Filter hoses leaking - best course of action?

[aubzxx]

Hi all, first post here but have been lurking for a few months now! Apologies in advance if I get the names of anything wrong.

I just had family over this past weekend to put up my new ABG pool. We were pretty successful up until I had a local water delivery place here to fill last night (our water/sewer bills are insane, so this was the cheapest way to go).

Once the water got up to the filter/skimmer, we noticed leaking coming from the filter hoses. We believe that my father-in-law forgot to apply Teflon tape when installing, which might have caused the leaking (photos attached to see where the leaking is coming from). To help combat the leaking, we applied Flex-Seal tape, but we're still seeing a minimal drip (kind of worried about this choice... will I even be able to get the tape off? ).

I haven't started the filter yet as I'm worried the leaking may get worse if I do.

I'm considering buying skimmer/filter plugs to plug everything inside the pool so we don't lose the water we just purchased, and then taking the hoses apart, applying Teflon tape, then putting everything back together.

Does this sound like the right course of action? Is there anything else I could do?

 

[PoolStored]

I'm considering buying skimmer/filter plugs to plug everything inside the pool so we don't lose the water we just purchased, and then taking the hoses apart, applying Teflon tape, then putting everything back together.

^^^^This. Best to get it right the first time...

 

[CT-Steven]

I would just take it apart to verify the use of/not enough Teflon tape (I only use Blue Monster). Worst case is you lose a few inches of water. which can easily be replaced via your hose.

 

[phonedave]

Those are smooth fitting with a hose clamp. There are no threads to use Teflon tape on. What sort of clamp do you have on there under the flex tape?

Make sure the clamp is tight enough. It is easier to tighten them with the proper sized nut driver than a screwdriver. You want them tight, but don't crank them down so much that they crush the hose. You can also put two clamps on each fitting.

To re-do the fittings without loosing a lot of water, have somebody hold a folded up rag over the hole in the skimmer or over the return (depending on what you are working on). It will stop quite a bit of the water.

Adding Teflon tape to this type of fitting will CAUSE leaks.

Teflon tape is not a case of more is better. It is designed to be used in specific cases, and in the proper amounts. It is used for NPT - National Pipe Threads - which are tapered. Two wraps are fine in most cases. Using more than that builds up too much thickness and you risk cracking the female fitting. The tape helps to lubricate the threads and seal MINOR defects. That is it. It is not some magic band aid to be used all over the place. And using it on threads such as on unions is a waste, because those are not designed for sealing.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

What phonedave said^^. When I had hoses I would put them up high enough to get a lot of smooth portion onto the filter and return and use stainless steel hose clamps to hold them in place. Best thing to do is next year - hard plumb them!

 

[aubzxx]

Those are smooth fitting with a hose clamp. There are no threads to use Teflon tape on. What sort of clamp do you have on there under the flex tape?

Make sure the clamp is tight enough. It is easier to tighten them with the proper sized nut driver than a screwdriver. You want them tight, but don't crank them down so much that they crush the hose. You can also put two clamps on each fitting.

To re-do the fittings without loosing a lot of water, have somebody hold a folded up rag over the hole in the skimmer or over the return (depending on what you are working on). It will stop quite a bit of the water.

Adding Teflon tape to this type of fitting will CAUSE leaks.

Teflon tape is not a case of more is better. It is designed to be used in specific cases, and in the proper amounts. It is used for NPT - National Pipe Threads - which are tapered. Two wraps are fine in most cases. Using more than that builds up too much thickness and you risk cracking the female fitting. The tape helps to lubricate the threads and seal MINOR defects. That is it. It is not some magic band aid to be used all over the place. And using it on threads such as on unions is a waste, because those are not designed for sealing.

Thank you so much for this! We have a hose clamp under both parts where the flex tape is. Maybe two clamps is the way to go.

I did also go out just now to start taking the flex tape off and snapped a picture - it looks like this part is leaking in two places, the hose and possibly the spot where it attaches to the wall (still learning the names of parts - does this have any specific name?). Would caulk maybe help with that part?

 

[VinnyinNJ]

There is a proper procedure for attaching parts to a pool. I've seen exploded views somewhere of what goes where. There should be a couple gaskets maybe 3 and they are placed inside and outside the pool wall and or liner. As far as hoses, I used the "better" hoses with rubber ends. They fit the connections pretty well and the hose clamp (1 on each) worked great.

 

[phonedave]

Thank you so much for this! We have a hose clamp under both parts where the flex tape is. Maybe two clamps is the way to go.

I did also go out just now to start taking the flex tape off and snapped a picture - it looks like this part is leaking in two places, the hose and possibly the spot where it attaches to the wall (still learning the names of parts - does this have any specific name?). Would caulk maybe help with that part?

Water goes where water wants and sometimes the exact part that is leaking can be difficult to determine. Caulk (or better, silicone sealant) MAY help. MAY not. The issue is you have a leak, and the leak is going to happen while the sealant is curing. So, it is likely going to cut a channel in the sealant.

 

[MITBeta]

Those are smooth fitting with a hose clamp. There are no threads to use Teflon tape on. What sort of clamp do you have on there under the flex tape?

Those smooth fitting screw into the bottom of the skimmer and into the through wall fitting. These have threads that need to be sealed.

 

[SecoSteve]

Thank you so much for this! We have a hose clamp under both parts where the flex tape is. Maybe two clamps is the way to go.

I did also go out just now to start taking the flex tape off and snapped a picture - it looks like this part is leaking in two places, the hose and possibly the spot where it attaches to the wall (still learning the names of parts - does this have any specific name?). Would caulk maybe help with that part?

This fitting looks like it needs to be tightened up a bit. Make sure there's rubber gaskets on both sides. No caulk or tape needed. You'll need a wrench on the outside and one on the inside. The wrench will connect on the "square" part of the fitting.

As for the hoses attaching to the return, skimmer and pump, make sure the hose is pushed on all the way before the clamp is tightened. you have to push and twist with a lot of strength to get it seated enough.

 

[phonedave]

Those smooth fitting screw into the bottom of the skimmer and into the through wall fitting. These have threads that need to be sealed.

1) I was referring to the attachment of the hose itself to the fitting. Not the fitting itself.

2) The hose adaptor (that "smooth fitting) does have NPT threads on it, and should have either PTFE tape, or dope on those threads.

3) The locking ring on the return does NOT get tape. The locking ring on the return only serves to compress the gasket that does the actual sealing.

The way the OP originally posted the question, it made it sound like it was leaking from the connection of the hose to the fitting, not the fitting to the housing. It was also impossible to tell from the pictures that were showing a bunch of flex seal.

 

[SecoSteve]

1) I was referring to the attachment of the hose itself to the fitting. Not the fitting itself.

2) The hose adaptor (that "smooth fitting) does have NPT threads on it, and should have either PTFE tape, or dope on those threads.

3) The locking ring on the return does NOT get tape. The locking ring on the return only serves to compress the gasket that does the actual sealing.

The way the OP originally posted the question, it made it sound like it was leaking from the connection of the hose to the fitting, not the fitting to the housing. It was also impossible to tell from the pictures that were showing a bunch of flex seal.

Ahhh! Didn't even think that there was threads on the hose adapter. If that is the case, then that needs to be changed to a hose adapter without threads to accept the hose and clamp. No wonder it is leaking. They also make hose adapters with barbs on the end where the hose attaches to keep the hose from slipping off. I had that problem years ago, and switched to the barbed adapter. It made it difficult to get the hose on and off in the winter/spring but it never slipped off.

 

[phonedave]

Ahhh! Didn't even think that there was threads on the hose adapter. If that is the case, then that needs to be changed to a hose adapter without threads to accept the hose and clamp. No wonder it is leaking. They also make hose adapters with barbs on the end where the hose attaches to keep the hose from slipping off. I had that problem years ago, and switched to the barbed adapter. It made it difficult to get the hose on and off in the winter/spring but it never slipped off.

The hose adaptor is smooth (or ridged, or barbed) where the HOSE attaches. But the other end of the adaptor threads into the skimmer or return fitting. The threaded part that goes into the skimmer or return fitting needs tape or dope. The other end that the hose attaches to needs nothing (except for the proper clamps)