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Offline fmctm1sw

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pool leaking bad!
« on: November 13, 2010, 03:35:44 PM »
Another thing I tackled today was the pool.  I noticed a couple weeks ago it was leaking bad.  I let it go down past the skimmers, light and jets.  It keeps right on draining.  I began to figure it was my main drains.  Pool place won't send anyone out to fit it until the water is clear.  I had the pump off for a few days and the water turned green.  Today was the first day I could see the bottom of the deep end... barely.  Last weekend I unhatched an idea to swim to the bottom with a trash bag, surmising the suction would pull the bag over the drain and I could seal one of them at a time.  That idea failed the second I dove into the water and immediately could not concentrate on anything but freezing my a$$ off.  I couldn't see the bottom either, so I was there trying to feel my way around.  A few days ago, I cooked up yet another idea.  If a bath mat can suction itself to the bottom of a bath tub, I should be able to suction them to the bottom of my pool and cover the drains.  I bought the mats a few days ago and was able to get them in there today.  I set them down on the drains with my the pole that attaches to my vacuum head.  I then swam down and mashed them down real good.  Now, I'll fill the pool and pull from the skimmers while I leave a light suction on the drains to keep the mats from moving.  that's the theory anyway.  In a day or two, we'll see...
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Offline scunny

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2010, 04:06:53 PM »
all the pools round here emptied themselves in the earthquake.  ;D
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Offline Stev-o

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2010, 04:32:09 PM »
That's why I don't want a pool! [the wifey does]

I have no major issues my my hot tub.
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Offline Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2010, 11:11:27 PM »
After having owned a hot tub business, one thing I learned, when you can't see/find a leak let the water recede until it stops. The leak will be somewhere just above that water level. Now if it goes all the way to the bottom at least it will be dry and easier to repair. I'd say it's either the pool itself or the plumbing (sorry, I couldn't resist). Hope you find it without too much trouble or expense. 
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Offline the technological J

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2010, 11:49:42 PM »
can u see any where that the water is leaking? most likely it is right at a junction point... this is an inground i take it?
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Offline tramp

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2010, 05:35:58 AM »
last plan would be to drain the pool
pull the liner out and inspect it or replace it
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Offline Stev-o

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #6 on: November 14, 2010, 07:21:27 AM »
Liner??

Can't you shock the water to get it clear?
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Offline Jordan

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2010, 07:24:03 AM »
Add some engine stop leak! Doesn't work in my car maybe it will work in a pool. LOL

Offline Roach Carver

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #8 on: November 17, 2010, 02:54:23 PM »
Add some engine stop leak! Doesn't work in my car maybe it will work in a pool. LOL

yeah, dump 50 punds of pepper in it.

Offline Stev-o

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #9 on: November 17, 2010, 04:17:19 PM »
Add some engine stop leak! Doesn't work in my car maybe it will work in a pool. LOL

yeah, dump 50 punds of pepper in it.


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Offline motocyconomad

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #10 on: November 18, 2010, 10:45:30 AM »
invite skateboarders over they will drain it and put it to good use.
Empty pools in NZ huh? that place just keeps getting better, I'm scared to go because I'll never leave back. surf,snowboard,skate,motorcycles in one place!!!!!

Offline MCRider

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #11 on: November 18, 2010, 11:01:38 AM »
Liner??

Can't you shock the water to get it clear?
Maybe its a midwest thing, but liner pools (even 100% inground) are common. Concrete pools crack from frost heaving. The bottom is shaped with packed sand, the sidewalls are 3 to 4 foot panels, usually stainless steel, bolted together. Then a vinyl liner is hung from top edge of the sidewall, countored to fit the sand. Done properly it looks like blue concrete. Takes some skill to lay it in without a wrinkle.

I built them in high school days.  A sharp toy like a metal boat could punch a hole in the liner, particularly if it sank from the deepend titanic style. But the liners are pretty tough. Leaks were most common at water level where toys punch in, or near the drain where a strain might occur if the sand was not tall enough and let the liner stretch to the drain, where screw holes are. Or the underwater light, again screwhole fatigue, or the skimmer. Seldom in the liner at large, they generally do not have seams. (IIRC)

We would find leaks (or the boss would) by using scuba gear and a tool that would emit a die, he would swim around in the pool with the die tool, when it would flow out you'd have your leak. They make underwater patching kits, it did not require draining the pool. Though if its at the drain, it might.

OP lives in FL. Probably not a liner pool.
« Last Edit: November 18, 2010, 11:05:42 AM by MCRider »
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Offline Kong

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #12 on: November 18, 2010, 12:02:44 PM »
I used to build swimming pools down in Miami before I moved up here.  We did a good number of repairs too.  Its your bottom drain that's leaking, and it should have two places you can check*.  First off there will be the actual drain line, and it will probably exit to the side of the drain.  In the drain's bottom there will be, or should be, a check valve.  The check valve is in there in case the pool is left empty and a hurricane comes, raising the ground water lever and floating the pool out of the ground.  Anyway often a little bit of crap gets into the check valve and you get a leak.  If the actual side drain is leaking then you have a serious problem because it could just as easily be the pipe under the pool as the drain itself.

*  Check for leaks by refilling the pool with clean water at least a couple of feet deep.  Then wade out to the main drain and using a small bottle of red (works best) food covering that will come in a little plastic squeeze bottle (baking section of the grocery store) squeeze just a teeny little bit, less than a drop, out into the water within a couple of inches of the fittings on the bottom drain.  You will be able to watch the wisps of dyed water trail right to the leaking part - its like watching smoke move through the air.

Anyway that's how you find them, how you fix them is another thing.  If you're lucky and its the valve just clean it, if its almost anything else you're looking at a good bit of work and a great deal of expense.
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Offline brooze72

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #13 on: November 18, 2010, 12:05:40 PM »
I've fixed two leaks in my inground, both were on the return jet piping when the plastic pipe was hard against a rock or stanchion, vibration wore it over 7~8 years.  Fix ix easy, finding it a little harder.  Tee's & elbows are likely spots.  Level usually goes down pretty quick if it's on the pressure side of the pump. If leak is on suction side you'll maybe see bubbles or hear cavitation, pressure will be crappy too.
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Offline fmctm1sw

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #14 on: November 18, 2010, 04:02:14 PM »
It actually is a liner pool.  They told me when it was installed never to completely drain it.  There is so much ground water here, they said the pool could collapse and a friend of mine told me it could actually rise out of ground.  I don't know about all that but I'm not taking any chances.  I got it cleared up pretty well.  They will dive the pool for $250 here to find the leak.  I know it's near the bottom somewhere, I let it drain below the light and jets and everything.  I read about the dye trick and I wish it was warmer so I could try to do it myself...  I see a lot of posts since I first posted so I'll read them over real good...
Quote from: 754
Dude is that a tire ? or an O-ring..??

Quote from: inkscars
This is not a pod thread
This is not a #$%* on my vacuum gauges thread
This is a help or GTFO thread.

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1973 CB350G
1975 CB550K
1983 GL650I
1973 CB750K3 (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=92888.0)
1984 Kawasaki KLT-250 (AKA 3 wheeler of death)
1994 Honda TRX300
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Offline fmctm1sw

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #15 on: November 18, 2010, 04:09:59 PM »
If leak is on suction side you'll maybe see bubbles or hear cavitation, pressure will be crappy too.

And I do have air bubbles on the deep end jet but not the low end...
Quote from: 754
Dude is that a tire ? or an O-ring..??

Quote from: inkscars
This is not a pod thread
This is not a #$%* on my vacuum gauges thread
This is a help or GTFO thread.

1973 CB350F
1973 CB350G
1975 CB550K
1983 GL650I
1973 CB750K3 (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=92888.0)
1984 Kawasaki KLT-250 (AKA 3 wheeler of death)
1994 Honda TRX300
1999 Honda TRX250

Offline MCRider

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #16 on: November 18, 2010, 05:24:08 PM »
It actually is a liner pool.  They told me when it was installed never to completely drain it.  There is so much ground water here, they said the pool could collapse and a friend of mine told me it could actually rise out of ground.  I don't know about all that but I'm not taking any chances.  I got it cleared up pretty well.  They will dive the pool for $250 here to find the leak.  I know it's near the bottom somewhere, I let it drain below the light and jets and everything.  I read about the dye trick and I wish it was warmer so I could try to do it myself...  I see a lot of posts since I first posted so I'll read them over real good...
If its a liner pool, then it has the packed sand forming the bottom. If you drain it you run the risk of the sand coming unpacked and shifting. That would require removal of the liner, repacking the sand and reinstalling the liner. Probably a new liner as they don't go in twice very well.

We had tools to pack and form the sand into contours, and those contours must stay that way by constant pressure.  When packing the sand is wet slightly and the liner has to go in quick once the packing and forming is done, followed by water to hold it in place.

Generally, the "rising out of the ground" issue happens with concrete pools. When drained the pressure below the slab can be higher than above and it will rise the slab. Though there should be a relief valve in the drain to let that pressure into the pool before the concrete gives, sometimes they don't work well enough. Rising the sand is not such a problem, but disturbing the sand with water from below could be a problem if drained and that's just as bad.

Good luck.
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Offline my78k

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #17 on: November 18, 2010, 08:39:01 PM »
My pool has been a pain in the ass since we moved in!!

Best thing I did was this summer...spent the money to get it properly diagnosed! Paid a company several hundered dollars to do an untrasonic test to pin point the leak. After paying the 4 grand to replace the liner (which was pooched anyways) it turned out the leak was in a coupling buried under about 2 feet of concrete!

Pool cost me 6 g's this summer....all so the kids could swim while I worked 2 jobs to pay for the repairs and NOT swim!! I can use the local public pool 3000 or so times for what I spent this summer ::)

But having a BBQ, beers, happy kids and the wife in a bikini makes it worth while...or atleast thats what I keep telling myself!!

Dennis

Offline Stev-o

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #18 on: November 18, 2010, 08:48:15 PM »


But having a BBQ, beers, happy kids and the wife in a bikini makes it worth while...or atleast thats what I keep telling myself!!

Dennis


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Offline my78k

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #19 on: November 18, 2010, 08:51:01 PM »
plenty but I aint posting them here!!!  ;)

Dennis

Offline Stev-o

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Re: pool leaking bad!
« Reply #20 on: November 18, 2010, 08:57:56 PM »
plenty but I aint posting them here!!!  ;)




Babe thread?!!?

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