Turned filter on with plugged return line

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E

Esand323

0
Aug 6, 2018
122
Indianapolis
I'm writing this with a red face from embarrassment. I've been trying to trace a leak in my pool for the past few days. I confirmed that the leak is in our return line (as we suspected all along). I have 1 return line, 1 skimmer, and 1 main drain in our inground pool. I turned the pump off and plugged our return line to verify that the leak was there. After leaving it for a day, our water didn't drop at all. Unfortunately, I had a severe memory lapse and forgot that the return line was plugged. I went to go turn the filter on and after a second, the pipes shook pretty bad and the spot where the PVC pipe and black polyurethane pipe (I think its polyurethane, but I'm not sure) are connected for the return line came apart. All together, the pump was on for only a couple of seconds.

I'm not entirely sure how these two pipes were connected before, but I connected them again and refastened the hose clamps around them. I'm not entirely sure I've connected them correctly, but I included pictures below. I'm sure this wasn't good for any of the pipes, filter, or pump, but is there something I should be checking or anything I should be looking out for? I'm concerned something in the filter, such as a lateral could have broken. Hopefully, at worst, I've just made the existing leak worse. I ran the pump for about a minute and didn't notice anything leaking or abnormal. I'm going to leave the pump off until tomorrow. We've been getting some rain and storms and I want everything to dry so I can monitor it.

A couple details on the pool:
  • 12k gallon inground vinyl pool
  • 1 return line, 1 skimmer, 1 main drain
  • Hayward High Rate Sand Filter (Model: S210S)
  • Hayward Super Pump (Model: sp2607x10)

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Probably good that the hose clamp connection acted as a safety valve. I doubt you damaged anything else. Crank up the pump and just keep an eye on things.
 
You have to disassemble the clamps and examine it all for leaks. Pictures of it together are not going to let us diagnosis where the problem lies.
 
I disassembled it all, but I didn't get enough pictures before putting it back together. Here are some pictures I did get. Still has a small drip to it. I'll probably take it back off and I can get some more pictures.

When I take the black PVC connector off, I have these two pipes:
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I can't get the barbed ending of the PVC pipe into the black pipe very well. It doesn't help that the black pipe is angled upward slightly.
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I'd imagine the barbed PVC part comes off? But I could get it off the PVC pipe at all. Therefore, it's not getting in very well. I'd imagine that is where my problem is. I wonder if the barbed ending were to come off, if I could get that in the black pipe itself, then screw it on to the PVC pipe.

I inspected the connector itself for damage but didn't notice any damage to it. I've put the connector on one pipe and then stick the other pipe through.

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What are the two rightmost worm clamps for?
 
I'm honestly not sure. I don't believe they served a purpose before either. Here is the best picture I have of what everything looked like before. Unfortunately, there is a leaf right where the connector is. However, I can still see those clamps and they look loose here as well and don't seem to be serving any purpose.

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Edit: To explain this picture better, the return line is what is at the very bottom. This was a picture that I took a couple weeks ago of something else. It's the best one that shows what the return line looked like before. Not a very good picture though.
 
Did you remove those two worm clamps and make sure there is no tear under them?
 
Yes, I'm positive the leak is coming from the connector, so where the two pipes are meeting inside. I can see the drips coming from there. It's not too much though (the water that is in the picture is not from the drip). I just can't get that barbed PVC pipe into the black pipe very well at all. I suppose if I could, this wouldn't be happening. I've been pushing pretty hard, but they are both 1.5" and it just doesn't want to go in.
 

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You try some lube - dish soap - in the pieces to make them slip together easier?
 
So the dish soap idea worked great. Unfortunately, I still couldn't get the barbed piece in very well. I have to imagine that it comes off. But even if I could get it off, I'm not sure I can get it in very far. I was using quite a bit of force, but it was not going. However, I did put the dish soap on the black pipe and was able to then put the connector piece on and pushed it all the way down the black pipe, thanks to the dish soap. Then I was able to get the barbed PVC pipe in about a half inch (it was easier being able to see and not having the connector blocking it). Then I slid the connector back over the two pipes.

No drips now. I'm hoping I have no issues until at least the leak detection is done (I'm also positive that this was not the source of the leak to begin with!). I'm planning to run the pump only when I'm home and can check on it frequently. I don't feel as though the pipe is in there very well and I don't want to come home to an empty pool if it were to fall out. I'll see if they can fix it when they come out to fix the leak.

Thank you for the help!
 
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