Installment 7

[Norm]

What did the homeowner attempt to do here?

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What are these three PVC pipes?

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What's the difference between these two things?

Why is one better than the other?

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What do you recommend when you see this?

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This is real fun at night!

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NORM SAGE

[DonTx]

I'm not a pool guru, this is why I love Norms pool pics. I'm gonna give it a try.

1. Someone used a ground rod for bonding the pump motor. I believe it's suppose to be a continuous bond of all equipment and metal materials within 5 feet of the pool.

2,3,4. I have no idea what the capped PVC lines represent. #4 looks like someone took out some equipment and left the line open. Possible contamination?

5,6. No anti vortex covers?

7. I'd say the pump motor housing is rusted through and recommend replacing the pump motor.

8. The little plastic shield is missing over the energized wires. I don't know if there's a code dealing with the timer box being so close to the hose bibb though.

Donald

[Paul MacLean]

Donald basically got it from what I can see. I thought about a pool heater being removed, but that PVC capped in the yard makes no sense to me and the open PVC would have presumably been capped. I guess a closed valve might keep the system pressurized, but I'm really stretching it now.[:-dunce]

OK Norm...what did we miss?

[Norm]

Glad to see you guys are enjoying this stuff. I thought I'd wait until Monday or Tuesday to comment in order to allow others to chime in.

NORM SAGE

[charlieb]

# 3 capped backwash line?

[Danny Pritchard]

I agree with Donald.

[Norm]

Donald, for a non-guru you're pretty good. Photo #1 is a homeowners attempt to correct the non-bonded pool pump motor. All he did was create a second ground. The motor was already grounded via the panel. It's still not bonded. As to the requirement for bonding all electrical equipment associated with pool water circulation, all metal structures larger than 4" within 5' of the normal water level which includes metal window and sliding glass door frames, gutter downspouts, fences, pool shell structural steel, railings, ladders, slides, diving boards, and non electrical equipment within 5' of the normal water level must be bonded to achieve a common grid.

Photo #2 This is a 1.5" PVC line which is installed in order to dewater the system. This line terminates at the well point which is located in the gravel bed below the deep end of the pool. When the pool needs to be emptied for acid washing, re-plastering, or other service a pump is attached to this pipe in order to drain the ground water below the pool shell to prevent the shell from popping (see photo in previous installment). When not in use it can be capped or left uncapped.

Photo #4 Capped 2" PVC pipe and Photo #5 2" uncapped PVC pipe. These are atmospheric relief lines. Their purpose is to provide a secondary method to release an individual or object which has become entrapped at one of the suction devices such as the main drain or pool vacuum port. Theoretically, if an individual or object becomes entrapped the pipe will draw in enough air to cause the pump to loose it's prime within 1-3 seconds and release the poor sucker. I use the word "sucker" because there was an individual who had his male member entrapped in the vacuum port of a motel swimming pool in NW Florida a couple of years ago. This made great reading in the local news papers. The fool who capped the pipe in photo #3 obviously negated the function of the safety devise. I report this as an "absence of the safety vacuum release system".

Photos 5 and 6 are two types of main drain covers. #5, although difficult to visualize, is an antivortex cover. The openings are more in a vertical plane than it appears in the photo. This makes it difficult, unless you are proportioned like Mike O, to encoumpass the entire cover and become entrapped. Photo #6 os the old style, now outlawed in Fl., which is flat and easily allows entrappment.

Photo #7 is, as Donald said, a pump motor which is rusted out and requires repalcement.

Photo #8 is a time clock, again Donald was correct, which is missing the plastic electrical protector. See attached photo of the almost correct installation and the absolute correct installation of the above.

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NORM SAGE

[Danny Pritchard]

Norm,

The atmospheric relief lines were they required with older type drains?Are they required with anti-vortex drains?Do you test these to see if they function or just note them in your report?Why is the capped atmospheric relief line in the middle of the yard and not by the pool equipment?I don't recall ever seeing these before.Can they be added after the pool is built?

Thanks!

[Norm]

The atmospheric relief lines were, for the most part, a requirement mandated by local authorities. Here in Palm Beach County they were required prior to antivortex drain covers. The Florida Building Code requires the relief lines even with antivortex covers. I don't test these lines. I do note in the report if they are not installed. As to the location of the line termination it can be anywhere. The most common location is at the pool equipment, however, I have seen them in locations totally remote to the equipment. I've never seen a relief line retrofitted but I'm sure it is possible to do so.

NORM SAGE

[Danny Pritchard]

Thanks,Norm