Riverhog14]

It sure looks like you have this eyeball seat…

View attachment 472596

Yes that looks like its the correct eyeball seat, which is screwed into the white jet housing. My question is, to those with experience, with the hollow sound below that jet, the dampness coming off of it, and that little hole- does this seem like it could be my pool leak?

Maybe a small dab of some pool putty in that little apparant hole below the jet?

I wish I could have found this before I started draining and I could have dye tested it..... I just couldn't see it before.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

I have seen this situation before and most have one thing in common, the pipe has lost its water tight bond between itself and the Shotcrete.
The hallow sound around the return line is from the deteriorating Shotcrete or the product that was applied prior to plaster to seal around the pipe intrusion.
Pool putty would only be a temporary solution, opening up the area by exposing the plaster and or the Shotcrete if necessary till the compromised material is completely removed then resealing with a plaster mix or patch.
The first picture shows how plaster crews seal all pipe intrusions with a hot batch of plaster to seal around the pipes. The second picture is the product that is commonly used in pool plaster repairs.

 

[Texas Splash]

I had (still have) a small leak in that return insert fitting in my pool. It's tucked up in the 12 o-clock position behind the threads. It was very difficult to find, but once we did, it was evident water was getting pulled out. Because the crack is so small and up inside against the threads, there is no way to repair it. I had the option of cutting through the concrete decking and lowering my water level to replace the entire return jet assembly, or trying a temp fix with a Frankenplug. So far that plug seems to be working well. You can see more about my experience and the plug in the link below.

Leak Detection (Pressure Side), Results, and Frankenplug

After 9 years it finally happened – the dreaded leak. Here is my story. In the San Antonio area we have black clay soil that is horrible for structural support of any kind and often causes problems for home foundations, fencing, asphalt, pools, etc. When we observed excessive water loss, I...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Riverhog14]

Awesome information!!! Its helpful learning how these pools are constructed from the pro's, us homeowners just don't know.

The plaster still feels solid, no cracks, no nothing. It looks fine. I really don't want to endeaveur cutting the fitting out and re plastering around it, all for such a small leak when around it looks fine.

If the leak was in between the pipe and the fitting, frankenplug would work. I found those online and they are pretty awesome. This is a leak between my plastic and the plaster. The seal between the PVC pipe and the fitting, should, be solid.

I'm thinking a dab of pool putty.... thoughts? I can inspect it every couple months. Cheaper /quicker / cleaner. Its not that major so its not work tearing out and re-doing.

 

[Riverhog14]

Also, I just plugged my info into Pool Math, and to get my pool to 3000 PPM of salt, its telling me 402 pounds of salt??? Does that sound right??? My pool is actually 16000 gallons not 17,000 BTW. I just punched "3000" into the target side and 0 into the current... unless maybe my natrual well water has SOME salt?? doubt it. Maybe I should wait til I fill the pool and test it with my new test kit first

 

[ajw22]

The trim ring is decorative and not there to provide any waterproofing. That is why I have been recommending you remove the eyeball seat and trim ring which will expose the raw pipe through the plaster. Then you can see about packing around the pipe with new plaster.

I think trying to pack plaster around the trim ring will not hold for long. You can try it but it will likely create a mess in the area that will make the trim ring more difficult to remove.

It really depends if you want to try a temporary fix or get to the root and do it right.

What @AQUA~HOLICS recommended was the direction I had been thinking.

You may want to talk with some builders and plaster companies in your are and see if someone is available. It should be a day or two of work to fix it right.