electrolysis???-pool leak & damage

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CJ

electrolysis???-pool leak & damage

Postby CJ » Sun 25 May, 2008 12:19

Has anyone had pool damage due to electrolysis?

We have an above ground pool made of extruded aluminum side walls. We noticed two small leaks last year. We patched only the liner since it was early in the swimming season and and the pool company couldn't give us an explanation of what it could be. We had thought maybe our chemicals had eaten through the liner and damaged our side wall. However, with no explanation given by the pool company, we decided we would patch the liner and make the repair to the side wall this year.

Well, we bought our $500 liner from the same company that sold us the pool six years ago and then realized once we drained our pool & started removing the old liner, we have damage over the entire inner side walls. We contacted the company immediately who gave us the run around and then said the manufacturer has told them it is electrolysis and they will only pay half of the cost of the side walls (installation not included).

We are now looking at $1,000. for the replacement walls, the $500. liner, and $650. for replacement cost.

Our pool came with a 40 year limited warranty and is pro-rated. Last year (when we first mentioned the holes) the coverage for the replacement walls would have been 100%. Now that it is a year older, the coverage is 50%.

We are mad to say the least. However, I don't understand the electrolysis theory.

Our pool was set up by the pool company the pump is ran on a ground fault. There is no other electric hooked up by our pool. Our house electric is underground and all wrapped in PVC pipe according to our electrician, so there is no bleed off from that.

Has anyone ever had this problem or have any input??

Thanks so much,
CJ


Bob in Chicago

electrolysis???-pool leak & damage

Postby Bob in Chicago » Fri 26 Jun, 2009 13:21

I have a 21-foot round above-ground pool in the Chicago suburbs. The Chicago area requires all electric to be installed in steel conduit. We had a new vinyl liner installed yesterday and the aluminum sidewalls were somewhat pitted and corroded. A couple of pinholes had gone completely through the sidewall, and the contractor patched these with duct tape. He told me to buy a copper grounding electrode and pound this into the ground, and then connect the grounding screw on the pump housing to this electrode with solid copper wire. Another contractor told me to extend this wire to the aluminum pool sidewall. Is this necessary? Is this sufficient? None of this electrical grounding touches the water. I saw a product that sits in the skimmer and can be connected to the ground wire. Is that necessary? We originally purchased a pool with aluminum sidewalls, thinking that it would be impervious to anything Mother Nature could dish out. How does something happening inside the vinyl pool liner cause problems outside the liner?

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