Indoor, inground, lined, some loss, heres what I plan.

[newbie2715]

Al,

I did read your thread on patching and The pictures helped 100%. The auto vacuum hose you are talking about is vacuum line correct? I have been picturing a big vacuum hose similar to used on a home vacuum... it just hit me you are talking vacuum line hose from an engine....

Anyway I did not refill it but have started documenting the loss as it sits now. It is slowing on the loss per hour... So thats a good sign.

What is done if its at the seam of the stairs etc? I imagine a gasket is under there but the whole concept is pretty darn frightening.

[newbie2715]

OK,

So I found it! The bad news is it doesn't look good. I am not sure what happened before I owned the pool or what would have caused this... The liner under the skimmer inlet (rectangle) is apparently tore or just missing.

I am thinking maybe something reacted with the screws, aren't they supposed to be stainless?

Anyway here are a few pictures... Then my questions Please help!








OK can i just remove that skimmer plate, or will the liner move if I do that? I would hate for the holes to not line up again.

Also if I can patch this, as I have new liner material that matches in my basement... approximately how big of patch do I need to do? And could someone clarify what to patch as in, am I able to double the liner up under the plate or will that cause a leak?

Thanks a bunch in advance.

[Poconos]

Removing the skimmer plate should not cause the liner to move. I had to replace my faceplate a few years ago. The liner should have gone all the way to the throat so it is fully pinched by the faceplate. Yes, the screws should have been stainless. When I replaced my faceplate I did drain to just below the skimmer opening so I could work on it dry. I pulled the liner back from the galvanized steel pool side and squished a bunch of silicone seal between the liner and the wall, then more under the faceplate before screwing it back in place. I can't see where the liner is torn but you could definitely bond a big piece on as a patch.
Hope this helps.
Al

[newbie2715]

Its not necessarily torn but the holes should be visible in the pictures.

Any recommended bonding agent or any since I can do it dry? Do you recommend a square patch or a rounded edge patch? I assume with no sharp corners it would be harder to come back off (if thats even an issue with these patches)

[Sumo1]

Al, the holes are below the skimmer plate. I didn't see them the first time I looked, either.
Hal

[newbie2715]

OK,

So I hit the local pool supply company and purchased some Boxer Brand adhesive. I am planning on removing the plate and rounding out any sharp edges of the tears (to avoid a further rip later).

Then i plan on cutting the extra vinyl and going at least 1 inch larger than any of the "holes".

I plan on letting that sit for a day or two and then cleaning the skimmer plate screws up and getting a new gasket to replace the one that comes off.

I will top off the gasket application with Silicone seal, and reinstall the skimmer plate.

Have I left anything out?



** Also I edited the last pic with Paint to outline the issue!**

[chem geek]

newbie2715,

I have some questions about your pool since I'm trying to figure out when corrosion occurs. Since it's an indoor pool, is there any Cyanuric Acid (CYA) in the pool? Most indoor pools do not have CYA because there is no sunlight, but having chlorine without CYA makes the chlorine far stronger in concentration and potentially corrosive. What is your source of chlorine (bleach, Trichlor, SWG)? What is your typical Free Chlorine (FC) level?

Also, when you remove the screws, look at the screw mounts and see if you can tell if they are made of the same material as the screws.

Thanks,
Richard