So, within a few minutes, we've gone from moving smoothly through a first solo pool opening (neighbor helped last year) to an unsealable hole at the bottom of our pump that we've caused and can't find a way to fix. Help! - any ideas what to do?
Here's what happened: As part of opening yesterday, I was re-installing a Vac-less safety valve in the rightmost of our pump's drainage holes where the valve is designed to go and where it has been the past 2 seasons (marked #15 in the diagram on the link). We have what looks to be a fairly ancient bronze Anthony/Starite pump that is probably this model: http://www.paspdirect.com/anthonysylvan/product.html?id=933 I was screwing it in with my arthritic hands so I know I wasn't using that much pressure, and it just snapped off, leaving the plastic male stem lodged in the female metal pump threaded outlet. I tried to use various tools (screwdriver, pliers) to wedge into the stem and turn it out, but it would not budge. Then tried to crack it apart, no luck, just shavings came off. Of course, it was in an incredibly inaccessible spot on our pool pad! Tried heating the plastic with a heat gun. Finally just gently chipped it out with a small screwdriver. Apparently not gently enough as I must have messed up the threads - neither I nor my husband can get the original sealing nut for that drainage hole (which we found!) to screw back in!
Is there any way to fix these threads or otherwise find a way to seal this pump drainage hole? It obviously doesn't make sense to pay $635 for this part (Volute & Trap body) when we could buy a new pump for the same/less, but what a ridiculous reason to have to do so! Should we just figure we were going to have to soon anyway given how old that pump is (guessing it's original to the pool which is at least 20 yrs old). The motor it's attached to is obviously newer, but likely still 8-10 years old.
Advice as our open green pool just sits there glaring at us???
Here's what happened: As part of opening yesterday, I was re-installing a Vac-less safety valve in the rightmost of our pump's drainage holes where the valve is designed to go and where it has been the past 2 seasons (marked #15 in the diagram on the link). We have what looks to be a fairly ancient bronze Anthony/Starite pump that is probably this model: http://www.paspdirect.com/anthonysylvan/product.html?id=933 I was screwing it in with my arthritic hands so I know I wasn't using that much pressure, and it just snapped off, leaving the plastic male stem lodged in the female metal pump threaded outlet. I tried to use various tools (screwdriver, pliers) to wedge into the stem and turn it out, but it would not budge. Then tried to crack it apart, no luck, just shavings came off. Of course, it was in an incredibly inaccessible spot on our pool pad! Tried heating the plastic with a heat gun. Finally just gently chipped it out with a small screwdriver. Apparently not gently enough as I must have messed up the threads - neither I nor my husband can get the original sealing nut for that drainage hole (which we found!) to screw back in!
Is there any way to fix these threads or otherwise find a way to seal this pump drainage hole? It obviously doesn't make sense to pay $635 for this part (Volute & Trap body) when we could buy a new pump for the same/less, but what a ridiculous reason to have to do so! Should we just figure we were going to have to soon anyway given how old that pump is (guessing it's original to the pool which is at least 20 yrs old). The motor it's attached to is obviously newer, but likely still 8-10 years old.
Advice as our open green pool just sits there glaring at us???
