New Hayward Skimmer install leaking at gasket

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Eldemac

0
May 17, 2013
9
North Texas
Hi, I just installed the Hayward skimmer on my Intex AGP. All went well, except, as you can tell, it is leaking at the gasket. I'm just looking for some advice. I'm a woman, so I don't think I over tightened the screws, although I guess that could be a possibility. I tested, and they won't go any tighter. I'm wondering if I should just go ahead and order another gasket and try replacing it, or if I should try silicone? If you been there, done that, please help.

Thanks guys.

This forum is invaluable.
 
Well, just in case anyone ever happens to find this in a search, here's what I went with. After sifting through all the advice I got (haha) I decided to give silicone a try. It looks like it did the trick.

Just as a by the way, if I ever have to install the skimmer again, maybe on my next pool, I would choose to NOT cut the butterfly gasket into two gaskets and give it a try whole. Despite what I read on other posts, the pool liner does not rip away from the skimmer cutout due to the weight of the water in the pool. It is probably a better idea to put the brackets in place, screw them in, cut the pool, take the brackets off, put the gasket on as it was intended, put the brackets back on. But just to be safe, I would probably also have a new tube of silicone on hand and use it on the bottom and sides.
 
laceygirl said:
Well done Eldemac... :) My through the wall skimmer is arriving from Amazon next week, and I was planning on leaving the gasket in a single piece, so thank you for that... :)

Also you can order another gasket from amazon for like $12.00

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004VU8CO6/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

:)
Click to expand...

This was my thought when I installed mine. I did mine with the pool full. Half the screws were under water when I was installing it. I carefully cut the gasket in half and trimmed off the lip that was left where it was smooth on both sides.

I didn't have any leaks, but in the back of my mind I had already decided that if it did leak even 1 drop I would buy a new gasket and drop the pool and put in the new gasket.
 
Eldemac said:
Well, just in case anyone ever happens to find this in a search, here's what I went with. After sifting through all the advice I got (haha) I decided to give silicone a try. It looks like it did the trick.

Just as a by the way, if I ever have to install the skimmer again, maybe on my next pool, I would choose to NOT cut the butterfly gasket into two gaskets and give it a try whole. Despite what I read on other posts, the pool liner does not rip away from the skimmer cutout due to the weight of the water in the pool. It is probably a better idea to put the brackets in place, screw them in, cut the pool, take the brackets off, put the gasket on as it was intended, put the brackets back on. But just to be safe, I would probably also have a new tube of silicone on hand and use it on the bottom and sides.
Click to expand...

That's the way I did it, attached the face and back with the screws, cut the liner, removed face and screws and put the gasket in and reattached everything. I did mine at night in the dark with the pool about 1/3rd full, so I actually attached it backwards first (with the skimmer inside the pool) for the cut so I would have to stand in cold water while doing all the work to poke screw holes and cut the liner.
 
Yesterday evening I drained about 6-8 inches from my Intex UltraFrame 12x24x52 pool and installed my Hayward skimmer and now I think I am having a small leak around the gasket. I drained the water to about an inch below the bottom of the gasket, lined up the face plate, marked and poked my holes, attached the skimmer and cut out the square, removed the skimmer and installed the gasket without cutting it, and reattached the skimmer. I haven't finished filling the pool back up by I got water back up to the bottom of the skimmer and now it seems to leak a little.

When you installed the silicon what type of silicon did you use, and where did you put it? Was it under the gasket directly onto the pool liner or between the gasket and the plastic skimmer frame? or Both?

Thanks!
 

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mac.dblues said:
Did you use a #3 philips? If you used a #2 philips then you probably don't have it tight enough.
Click to expand...

To be honest I'm not sure which I used but I tightened the screws to the point I was worried I would crack the plastic and the rubber gasket was starting to "squish" out a little. I noticed that because the rectangle UltraFrame pools start collapsing inward when water is removed that the liner was bending just a little but it didnt seem significant enough to be a problem at the time.

Edit: I will start a new thread for this question
 
mac.dblues said:
Did you use a #3 philips? If you used a #2 philips then you probably don't have it tight enough.
Click to expand...
You saved this single mom a major headache! I was having the same leak after install, before cutting the lining. I tried with all my might to get thos d-screws tightened!!! I made a run to the local bigbox and grabbed a bigger screwdriver (along with $50 worth of "stop leaking" stuff). I got home, prepared for battle and I'll be...with that big screwdriver those screws happily cruised in a whole lot more!!!!!! No LEAKS!!!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
Yet again "the right tool for the job" holds true. 👏👏👏👏👏
 
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