pcroperty
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 posted on 23-10-08 at 09:22 AM |
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water leaks
any suggestions greatly appreciated.
Hi i'm using a leak detection kit here in spain. have a client with a concrete pool which drops 1" a day all year round. multivalve is good, pool
recently re-grouted and structure seems sound, done a plumbing leak test on all pipes all found to be sound.checked all inlets and outlets for cracks
and damage all fine. apart from digging the thing up i'm at a loss!!!! any ideas/ suggestions gratefully considered (legal ones only).
thanks in anticipation
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papoolguy
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![[*]](./images/corporate/default_icon.gif) posted on 23-10-08 at 04:09 PM |
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Check with dye to see if the leak is where the skimmer meets the concrete structure of the pool. If you have a light.....check the nitch....and the
conduit where the cord goes through the pool structure with dye to see if your leak is in that area. Hope this helps.
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pcroperty
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| posted on 24-10-08 at 05:30 AM |
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how does the dye work?
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trackerm
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| posted on 25-10-08 at 06:24 PM |
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find a syringe or container that you can fill with andersons or another dye that you can dispense small amouts from. when you suspect a leak, and this
takes technique, get close to the source of the leak, ie screws, gaskets, etc.... be careful not to cause too many currents in the water this will
give you no result. watch the dye. if the dye gets sucked into the area and dissappears, thats your leak. check the whole pools. leaks always seem
to have friends.
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pcroperty
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| posted on 26-10-08 at 05:36 AM |
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sounds easy enough, to further compound the problem:-
if i leave the water to find its own level with all filtration turned off, the water stabalises about 3' from normal level. about 18" below all
outlets/ inlets. i have placed a bucket of shingle over the main drain ( to try and prevent any water loss thro that) think i already mentioned i have
done a full pipe pressure test. Desparate or what !
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Poolman
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| posted on 26-10-08 at 12:19 PM |
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Has the bottom drain got a hydrostatic valve, a bucket of gravel isn't going to do much you need to get in and check it with dye.
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reedpool
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| posted on 27-10-08 at 06:01 AM |
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Put 50 pounds of sand into a plastic garbage bag, squeeze out air. Attach two lengths of string to bag, lower bag into pool, use string to position it
over main drain. If there is a leak in drain plastic will be drawn down to seal the main drain. In cold climates , late in the fall this will also
work to seal leaking hydrostatic valvesa until spring.
Rob
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Poolman
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| posted on 27-10-08 at 10:12 AM |
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Sounds like a plan 
If the shell is sound and there are not losses around fittings then pressure test again. Make sure pipes are full of water and no air else you will
compress the air and get a false reading, but you are aware of that anyway.
For the water to settle 3 feet below the original level and under everything apart from the sump then I would start by re pressure test the sump.
Scenerio could be pipe comes from sump, part way up the pool wall on the outside and does 90 toward the plant area.... 3 feet below the water
level!
The re grouting, why was it done?
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trackerm
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| posted on 27-10-08 at 06:22 PM |
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I dont know exactly what your water temperature is in spain about now. Around here, it calls for a dry suit. I would highly suggest that you dive the
oool (dont know if you are certified or not) plug the main drain outlet after removing the cover. Induce pressure from the high end of the pool
(that way you are out of the water) dripping wet in your dry suit and watch your gauges. I am sure you will find that there is a h igh probablility
that the main drain in the bottom has failed. Give the pool enough time and you will be able to walk down to the drain and plug it without having to
scuba it. Last resort, buy lances leak detetion cd.
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Poolman
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| posted on 28-10-08 at 11:45 AM |
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So why do I wake up thinking about leaks ? Anyway trackerm, in his nice warm dry suit, is right about plugging it.
While your down there dye test the area around the sump, pool finish to plastic joint.
We had a hydro failure that caused the water level to go down in feet a day but then it slowed right down to hardly visible, reason being the water
going out had levelled with the water in the pool, couldn't escape through the ground anymore.
As it was cold and I don't like water without a wet suit the lady of the house volunteered to dive in and plug the faulty valve, now there would be a
sight!
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trackerm
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| posted on 28-10-08 at 02:42 PM |
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dye test the gasket around the plastic ring with the screws, inside the ring as well as outside the ring. sometimes the problem is under the ring
itself. if it has hydro value poolman is on the money the hydro pressure in the ground equalized to meet the hydro pressure inside the pool so if
you dive it and look at the hydro valve. its probably shut. make sure the valve is not stuck open as it needs cleaning or replacing. if the pool is
leaking all the time i suspect the main drain line to have failed. The last two pools i have turned this up. and the pool water here was a nice
toasty 46 degrees. LOL
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Ellen
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| posted on 20-11-08 at 03:40 PM |
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Didn't catch if it was going past the light or not? I found 2x where the screw to the light goes into the nitch-if that is broken dye check there and
the plaster around the nitch. Sometimes on the joints where the pressure plugs cover there can be a small crack giving an illussion that that the
pipes are good, they are but the threading can be cracked
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trackerm
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| posted on 21-11-08 at 08:09 AM |
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the last pool i had was recently re shot. all plumbing brand new. pool was losing over an inch per day. the loss was in the attached spa in the light
conduit. plugged it with a cord stopper. not a lot of light down there so lances flourescent dye came in handy in a low light situation.
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AnyThingUnderwater
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| posted on 22-11-08 at 04:18 PM |
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Send me a plane ticket and I will come and find the leak for you and fix it.
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trackerm
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| posted on 24-11-08 at 07:32 PM |
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8 oz bottle anderson mfg blue or yellow dye $3.50
Round trip air fare to spain $500
Reading Lance's pool leak forum Priceless
There are some things money just cant buy.
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