AS of April1 2009 Hayward will no longer produce DEX 2400 - K filter O-rings

These are the filter gaskets for the 2400 series DE filters. (3620, 4820, 6020...). According to the memo I read, the only option is to replace the whole filter I'll try to get a copy of it tomorrow to quote from, but I STRONGLY advise anyone with a Hayward multiport DE filter to buy a couple DEX 2400 - K o-rings, while they're still available!

Apparently they've redesigned the seal on these units and want to screw all owners of the older units into buying in to the new design (let us also remember that Northstars had so many problems they were thinking of discontinuing the model after the first few years they were out, who's to say THIS new design will perform any better in it's first few years?)

I just wanted to give a 'heads up' to the folks here

Are replacement o rings available from Aladdin? (They seem to have them for just about everything!) I no longer have access to the Aladdin catalog to check.

Thanks Ted for sharing this news!

I guess this is why Leslie's gives you a multi valve when purchasing a DE filter this month.

OK - I managed to smuggle a copy of the 6 page memo out of the office The breakdown on this is that it only effects the stainless steel filters and those manufactured prior to 2001 (replacement of the entire filter is the only option still available for those units if anything on the clamp assembly or the tank o-ring fail )

Pro-grid DE filters and SwimClear cart filters CAN have the rubber o-ring replaced with the new stainless steel seal and the new clamp assembly.

There is one small issue with the new seal kit - no one seems to have them

Bottom line, if you have a Hayward DE or cart filter and can find a DEX - 2400 - K o-ring, it would be a good idea to buy 1 or 2 while you still can

I'm not sure on the Aladdin o-rings, but the ones we've gotten from APC are ~ 50/ 50 on sealing properly, they're just a little too thin

It just pisses me off that Hayward has discontinued a part that is needed for thousands of units they sold and are saying that you need to buy a whole new filter from them if a $25 part fails

The point of this was to let the folks that may have to replace their whole filter know to pick up the o-ring while it might still be available, and (since the new o-rings aren't available, to us at least, as of this morning)

Here's a thought. Roll your own. I don't know about pool filter rings but we used to make our own for testing oil field flanges in the machine shop I worked in. 'O' ring material came in rolls and you made a diagonal cut and used a special fast drying glue supplied with it. I know the stuff came in various diameters.
Would that do?

Sounds like a summer-on-the-side money-maker to me....

As long as your glue holds out!

Back when I was doing industrial engineering, our maintenance crew did the same. The glue supplied in their kits was a superglue from Loctite. It was simply a cyanoacrylate cement, sold everywhere as superglue/crazyglue. One drop on the O-Ring stock, hold the ends together for 10 seconds, presto!

If you can get the dimensions of the actual O-Ring though, you can probably find the exact part from any number of seal suppliers. I think that EDPM is used for most water applications. One such supplier is OringUSA.com

It could be even simpler than that. It's very possible that the O-ring is a standard size.

I find McMaster-Carr (mcmaster.com) to be a pretty decent source for stock O-rings. Probably much cheaper than the OEM part as well.

Hmmm... As I read this, the villainous Hayward wishes to screw everyone who ever purchased a Hayward filter... (shades of Dr. Evil) I'm having trouble understanding why a manufacturer would knowingly attempt to run off business by screwing it's customers. What I hear from a few close contacts at Hayward is that a redesign of the filter clamp assy was done, in the interest of safety, which should be a prime concern for all of us. This required a change to the o-ring, as well as the clamp assy. It retrofits all filters made since 2001. In the event of a clamp failure, the clamp assy & gasket can be replaced with the new design.

Those of us who make our living from the service side of the business could just as easily welcome changes such as this. Our customers are becoming safer and we add to our bottom line - not from greed or avarice, but from acting in the best interest of our customers by replacing items that need to be replaced.

I'm new to the forum, joined to learn & share my experience. However, it bothers me when a personal brand preference becomes wholesale condemnation of a particular brand, due to a very minor issue. Jandy, Hayward and Pentair all make good pool equipment. I've used them all & have customers who have been happy with all of them. Each of them have had product issues over the years and all have done the best they can to overcome these issues and move forward with quality & reliability, and in this area, all are equal. If our true interest is helping consumers, can't we do this without the attacks?

Welcome to TFP!!

I wrote the original post and am more than willing to discuss your issues with it.

Well, as a Hayward customer with a relatively young (2 years) filter in this category, I would be quite frustrated if I go in next summer to buy a new o-ring, and am told I have to buy the entire clamp assembly. Because, and I haven't checked the numbers, but the clamp assembly is like $150, right? In my mind, the o-ring is a "wearing" part that we all know will need to be replaced periodically, even with generous amounts of lube they tend to flatten and nick over time. So for Hayward to knowingly make a decision to penalize their customers for a part that WILL need to be replaced, that frustrates me. Especially when the part is as simple and cheap as an o-ring! If indeed this is a safety issue, shouldn't Hayward make an effort to notify customers and offer a replacement or a greatly discounted replacement?

My .02 as a stupid, powerless customer.

[This was my original post last night]
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Ranger, welcome to TFP!!

I started this post and wasn't attacking Hayward, per se. I've done this stuff for over 20 years and felt that Hayward WAS screwing their customers by discontinuing the 2400 - K o-rings. I had over 700 units installed and serviced every year - all without a clamp problem, but many that needed regular o-ring replacement. The O-ring was the 'weak link' in the filter, but easily addressed for $25 - I saw NO safety issue!

FWIW - I remember seeing the new (spring loaded) clamps at a show in ~ 1991 and saying to myself "that's different, but probably better" Also, for 22 years, I've worked with mostly Hayward products (when I tell someone a product #, it's out of memory, not referring to my parts manual) I PREFER Hayward, but they have had a few poorly designed units over the years. I wrote that post over a year ago to inform folks that a part they might need was discontinued and they should get the replacement less expensively than the untried replacement kit.

You're new here and don't know me nor my level of experience. I, humbly request that you look at a few of my posts before you accuse me of being 'anti- Hayward' Also, MY concern here is the money saving of the pool owners and the health of the pool industry as a whole, NOT the "bottom line" of any one pool company!


[I didn't submit this because I thought it might sound too harsh to a first poster, but was told that it's 'not too harsh']
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I gladly invite any and all comments, questions and critiques on anything I say

(you sound like an old pro at pools - I certainly wouldn't mind sitting down and sharing 'war stories' with you in the "Coffee Bar" here )

This is exactly the situation we are in now. Very frustrating. The Hayward filter needs a new DEX2400K or DE2400K O-ring and no one is selling them. In order to get the original Hayward O-ring, we need to buy the entire clamp assembly and that will cost over $300.00. The next filter we buy will be any other brand BUT Hayward.

By the way, what is the difference between a DEX2400K and DE2400K O-ring?

Is this still the case? Because I found them here: http://www.poolcenter.com/parts_filter_hayward_micro_clear.htm

If you click to order that o-ring part, it says:
REPLACED BY DEX2421JKIT, KIT CONTAINS O-RING, CLAMP, HARDWARE, AND LABEL.

However, it still lets you add the o-ring to your basket, but at least when I did it it says "Currently Unavailable".

Didn't try that...thanks!

So is there any feedback on this new clamp system? Has anyone switched to it?

Awesome thanks!