Blocked Skimmer pipe....Any advice please??

[heave]

Cheers John.

[JohnPower]

The water level in the pool kept dropping until it reached the level of the skimmers, and then didn't drop any further. However, inside the Skimmers (where the baskets are) the water continued to drop. Therefore, I think this confirms that there is a leak/break between the skimmers and filter.
The water level inside the skimmers has now settled so I can now work out roughly how deep the break/leak is. Next and biggest problem is I am going to need to some serious kit to dig up my patio :-(
Time for a beer.
...

Thank you, that explains everything. You've done well to identify the problem so accurately. But the hard bit is still to come. Good luck with it all. Enjoy your beer - you've earned it.

Best wishes, John.

[heave]

The water level in the pool kept dropping until it reached the level of the skimmers, and then didn't drop any further. However, inside the Skimmers (where the baskets are) the water continued to drop. Therefore, I think this confirms that there is a leak/break between the skimmers and filter.

The water level inside the skimmers has now settled so I can now work out roughly how deep the break/leak is. Next and biggest problem is I am going to need to some serious kit to dig up my patio :-(

Time for a beer.

HI John,
I turned off the auti-fill and the water level has now dropped a couple of inches in the skimmers, but not in the pool. I think this is definitely a case of corroded pipes now leaking water :-(
Cheers again
...

You may well be correct, but I am confused. How does the water level drop in the skimmers and not in the pool? Normally the skimmer inlets are below the pool water level. If your pool water level is below the skimmer inlets, then that alone might explain why the pump does not function on the skimmers.

[JohnPower]

HI John,
I turned off the auti-fill and the water level has now dropped a couple of inches in the skimmers, but not in the pool. I think this is definitely a case of corroded pipes now leaking water :-(
Cheers again
...

You may well be correct, but I am confused. How does the water level drop in the skimmers and not in the pool? Normally the skimmer inlets are below the pool water level. If your pool water level is below the skimmer inlets, then that alone might explain why the pump does not function on the skimmers.

[heave]

HI John,

I turned off the auti-fill and the water level has now dropped a couple of inches in the skimmers, but not in the pool. I think this is definitely a case of corroded pipes now leaking water :-(

Cheers again

Can you rule out a possible leak? Do you have an auto-fill on your pool? If you have an auto-fill, I suggest turning it off to see whether your water level drops over a few days (ie more than you might expect from normal evaporation).

[heave]

Hi Doggy,

Yup, I think that is deffo the case now.

Thanks for taking the time to reply - much appreciated.

Steve

Aye, I'm with Mustang on this one, we had the same problem. The former owners of the house obviously put the chlorine tabs in the skimmer baskets and the old pipes were actually white from the chlorine and completely shot.

I'm afraid it looks like a dig 'em out & replace job.   

The best of luck.


Doggy

[heave]

Hi Mike,

This does make the most sense now as there is no other obvious cause for this to happen.

I think the only option now is for me to get a shovel out and start digging.

Many thanks again.

Steve

Hi Steve. I am so sorry to say but putting the tablets in the skimmer baskets then allows all the chlorine to dissolve and stay in the  suctions pipes and over many years just rots the pipes. This has been a  who is right and  who is wrong thing for many years This is why you have a floater basket to allow the chlorine to  dissolve in the pool and not to be trapped in suction pipes when the filter is off.  I have had to repair two pools here where the tablets were put in the skimmer baskets and the do it yourself pool man did admit to  what he had done when he saw the suction pipes  corroded. I would hope your problem is not the same but can only say what i know and have seen. Regards Mike

[owdoggy]

Aye, I'm with Mustang on this one, we had the same problem. The former owners of the house obviously put the chlorine tabs in the skimmer baskets and the old pipes were actually white from the chlorine and completely shot.

I'm afraid it looks like a dig 'em out & replace job.   

The best of luck.


Doggy

[mustang]

Hi Steve. I am so sorry to say but putting the tablets in the skimmer baskets then allows all the chlorine to dissolve and stay in the  suctions pipes and over many years just rots the pipes. This has been a  who is right and  who is wrong thing for many years This is why you have a floater basket to allow the chlorine to  dissolve in the pool and not to be trapped in suction pipes when the filter is off.  I have had to repair two pools here where the tablets were put in the skimmer baskets and the do it yourself pool man did admit to  what he had done when he saw the suction pipes  corroded. I would hope your problem is not the same but can only say what i know and have seen. Regards Mike

[heave]

Hi Mike,

The pool is now 12 years old and I have always put the chlorine tablets in the baskets :-(

I cant rule anything out at the momnet.

Cheers

Steve

Hi have you been putting the chlorine tablets in the skimmer baskets? If  you have then you may have damage the suction pipes. Regards Mike

[heave]

Hi John, good idea. Ive stopped the auto-fill and will monitor for the next few days.

Fingers crossed this will not end up being an expensive fix.

Cheers

Steve

Can you rule out a possible leak? Do you have an auto-fill on your pool? If you have an auto-fill, I suggest turning it off to see whether your water level drops over a few days (ie more than you might expect from normal evaporation).

[mustang]

Hi have you been putting the chlorine tablets in the skimmer baskets? If  you have then you may have damage the suction pipes. Regards Mike

[JohnPower]

Can you rule out a possible leak? Do you have an auto-fill on your pool? If you have an auto-fill, I suggest turning it off to see whether your water level drops over a few days (ie more than you might expect from normal evaporation).

[heave]

Hi John, Thanks for the reply..

A bit more background....

On the suction side of my filter pump I have the usual Skimmer, Bottom & Sweep inputs. At the end of last season I started seeing bubbles in the jets and the pump was taking  long time to prime. After a few checks it was identified that if the skimmer valve was turned off the bubbles stopped and the pump primed straight away.

This week is the first time I have been out since late summer and the pool has been off since then.  If I start the filter (with the skimmer valve closed) the pump primes ok and starts to filter (there are s few bubbles coming out the jets still, but nothing major. However, if I open the Skimmer valve while the pump is running it looks like all suction is lost as it stops pulling through from the bottom and/or skimmer input. As soon as i shut the skimmer valve it starts to re-prime again.

The reason I thought it my be a blockage is simply because I tried to use a decent size sink plunger on the swimming pool end of the skimmer feed and there was pretty much no movement in the water at all and it felt just like a blocked sink.

THe filter/pump is above the water level.

Hope that makes it a bot clearer..

Can you tell us a bit more, please?

You say there is no water coming into the pump from the pool: is the sump pipe also blocked, or have you turned the sump valve to 'off'? If the latter, could you say why?

As long as you've kept the filters in position, I find it hard to believe that the pipe is blocked with debris. And I'd be very cautious trying to rod these pipes! The most likely cause is an air block perhaps created by turning the skimmers on when the pool water level was too low.

Is your pump positioned above pool water level? Is it a self-priming pump?

[JohnPower]

Can you tell us a bit more, please?

You say there is no water coming into the pump from the pool: is the sump pipe also blocked, or have you turned the sump valve to 'off'? If the latter, could you say why?

As long as you've kept the filters in position, I find it hard to believe that the pipe is blocked with debris. And I'd be very cautious trying to rod these pipes! The most likely cause is an air block perhaps created by turning the skimmers on when the pool water level was too low.

Is your pump positioned above pool water level? Is it a self-priming pump?

[heave]

Morning all,

When I open the Skimmer valve on my pool filter system it instantly starts emptying the pump of water as there is no water being sucked through from the pool, just air. Ive taken the baskets out of both skimmers and (with the pump running) there is no water movement at all.

I have also put a sink plunger in one of the skimmers while the other once was covered (and skimmer valve open) and its clear that there is a blockage somewhere down the pipe. I'm going to try and Rod it later today but was wondering if there was any other tips/tricks i could try. Or, even better is someone has a tool for jetting out blocked pipes and is available before Tuesday 15th.

Im in Lubrin.

Any advice apreciated.


Steve