Return fitting on plastic steps broke

[deanbrew]

In-ground vinyl lined pool, installed in 2009.

I had a leak, which was getting worse and worse. I bought dye and figured out where the water was leaking - around the return fitting installed on the side of my built-in plastic steps. When I unscrewed the eyeball, the front part of the fitting came off, and I could see that it was actually broken. Using the dye, I can see that water is leaking around the remaining part of the fitting inside the steps.

This picture shows how the fitting looks (I believe) when brand new:



The piece in the top left corner is what is broken. The front part has broken away from the inside- and outside-threaded part.

This picture shows the rear of my broken fitting:



So, it appears that the double-threaded part is still secured by the plastic nut seen in the top right of the first picture. I assume that the two rubber gaskets should be inside and outside the steps, but there is not one on the water side of the steps.

My questions are:

1. Should I try to unscrew the double-threaded part of the fitting still inside the return?
2. If so, how do I make it screw out? There is nothing to grab and turn other than the inside of the threads.
3. If I do get it unscrewed, will the washer and nut on the dry side of the steps fall down into the dirt where I can't get to them?
4. Or should I caulk all around the opening, hopefully sealing up the leak?
5. What should I use as caulk?
6. If I do this, should I also use silicone or something to secure and seal the flat part of the fitting onto the water side of the steps?

As a temporary fix until the swim season ends, I fabricated a temporary gasket using a flat rubber sink stopper (I cut a hole out of the middle and have it secured with the return eyeball). I think I'm still losing water, but at a much slower rate than before.

Any and all help is appreciated.

 

[domct203]

Man, that stinks for sure.

I think your temporary fix is a good one, but you may need a pro for a permanent fix. Even if you could remove the broken part, I don't know how you would secure the new fitting to the backside of the pool.

Can you dig down to the fitting on the outside of the pool?

 

[deanbrew]

Man, that stinks for sure.

I think your temporary fix is a good one, but you may need a pro for a permanent fix. Even if you could remove the broken part, I don't know how you would secure the new fitting to the backside of the pool.

Can you dig down to the fitting on the outside of the pool?

No, the steps are surrounded by concrete that we just had a decorative surface applied to. I do not want to dig up any concrete.

Am I correct in thinking that the rear end (dry end) of the fitting in the top left corner is glued to the underground pipes coming from the pump? So there is really no way to unscrew the part that is left in the steps. Am I correct in that? If so, my only choices are to dig up the concrete, cut the pipe and replace the entire mess, or seal up the leak as best I can from the pool side of the steps. Sound right?

What should I use to seal up the leak? Silicone? Some sort of epoxy made for wet areas?

 

[domct203]

The fitting will be either glued onto the plumbing directly, or there will be a glued on threaded adapter (tightly) screwed into the fitting.

Even if you could remove the fitting, I just don't see how you would tighten the nut, let alone screw the nut back on, without direct access.

Check with a pool supply shop to see if they make repair flanges that replace the eyeball that you screw on from the wet side.

 

[deanbrew]

The fitting will be either glued onto the plumbing directly, or there will be a glued on threaded adapter (tightly) screwed into the fitting.

Even if you could remove the fitting, I just don't see how you would tighten the nut, let alone screw the nut back on, without direct access.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Check with a pool supply shop to see if they make repair flanges that replace the eyeball that you screw on from the wet side.

Good idea. I will do that tomorrow. Thanks.

 

[jmhjgh]

I had a similar leak. That fitting is normally glued. I used JB Waterweld epoxy and applied it the entire way around the fitting. There should be a picture of the repair on this forum.

 

[domct203]

Just dropping by to see if you found a solution.

Please post what you do, it may help someone else in the same situation.

 

[deanbrew]

Just dropping by to see if you found a solution.

Please post what you do, it may help someone else in the same situation.

Not yet. I am waiting until the swim season is over to drain the water below the return. Probably in early to mid September. I'll make sure to come back and post. Still open to any suggestions in the meantime, but I think waterproof epoxy to fix the actual leak, and then waterproof adhesive to glue the front part of the fitting back in place, with some sort of sealant behind the flat part of the fitting, sealing it to the steps.