Need a special tool!

[JonnyG]

I opened the pool this year by myself and I have a drain plug at the bottom of a skimmer that I can not open. The skimmer is narrow (around 6" in diameter) and about 18 inches deep. The plug is at the bottom and is so tight that I can not open by hand. No tools work as they are too long to get leverage. The plug has a square knob on top about 1 1/16" wide for removal. ANyone aware of a special tool that they make to remove these plugs or do I need to fabricate something myself?

Any help is appreciated!

Thanks
John

[sammm]

Would a basin wrench work? If so, you can pick one up at your local home improvement store.

[Poconos]

I just love the response times on the forum. 1 hour, problem to solution. That basin wrench is a good call. The shaft on those wrenches isn't 18" long to get above the skimmer but if you still can't get enough torque you can use a piece of PVC pipe, cut a couple slots in one end to fit over the wrench handle, then a channel-lock plier to turn the pipe from above. Make an extension.
Al

[JonnyG]

Thanks, I will give it a try!

John

[sevver]

You can also maybe use a 12 point socket. Or if you can find one, a square socket, they make them, my Dad has some. Then you could use a ratchet. Otherwise, we used to use Valve Keys to turn undergound valves, you could have one of those made up. Basically the same principal as the basin wrench, except there is a square deal on the bottom.

Oh, and if it is like a cleanout cover or something, most plumbers would just bust it out and replace it with a new one. lol.

[waste]

Jonny, are you sure that the plug has to be pulled? Most of the skimmers I've dealt with have 2 ports and a lot of builders don't use the second port for anything, so glue the plug into the second port so thet you'll never open it. If you can get the Gizzmo, or plug out of 1 of the ports, leave the other plug alone! - unless you're MD is plumbed through the skimmer (even so, at some point the MD line may have failed ( ) and they abandoned it.

I used to have a tool for them that was a peice of square 'stock' fence pipe, the inside of the 2' peice of post fit nicely on a 1 1/2" plug - it wasn't mine, so I left it behind with the company when I moved.