Swimming Pool Leak Detection

cobraboy

cobraboy

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Our swimming pool is suddenly losing 1.5"-2" of water a day. I cannot find leaks in exposed pipes or pumps, In-pool dye tests have been negative, but that may be from 100% pilot error. The weather hasn't been hot and sunny enough for that much evaporation.

Does anyone have a referral to a pool outfit that does pool leak detection, possibly water level analysis and (hopefully) acoustic and/or ultrasonic leak detection?

I just need the leak location. We can do the repairs once positively detected.

TIA
 
lifeisgreat

lifeisgreat

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ouch that's a pita...my light fixture was culprit in my leak, didn't show in dye test either ... 
 
jstarebel

jstarebel

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If you've done a dye test in the pool itself, and it's negative, might I suggest you look for someone that does pipe leak detection with camera equipment. The problem then of course is how to fix it after you find it. Have you let the water sit overnight just under the skimmers in the pool to double check the dye test? That's what I'd try next.
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

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lifeisgreat said:
ouch that's a pita...my light fixture was culprit in my leak, didn't show in dye test either ... 
Click to expand...
I didn't take the fixtures out, just tested around them, so they could still be the culprit.
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

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jstarebel said:
If you've done a dye test in the pool itself, and it's negative, might I suggest you look for someone that does pipe leak detection with camera equipment. The problem then of course is how to fix it after you find it. Have you let the water sit overnight just under the skimmers in the pool to double check the dye test? That's what I'd try next.
Click to expand...
Not yet, but I will.

If the leak is from the skimmers or return lines, that means busted concrete and digging. IF it's drain? That's a different story.

Yes, add leak detection with a camera to the list. Who does that in the DR?

The good news is with all the rain draining the pool is not a huge problem to refill.
 
lifeisgreat

lifeisgreat

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I epoxied up between light and concrete with clear epoxy  worked like charm.... 
 
lifeisgreat

lifeisgreat

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Cobraboy how we did it after dye test was lower water to above return line water keeped going( Straw effect)  when it reached light it stoped just by lense bottom ours was leaking same as yours on water loss amount...
 
beeza

beeza

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Let it leak until it reaches it's natural level.  Mine eventually went down to the outlet jets.  Found out one of the pipes to one of the jets was cracked.  Some serious excavation was required to get to it.  Another telltale sign was that the grass was greener where the leak was!
 
jstarebel

jstarebel

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cobraboy said:
Not yet, but I will.

If the leak is from the skimmers or return lines, that means busted concrete and digging. IF it's drain? That's a different story.

Yes, add leak detection with a camera to the list. Who does that in the DR?

The good news is with all the rain draining the pool is not a huge problem to refill.
Click to expand...

If it turns out to be the drain, then plug it with an internal rubber bung. Not a big deal and you might want to do that before doing the skimmer test. Before I started on breaking up concrete, I'd do the math and see how much it's going to cost in water before I started in on breaking up concrete. The only pipe camera I know of is a 1000 ft. one the engineering staff at Oceanworld has.
 
W

william webster

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After changing my pool light to LED, a leak developed.
They had ruptured the pipes...just closed it off and bought a floating light.

No more problems.
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

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beeza said:
Let it leak until it reaches it's natural level.  Mine eventually went down to the outlet jets.  Found out one of the pipes to one of the jets was cracked.  Some serious excavation was required to get to it.  Another telltale sign was that the grass was greener where the leak was!
Click to expand...
Funny you mention that because I figured that by allowing the level to drop to the point there is no further drop in water would tell me where to look.
 
D

DR Solar

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jstarebel said:
If you've done a dye test in the pool itself, and it's negative, might I suggest you look for someone that does pipe leak detection with camera equipment. The problem then of course is how to fix it after you find it. Have you let the water sit overnight just under the skimmers in the pool to double check the dye test? That's what I'd try next.
Click to expand...

You don't live in the DR do you.
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

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jstarebel said:
If it turns out to be the drain, then plug it with an internal rubber bung. Not a big deal and you might want to do that before doing the skimmer test. Before I started on breaking up concrete, I'd do the math and see how much it's going to cost in water before I started in on breaking up concrete. The only pipe camera I know of is a 1000 ft. one the engineering staff at Oceanworld has.
Click to expand...
I just ordered three 1.5" expansion plugs for the two skimmers and main drain. That should tell me a lot.
 
R

reilleyp

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Turn everything off.  No water should be moving at this time right?  Go to each jet or drain and put a few small blades of grass or  leaves around there.  You will most likely have some small blades of grass drawn into one or two jets, because that is where the water is draining.  Your leak will be somewhere near there, maybe in between two jets.   
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

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reilleyp said:
Turn everything off.  No water should be moving at this time right?  Go to each jet or drain and put a few small blades of grass or  leaves around there.  You will most likely have some small blades of grass drawn into one or two jets, because that is where the water is draining.  Your leak will be somewhere near there, maybe in between two jets.   
Click to expand...
I did that with the dye test.
 
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