Brand new above ground wide mouth skimmer leaks?

[Don2222]

Hello
It seams like an above ground pool leaky skimmer is a common problem, but there does it seem to be a sure fire common fix?
We had to replace the 15 y/o liner and that worked out well. See that story here.

Pool liner not holding water anymore - replace?

Hello It's very bad timing since lots of people are doing staycations, pool workers and supplies are in short supply! If I can get the right parts, then it is DIY or no pool! With Father’s Day this weekend and July 4th almost here time is running out fast!!! All the water drained out of the 18’...

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Since the skimmer was older than 5 years they recommend a new one or We May have trouble. Well we still had trouble even with the new skimmer. On the inside around the skimmer holes it was a bit rusty so I wire brushed it off and cleaned it well with acetone. Then painted the area with acetone. The new skimmer came with an inside and outside gasket. We got the screws as tight as possible but no luck it was leaking badly. Then I realized the old skimmer had one butterfly gasket and opinions from users on the Internet said the butterfly works better. So after a quick trip, we installed the butterfly gasket. This gasket does work much better but it is still leaking. Then I did more research and found that maybe pool putty, or the new Flex Seal May fix it? I also saw 2 good recommendations for Marine Grade clear silicone rubber.
My friend says regular silicone RTV worked well for his leaky fish tank. I got the marine grade silicone and will try it.

Amazon product ASIN B001449S86
Boatlife Marine Silicone Rubber Sealant

Boatlife Marine Silicone Rubber Sealant is an all-purpose, 100% marine high quality silicone sealant. This sealant is non-corrosive, acid-free, non-yellowing, mildew-resistant, and low-odor. This silicone rubber sealant is for use above or below the waterline. Features superior flexibility and adhesion to fiberglass, plastic, metal, and wood. Boatlife's Silicone Rubber Sealant retains flexibility and tensile strength even after years of exposure. This product is great for applications where speed is important - it is tack-free in 30 minutes or less and fully cured in 24 hours.


Features:

• All-purpose high quality silicone sealant
• Will not shrink, crack, or dry out
• Retains flexibility and tensile strength after years of exposure
• Will not corrode metal or electronics
• Neutral curing system

Does anyone else have a sure fire fix?

Pic 1 - rusty skimmer hole
Pic 2 - cleaned and painted with Rust-Oleum metal finish
Pic 3 - leak under outside of skimmer.
Pic 4 - 2 single gaskets right and butterfly gasket on left
Pic 5 - Marine grade silicone sealant.
Pic 6 - Skimmer
Pic 7 - marine grade silicone rubber applied. Hope this works!

 

[Don2222]

Hello
Also put more silicone on the inside front edge for front edge sealing. See first pic.
At the end of last year I found an Intermatic Timer at a yard sale for $5 and wired it to a special made pool 120 VAC 3 prong outlet and 3 prong plug for the latest electrical code compliance.

 

[Don2222]

The pool was just filled and the water is 87 degrees F and the air temp is 96 Deg F !!
The longest wait is for 24 hours for the silicone to cure
I hear this stuff is amazing if you cannot wait! Lol

Gold Label Pond & Aquarium Sealer

Use Gold Label Pond and Aquarium Sealer to fix pond leaks underwater. Sets up quickly in wet or dry conditions. No more draining means less hassle. Fish safe.

www.thepondguy.com

 

[Bad LP]

3M 4200 fast cure sealant. It's used below the waterline on boats all over the world.

 

[Don2222]

Looks like good stuff, Thanks

Jamestown Distributors

www.jamestowndistributors.com

 

[Don2222]

Still a couple of small leaks!
Luckily I got 2 tubes of the Marine Silicone. This does harden fast. Even with the cap on the tube if I do not use it all up in a day, any left would not be much good.
Even though the outside of the skimmer was all sealed, the liner overlap went under the gasket and it leaked under the liner! Therefore it is always best to cut away the liner overlap on the outside of the pool before installing the skimmer. I had to cut away the liner along the left side of the skimmer and add more silicone to seal it up!
Also that stupid cork filter return gasket tore when tightening it. So I have to replace that with a silicone gasket!
Hope this finishes the job, it is getting old fast!

Pic 1 - seal under liner overlap on left side of the skimmer on the outside of the pool.
Pic 2 - sealing All 4 sides of the channel where the front mouth of the skimmer is screwed onto the body of the skimmer on the back of the skimmer on the outside of the pool.
Pic 3 & 4 - sealing threads on filter return with marine silicone instead of the very thin Teflon tape. I tried the tape and sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. This maybe my fault but the marine grade silicone is a sure fire fix.
Pic 5 - Sealing threads in skimmer hose adapter on bottom of skimmer with marine grade silicone.
Pic 6 - Torn cork gasket when tightening!

 

[Don2222]

That broken cork gasket gave me one more special fix I really believe will be much better in the long run on the filter return. I cut my own high temp 1/8” filter return ring gaskets from the red-orange sheets and used one outside and one inside the pool along with their white silicone gaskets. The silicone I use is a little more flexible and really makes an excellent seal. Similar to those good old garden hose gaskets but maybe slightly better.
I wanted to make gaskets for the wide mouth skimmer frame but my sheets were not long enough. I bet they would have been better!
See pics

 

[Don2222]

Still had a slight drip leak on the filter return! After 3 hours I finally figured out that piece of duct tape I put in the hole to cover a sharp edge was causing the leak! So that is another thing NOT to do!!
I ended up putting 2 of the white silicone gaskets that came with the filter return on each side and tightened by hand with a little snug with the wrench which is all you need for it to work!
This shows what works and what does not work! LOL

Pic 1 - Filter Return with 2 white silicone gaskets on each side and hand tighened then a 1/4 turn with a wrench
Pic 2 - Filter Return with duct tape thru hole on pool wall. Do Not do this because it can cause it to leak! LOL

 

[Don2222]

Hello
Just got a pool thermometer from Namco and it says the pool water is 98 Deg F!! Does it have a fever?
In the sun it is 105 Deg F . in the shade it is 95 Deg F? My neighbor says his in ground pool is approx 90 Degs F !! This is at approx 4:00 pm on a very hot day too.

 

[Don2222]

There is definitely problems with leaky skimmers especially when better gaskets are available on the market.
Maybe this would be a better gasket for the skimmer?
Navy Grip Seal Gasket
https://linerworld.com/products/navy-grip-seal-gaskets-skimmer-widemouth?_pos=3&_sid=d7384a897&_ss=r

I also believe that not all the blame for skimmers leaking should be placed on the gasket as I found out by tucking the liner under it on the outside and using duct tape. However maybe the design of the skimmer could also be better. Such as stainless steel screws going into plastic holes and cutting threads. I have seen embedded stainless steel nuts in plastic that could not only be easier to install but also would not strip as easily??

 

[Don2222]

How long to run filter?

Optimum time of day and length of time to run pool filter pump?

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