4Leakman
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![[*]](./images/corporate/default_icon.gif) posted on 27-10-08 at 08:02 PM |
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Learn to use the machine
I go to pools that have had divers in them for hours and come up empty handed but the leak tracker drags me right to them. It'll find holes that can
barely be seen. You can also get a reading where a seam is weak or thinned but you will, in time, learn how differentiate what type of sound you are
listening to. Depending where the leak is you may have to go into the pool to patch it but not all the time.
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trackerm
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| posted on 27-10-08 at 08:18 PM |
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A machine is only as good as its operator. While your experience with divers has not been a positive one, I can understand your appreciation for a
leak trac, which i am assuming you are using. While it appears that you may not dive the pools yourself, and have put your trust in a divers hands.
They have not proven themselves. Since i am a diver, i feel compelled to comment. First, not all divers are leak detectors. sure its easy for a diver
to put on gear and search for a leak. But does in fact this diver understand and have knowledge of what being a leak detector is? In my business, I am
a diver. I dont rely on electronics because in my own business, i trust my eye and my own inspection. I can and do appreciate the fact the electronics
can compliment an experienced leak detector who is a diver. The electronic unit can be of benefit in cold and water with low visibility. I do have
dry suit which enables me to enter cold water. An electronic device can be used to narrow my search down, there by minimizing my time in cold water.
a thirty minute underwater inspection can possibly be reduced to ten minutes. Its my philsophy that someone is going in the water, regardless. once
the leak is identified and repair is made, i think its important to get a up close and personal view of the patch, to include dye testing to confirm
that placement of the patch is satisfactory and not leaking. Patched made from outside a pool by the BROOM method is bad business.
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reedpool
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| posted on 28-10-08 at 06:44 AM |
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Dont forget that using a Leak Trac after patching helps reduce or eliminate call backs. Using a Leak Trac without being able to dive and patch is
inefficient. I have been diving to find and fix leaks for 30 years and when liners were either blue, white or turquoise, finding leaks was easy. Once
patterned liners became popular life got tougher until the Leak Trac came along. Trackerm is right, patching with the "broom method" is not
professional.
ARob
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Poolman
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| posted on 28-10-08 at 11:55 AM |
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We find the leak trac a great bit of kit, once you are tuned to what is possibly thin vinyl and what is a leak it doesn't take long to scan a pool.
We like people that use the patch on the vac pole method, had a few that stab the liner a few times and then we get called. Customers like the wet
suit, weight belt, do it properly method and when they are on a water meter very happy.
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trackerm
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| posted on 28-10-08 at 01:33 PM |
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Its certainly good to see leak professionals diving the pool to do their patch work. For me, there is not other option but to find the leak
underwater, make the patch (s) and apply, squigge out, and after its set, once again dye test. I usually go back to the patch on three occasions just
to make sure its satisfactory. this is my way of quality assurance that the customer is getting their money worth and I dont get a call back. I dont
know what everyone does in their individual business. but getting in the pool is mandatory for me. I had a pool company call me for a leak they
found in the winter with a leac trac. They were not dive certified and did not have a dry suit. he asked me if i would patch it and i agreed. However,
when I gave him my fee, he was upset and expected me to do it next to nothing (50 dollars). So yes, i agree you have to be extremely careful when
you are in the leak detection business and hire divers. They may not know what they are looking for. and yes pool man, i agree. when you show up
with the gear and look the part, they link the bcd, tank, regulator, hood, dry or wet suit look. it usually get the neighborhood over for a photo
opportunity after my dive. and gives me the opportunitiy to hand out my card to all those pool owners. So if you dont dive, I highly recommend the
investment in your venue if you dont already.
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Poolman
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| posted on 30-10-08 at 11:17 AM |
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Do you also drive away and then think " did I re set the timer and leave the valves in the correct orientation" and have to go back? If you do its
an age thing!  What glue are you using on patches?
We occasionally will get called to a new liner install because a stone is underneath, have found that a tap with a hammer and inject a tiny amount of
underwater sealer through the hole made so it forms a small patch under the liner does the trick and you can't see where it was. Certainly is worth
be able to stay underwater for a while.
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trackerm
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| posted on 31-10-08 at 02:43 AM |
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boxer adhesive for underwater patches. great stuff.
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4Leakman
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| posted on 31-10-08 at 03:45 PM |
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WOW
I guess I hit "new message", rather than "respond " to a question but it is nice to see some LIFE on the board here.
I used to dive and patch but since I have had a Leak Track (2nd one now) I use it almost every leak call unless I know for sure it is plumbing. I (we)
do our own diving and have all the stuff to do it but, like someone mentioned above, the time saved by finding the leaks via machine then doing the
repairs cuts way down on pool time. I have been fortunate enough to never have used a pool pole to place a patch. I will admit to a brush a couple of
times but I can verify a good seal withe the leak track. I do have a nice gizmo that was invented years ago by a friend that will allow me to glue up
a patch and place it precisely over a hole without getting into the pool. I can place it on a pool pole so I have an easy time placing a patch even at
8 ft. I had contacted these guys and, I believe may have even sent a prototype to them but they saw no use for it. I certainly did and it was well
worth what I paid for it.
I can't comment to the training or familiarity of pool leak detection that some of the guys that preceded me to some of the jobs that I was called to
but I know that the leak track will pick up leaks that are not immediately visible to the eye.
At least we had a viable subject to converse about now that the hoopla over the Leakalyzer died down.
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Poolman
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| posted on 1-11-08 at 02:42 AM |
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Our customers tend to know when the pool is leaking because the top up doesn't turn off, the hissing is a bit of a give away! Leakliser must have its
use but not for us.
Think I may find a speaker for our leak track, sharing a head set with a pool owner can be cosy on occasions but other times
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