How do I do the bucket test?
Fill a bucket with pool water and set it on a pool step so the water levels inside and outside the bucket match. Mark both levels. After 24 hours, compare. If the pool dropped more than the bucket, you likely have a leak. If both dropped the same, it is evaporation.
- Fill the pool to its normal level.
- Fill a 5-gallon bucket with pool water to about 1 inch from the top.
- Set the bucket on the first or second step, so it sits in the pool water.
- Mark the water level inside the bucket and the pool level on the outside of the bucket.
- Run the pump as usual. Turn off any auto-fill.
- After 24 hours, compare the two drops.
- Repeat with the pump off. If the loss is bigger with the pump on, the leak may be in the pressure-side plumbing. Bigger with the pump off can point to the suction side or the shell.
Should you run the bucket test with the pump on and off?
Yes, if the first test shows a leak. Run one 24-hour test with the pump on its normal schedule and a second with the pump off. If the pool drops faster with the pump running, the leak is likely in the pressure-side plumbing. If it drops faster with the pump off, look at the suction side or the shell. That saves time on the technician's visit.
Reading your bucket test
| What you see after 24 hours | What it likely means |
|---|
| Pool and bucket dropped the same | Normal evaporation, no leak |
| Pool dropped a little more (under 1/4 inch) | Possible small leak; repeat the test |
| Pool dropped 1/4 inch or more than the bucket | Likely leak; schedule leak detection |
| Pool drops faster with the pump running | Leak likely in the pressure-side plumbing |
| Pool drops faster with the pump off | Leak likely in the suction side or the shell |
Take a photo of both marks at the start and the end of each test. Rain spoils the result, so repeat it on a dry day.
