I have a Pac-Fab Mitra MA-160 cartridge filter system. The filters deformed on me, so I replaced them with filters made by Pleatco. Unfortunately, they don't seem to fit exactly. Inside the filter assembly, it goes cartridge adapter, big filter, small filter, cartridge adapter, washer, and cap (see http://www.pools.com/parts/Pac-Fab-Pent ... -160_-1724 for a diagram though it's missing the second filter). With all this in place, I can't screw in the cap. So I removed the washer to make it fit, but it seems to keep getting air in the system. So I assume that the washer is necessary, correct? Any ideas on what else I can do? I called Pleatco, and they said everything is in spec. I'm reluctant to try another brand of filters because if that doesn't work, I'm out another $100. Thanks in advance.
Air in Pac-Fab Mitra MA-160 Filter System
- Thread starter thetuber
- Start date
The air you are getting is coming from the suction side of your system....between the skimmer(s) and the pump.
The filter is pressurized so any leak you may have in the filter would be a water leak, not air.
The filter is pressurized so any leak you may have in the filter would be a water leak, not air.
That makes sense to me. Not sure why the Leslie's guys agreed with me. Though I *swear* that the system was working fine before I changed filters. Anyways, any suggestions to how to trace the air leak? I'm a newbie, so feel free to use monosyllablic words.
Finding it can be tough. You have to start at the skimmer and make sure your water level is high enough so you are not sucking air through the skimmer.
Then, simply work your way back toward the pump. The pump basket o-ring is the most common source but it could be anywhere there is a connection.
VERY, VERY rarely it can be piping underground but I wouldn't consider that until you have exhausted all the other possibilities.
When you shut off the pump for several hours, will it hold prime (pump basket remain filled with water)?
Then, simply work your way back toward the pump. The pump basket o-ring is the most common source but it could be anywhere there is a connection.
VERY, VERY rarely it can be piping underground but I wouldn't consider that until you have exhausted all the other possibilities.
When you shut off the pump for several hours, will it hold prime (pump basket remain filled with water)?
If you have any suspect locations, around the strainer basket on the pump, inlet fitting, etc. you can try coating it with good old fashioned shaving cream then look for it being sucked in or soapy bubbles on the return.
It could be that the old cartridges were clogged enough that they reduced the flow enough that the suction leak didn't show up. And now with new carts you're getting more flow through the system and it's exacerbating the suction side leak.
If the filter isn't returning debris back to the pool I wouldn't worry about the washer.
If the filter isn't returning debris back to the pool I wouldn't worry about the washer.
OK, I took time over the long weekend to try to put everything back together. The pump is holding prime. I shut off the pump at night, and in the morning, when I turned it back on, water started flowing immediately. Given that, can I simply bleed the system daily, and just not worry about the leak? I can run the shaving cream trick, but I think I need to clean the pool first as it's a swamp, and I can't see anything. Given that, I started following the guide to go from swamp to oasis. The water went from green to gray-blue, so it sounds like I just need to keep the system running to filter out all the dead algae.