how to patch / splice hot springs vanguard rubber hose leak? video included

[TimRegan]

Hi all,

I have nearly tracked down a leak that seems to be coming from some thin flexible rubber hoses roughly under the equipment compartment.

I need to do some more foam burrowing to make sure I am seeing the source of the leak and not water just flowing along the hose from another source, but I thought I'd ask: any tips for fixing this kind of leak?

I have some experience splicing in flex PVC and using plastaid to patch pvc, but haven't dealt with these rubber hoses. I'm thinking maybe cut out leaking portion and using a barbed fitting to splice in a stretch of hose? 

Also out of curiosity, what are these lines?   

 

[CanadianSpaTech]

2 hours ago, TimRegan said:

I need to do some more foam burrowing to make sure I am seeing the source of the leak and not water just flowing along the hose from another source, but I thought I'd ask: any tips for fixing this kind of leak?

Yes you need to dig deeper to find the source leak. Could just be a small pin hole or it could be a seal around a jet. Animals love to just nip a small hole so they have a water source in their nice warm Winter home.

 

2 hours ago, TimRegan said:

I'm thinking maybe cut out leaking portion and using a barbed fitting to splice in a stretch of hose? 

Likely need 2 barbed fittings and a couple of gear clamps if in fact it is the hose and not a jet that is leaking

 

2 hours ago, TimRegan said:

what are these lines?

Either water to the jet lines (3/4") or air injection lines (Usually 3/8") hard to tell from the video.

[RDspaguy]

Those are the plumbing drain lines. There are a bunch of them, like the one on the front of the pump and heater. They CAN leak, but rarely do. The dense, closed-cell foam tracks water, and where you find the water is rarely where the leak is. Are you 100% certain it's not in the equipment bay?

[TimRegan]

10 hours ago, RDspaguy said:

Those are the plumbing drain lines. There are a bunch of them, like the one on the front of the pump and heater. They CAN leak, but rarely do. The dense, closed-cell foam tracks water, and where you find the water is rarely where the leak is. Are you 100% certain it's not in the equipment bay?

I'm pretty certain the water isn't come from the equipment bay (e.g. from a loose fitting on a pump or something) but I'm not 100% certain it's a puncture in one of these lines. I was following a drip up from the bottom and was able to pull away wet foam until I got to this spot and then I got a little stuck.  But I do need to try to keep digging in farther since I do think it's possible the leak is just running along the foam from elsewhere.  But I need to give my hands some time to stop bleeding first!

[RDspaguy]

Yep, hot springs are fun. Check out my thread about biofilm if you want to see what you might be in for.

[RDspaguy]

[TimRegan]

Argh. So frustrating. I think I've chased this leak back to near the drain exit, but even being this close it's hard to see where it's actually coming from, and being so close to the shell it's very hard to maneuver to scrape the foam off.

I thought about draining the tub and then just injecting some kind of sealant up into the pipe (if/when I'd winterize it I'd just siphon and then shop vac out the lines) but I'm thinking I could clog some return lines that feed the pump or jets?   

This fitting seems like a pain to replace so any suggestions are very welcome!

Thanks @RDspaguy and @CanadianSpaTech for your help so far!

 

 

[RDspaguy]

I'd just cut it out and replace it. It"s not that big of a project from here. You already did the hard part.

[TimRegan]

15 hours ago, RDspaguy said:

I'd just cut it out and replace it. It"s not that big of a project from here. You already did the hard part.

Makes sense — thank you.

 I'm a little confused because what I see doesn't match parts diagram for this 2001 Vangaurd.  The diagram shows the drain valve connecting to pvc and couplers, one with a bleedline nipple.  Mine looks like the drain valve connects right to a T coupler, with side toward spa drain going to normal 3/4" flex pvc, but the side going off to the left looks like some kind of reducer coupler to a smaller tube?

It may be just a well encrusted bleedline nipple. Hopefully it will be clearer if I can scrape off more foam . . . 

[RDspaguy]

There are a good dozen of the drain lines that go to the drain(s). You are calling them "bleed lines, but technically they are drain lines. That is the 3/8" tubing on the nipple. The 3/4 inch flex goes on to other connections, including more drain lines and the floor drain. If your ozone bubbles come out of that floor drain, then it also connects to the circulation pump pressure return. That is how my 2002 that I posted pics of is. I am not sure where you got that diagram, but I doubt it's accuracy, unless 2001 was the last time they did it that way. The part you show would be the first fitting with the barb on the side. Yes, they used a tee instead of drilling and glueing a barb in the side of a coupling. They always do in my experience, except where those drain lines connect into the low points of the jet plumbing.

If the valve has to be removed I would replace it with a standard ball valve or plumbing shut-off from the hardware store. Just cut a hole in the equipment bay floor to accommodate the handle.