Thanks everyone who answered. about 2 hours after I posted question I found this article that someone had had in the forum.....Sounds like a really great idea. This person had pictures on his website and list the actual epoxy to use. It may just work. But after I looked into the elements more, almost all have small little holes where the plastic "fingers" are poking through. (Likely from not keeping my chemicals balanced) See, last season I worked ALOT of Overtime. I am talking like only getting 6 days off through most of the summer, so I used a pool service. He kept it clean and clear, but how much shock and Algaecide was he dumping??? Who knows. Lesson learned. I am listing the website and part of the article below.
http://alilknowhow.com/2011/07/31/how-t ... lter-grid/
REPAIRING your DE Filter
On the other hand, if you have found holes or tares in your DE filter grid mesh, this section of the guide will help you to repair the problem. IF you have dirty water passing back through your pool jets or “returns” while you are vacuuming, you probably have one or more holes somewhere in your DE grid mesh. I will show you in a few easy steps how you can patch these holes to easily withstand back washing for at least your entire summer season. I have successfully repaired and back-washed my pool with these patches about 10 times, and after re-checking my work, they are still holding up like brand new and show no signs of deterioration.
Step 1:
Buy the stuff you need for the repair - This stuff called “Water Weld” is ingenious. It is a putty that sets as hard as concrete after 60 minutes, and best of all, its completely waterproof and can even continue to harden under water. The other stuff you will need is regular old hot glue.
water weld and hot glue
Step 2:
Locate all of the holes that you may have in your DE filter grid mesh. For me, I had quite a few up around near where the pipes connect. Damage may be easier to spot if you can disassemble your entire grid, however, I was able to patch all of my holes without doing that.
Here is what my hole looked like. It looks like someone tried to patch the mesh with silicon probably years ago and the silicon gave out. Obviously this allows dirty water to come back through the jets when you are vacuuming and these holes need to be plugged.
DE pool filter hole causing dirty water through jets
Step 3:
Fill the holes with your hot glue gun. This will create a flexible layer of sealant which absorbs into the mesh and will also give the water weld something to bond to over the hole.
hot glue on DE filter grid mesh
That wasn’t the best picture, however you can see that the the glue has completely smothered the area.
Step 4:
Now its time to break out the water weld. This putty comes in a tube, and there are two putties rolled together. When you mash the putty and combine the two, they start to harden in minutes, but you will have plenty of time to apply it where you need it. Mold the putty over the areas where you have had holes to create a comprehensive shell which will protect the glue seal. Push it into the mesh and make sure to build it up around the plastic area as well.
me molding the water weld
water welded de filter grid mesh hole
You should attempt to do both the gluing and the water welding after the filter has completely dried. You should let the water weld cure for at least an hour before attempting to put the filter back in the filter housing and running the pump.
This is another image of a place I have welded, after several back-washes I wanted to check on the status of the water weld. I was worried it would have broken apart or disintegrated with the pressure, however it was in absolute perfect condition. I have a lot of confidence in this fix. It is still hard as a rock. I’d estimate that this will at least get you through a year. Before you open your pool every year you may want to re-apply it if you feel it is deteriorating.
water weld after several backwashes
Final Step
You are now ready to completely re-assemble your filter, fire up your pump and add your new diatomaceous earth filter media. Remember to follow your manufacturers assembly instructions exactly in order to avoid serious injury or death. You’ve just completely cleaned and repaired your pool filter over a weekend and for less than $10.00. Congratulations.
