Air leak

Greetings-
I thought I kill two birds with one stone. I'm a newbie and wanted to introduce myself and follow up with an embarrasing question. Hi, I'm a 39 year old, male, engineering, living in MA/ NH with wife and small baby. My screen name is the same one I use on www.nissanforums.com, you can find me living over there for any of your Nissan Altima car questions.

Okay now to my embarrasing question.

My wife and I inheirtied one of those pack n' play pools (16 ft diameter) where the outer ring is blown up with air and then you fill it and when the seasons done you pack it away for next year, basically a kiddy pool. Last year it worked great, this year where experiencing a small air leak in the ring that gets blown up. Where both having a difficult time locating the air leak. Short of purchasing a expensive leak detection kit, does anyone have any suggestion on finding the leak. We tried the soapy water method to no prevail and my wife want to throw it out. Being an engineer, I though if you sprayed in a either some powder dye , if it exist, or using the tire fix-a-flat.

Thanks
Frank

Can you fill it with water from hose? I am sure you can rig an adapter. Then you should be able to find the water leaking out, you could also add a bunch of food color to make the leak easier to find. Make sure you don't run the water at too high a pressure or else you might blow a seam!

Thanks for the advice, but if you re-read my first posting you'll see I mention I have an air leak not a water leak. These are one of those pools you can but at Walmart, Sears and placed like that. Anyone else have suggestion?
Thanks again

Frank

I've heard of people filling these pools partly with water, then turning the donut over into the water a little at a time to find a leak. Would have to be less than fully aired up. Might be worth a try.

Frank,
I understand that part is supposed to be filled with air but I was suggesting rigging up an adapter and filling it with water part way, possibly add food coloring as well. Next, tilt the pool around or flip it upside down as suggested and see if you can find the water leaking.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bleach=Chlorine?

Frank,
I understand that part is supposed to be filled with air but I was suggesting rigging up an adapter and filling it with water part way, possibly add food coloring as well. Next, tilt the pool around or flip it upside down as suggested and see if you can find the water leaking.

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Ya I thought of that too, but then once I find the leak how do you drain all of the water out.

take it to a friends house with a pool and put it in.. look for bubbles .

What about hooking an airpump up to it to maintain pressure and then just hold some tissue paper next to it and see where it starts to move.