Return Jet - Thread fitting size?

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dbdubb28

dbdubb28

0
Jun 8, 2016
97
Tampa
So I did some reading on this forum and came across Skippy's pool cooler and decided I wanted to take this on.
I went as far as ordering the same Polaris fittings that he used (I later found out that this was because his pool had a specific polaris return jet that these fittings were designed to work with).
I'd like to be able to screw and unscrew this pool cooler as needed and simply screw back in the return jet that came with the pool, however I learned yesterday that my 1-1/2" threaded fitting that I bought at the local hardware store, does not screw on to this inlet. The inlet appears to be a tiny bit larger then the generic fitting I bought.

I'm hoping someone might have a suggestion for me on how I can make this happen.
Thank You.
 
I just bet a good plumbing warehouse (the place real plumbers go, not the big box stores) would have assorted PVC adapters to fix this issue. I went to one of these stores once and was amazed by the variety of PVC and other plumbing parts available.

I hope it will work out for you ::fingers crossed!::
 
I would have guessed 1-1/2" too. Mine are. What is a "tiny bit larger"? The next size up from 1-1/2" is 2". That wouldn't be a "tiny bit." I'm not aware of 1-3/4" PVC. There is however 1-1/4" PVC. Is it possible you grabbed a 1-1/4" fitting, and that you do, in fact, have a 1-1/2" fitting in your pool? Short of that, be sure to have the male fitting with you when you next go shopping. Find the female fitting that fits that, then buy the male fitting that fits that same female part. YippeeSkippy's idea of trying a more specialized shop might work. Bring your male fitting there. I sure hope your pool wasn't fitted with some sort of weird proprietary return gizmo.

If that's the case, I suppose you could plumb in a fitting to the pressure side of the plumbing on your pad, and run a pipe or hose to your pool. That would serve the same purpose, though I wouldn't leave home with a rig like that. You could end up pumping your pool into your garden if something went wrong!!

Alternately, if you're really determined to get some water spraying over your pool, you could use a dedicated pump. One that goes in your pool. They're about $25-50. Run the output hose to a float on the surface and fool around with some sort of nozzle that gets you the spray you're after. Or buy one of those fountain floatie things from Home Depot and attach the pump output to that. If anything fails, it'd just stop spraying, you wouldn't lose any water out of the pool That might even be more energy efficient than running your main pump. A bit unorthodox, sure, but there's always more than one way to skin a cat...
 
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Or for a mere $4000 you can do this!

PS. Keep in mind that spraying your surface like this will affect your pH. So you may need to contend with that.
 
Dirk said:
Or for a mere $4000 you can do this!

PS. Keep in mind that spraying your surface like this will affect your pH. So you may need to contend with that.
Click to expand...

lol Wow!! That thing looks like a lot of fun! I appreciate the good advice. I'm going to take that fitting up to my local plumbers shop and see what they have. If a 1.6" PVC connection was available, that's what it feels like to me. It's silly, I know. I'll double check it all again before I head that way.

Thanks Again.
 
dbdubb28 said:
If a 1.6" PVC connection was available, that's what it feels like to me.
Click to expand...

A 1.6” fitting doesn’t exist. Don’t ask for one. 1” 1 1/4” 1 1/2” 2”. Those are nominal sizes, actual size is slightly different.
Id look at see what you got already and make sure you didn’t pick up a 1 1/4” by accident. The size you need is either 1 1/2” or it’s proprietary.
 
I was under the deck today for an unrelated project and thought I'd shoot a quick picture of the return from the outside to see if anyone could tell if it's a standard return or not.
 

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I couldn't say, but I didn't realize you had access like that (sorry, I missed that you're AGP, not IG). Worst case, if you find you do indeed have some sort of unorthodox thread, you can just cut that pipe and swap in a standard port! You'd have to drain your pool a bit, but that's not too bad (or work quick!!). Or you could branch off of that pipe and put in a three-way valve and add a dedicated port for your cooling gizmo. Maybe even run it upwards, through the deck. Whatever, with that access you'll have some sort of solution.

Did you ever take the fitting to the plumbing shop?
 

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@cowboycasey, @Teald024 If it turns out dbdubb28 has to swap out that port to get the threads issue corrected, if he plugged up the original somehow, and a new one with a 1-1/2" plug, then cut the pipe from the back, and removed the retainer nut, is it possible to swap old for new port fast enough to avoid draining and losing all the water currently higher than the hole? Then clamp the new one on with the retainer nut, let it dry a bit, glue in the existing PVC pipe and bobs-yer-uncle.
 
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I'd screw a 1 1/2" NPT plastic plug in the pool side. No tape or anything and don't go crazy, just barely snug by hand, it may drip but who cares.

I use Supplyhouse.com for most of my stuff. They have the biggest assortment of fittings and most if not all are good quality.
 
It is possible, you would lose some water on the switch out but not bad.. use some kind of plastic bowl inside the pool to slow the water coming out> cut the pipe> unscrew the old one>pull bowl away and pull out old one> insert new one> install bowl again> finish install :)

All parts would have to be there readily available, if something did go wrong the pool water would leak to the bottom of the return and no further and could be fixed that way also...

Use the HOT PVC glue https://www.lowes.com/pd/Oatey-Rain-R-Shine-8-fl-oz-PVC-Cement/1000422527

Amazon.com : Hayward SP1023G Vinyl Fiberglass Inlet Fittings for Pools, Spas and Hot Tubs : Swimming Pool Maintenance Kits : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com : Hayward SP1023G Vinyl Fiberglass Inlet Fittings for Pools, Spas and Hot Tubs : Swimming Pool Maintenance Kits : Patio, Lawn & Garden
www.amazon.com

Use these to connect that way if something happens again you just unscrew the union and fix and reinstall union :)

Amazon.com: CMP 1.5 in. MIP X 2 in. PVC Hi-Temp Union 21063-160-000 : Everything Else

Amazon.com: CMP 1.5 in. MIP X 2 in. PVC Hi-Temp Union 21063-160-000 : Everything Else
www.amazon.com
 
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Thanks cowboycasey. I figured it was possible. I suggested screwing in a plug on the new fitting, so as soon as that goes in, it would stop most of the water loss. I like the bowl idea if there's no ideal way to plug up the existing fitting. Either way, because of his deck, it'll be a two man job (at least 2).

It's still a crazy mystery, how that existing fitting could be anything but 1-1/2"...
 
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cowboycasey said:
It is possible, you would lose some water on the switch out but not bad.. use some kind of plastic bowl inside the pool to slow the water coming out> cut the pipe> unscrew the old one>pull bowl away and pull out old one> insert new one> install bowl again> finish install :)

All parts would have to be there readily available, if something did go wrong the pool water would leak to the bottom of the return and no further and could be fixed that way also...

Use the HOT PVC glue https://www.lowes.com/pd/Oatey-Rain-R-Shine-8-fl-oz-PVC-Cement/1000422527

Amazon.com : Hayward SP1023G Vinyl Fiberglass Inlet Fittings for Pools, Spas and Hot Tubs : Swimming Pool Maintenance Kits : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com : Hayward SP1023G Vinyl Fiberglass Inlet Fittings for Pools, Spas and Hot Tubs : Swimming Pool Maintenance Kits : Patio, Lawn & Garden
www.amazon.com

Use these to connect that way if something happens again you just unscrew the union and fix and reinstall union :)

Amazon.com: CMP 1.5 in. MIP X 2 in. PVC Hi-Temp Union 21063-160-000 : Everything Else

Amazon.com: CMP 1.5 in. MIP X 2 in. PVC Hi-Temp Union 21063-160-000 : Everything Else
www.amazon.com
Click to expand...

Hot pvc glue?
 
It works better and faster... if it is hot outside you have about 5 seconds to get the fitting where it will be forever... It does not matter if there is some water on it... I always use it when working with pipes on pools :)
 
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Come on, man, we're dying for you to solve the mystery of the just-slightly-too-big threads! (OK, well, I am, anyway...) :scratch:
 

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