Draining Pool — Backwash or Pump?

[MugZona]

UPDATE: Checked the relied valve -- it was OK. Opened up the filter and saw this:

That vertical pipe was cracked at the top as maybe you can see, and the little cap wasn't sitting in there. I applied duct tape and sealed it. That little cap seemed to have a few vent holes in it so I sat it in the pipe but not fully. Now the filter seems to work as it did before!

My new question is weather that cap is actually supposed to be sitting all the way down in the pipe, closing it off? Am I right to have it sitting out a little? What do you think?

 

[jblizzle]

Duct tape is not waterproof, so that is going to fail in not too much time. I am not sure about in innards of that filter.

 

[MugZona]

Suggestions for a more permanent fix? New pipe? Waterproof tape or caulking?

 

[SunnyOptimism]

Duct tape is not waterproof, so that is going to fail in not too much time. I am not sure about in innards of that filter.

+1

Duct tape will not hold. You need to contact Pentair for specs on what the top of that pipe should look like. Unfortunately I have a QuadDE 100 filter. It uses the same filter body as other Pentair filter products but the guts are a bit different.

Is that filter new? Did you inherit it? I ask only because it looks like it was previously messed with.

 

[MugZona]

Inherited it. Someone has already duct taped another part

 

[MugZona]

Called pentair, they say I need to replace the whole thing with part 170029, the air bleed assembly.

They did say there is supposed to be a mesh cap on there. That is nowhere to be found.

 

[SunnyOptimism]

Wow! Good thing you called. Hope they didn't charge you too much for the part. So it looks line the previous owner did his own DIY "special"

Take some before and after pics and post them. It's always nice to see how folks fix internal problems.

 

[MugZona]

Will do... I can order it cheap online. Think I have at least a few days left with my current cheap-o fix?

And if I could just pile on the questions, there is a grinding sound when I tighten up the barrel nut assembly on the filter, and I can see the metal dust coming out. Has the screw that's part of the clamp gotten warped? Gaaah!

 

[SunnyOptimism]

Either that or the nut is cross-threading the screw and your striping the threads. If it's rusty, you can spray some Liquid Wrench on the metal parts, works great on old rusty bolts.

You may want to price out a new collar clamp as well

 

[MugZona]

Thanks. I'll try that when I open it after this pipe assembly comes.

Next and last question for now. This is all after a drain and refill. I am now noticing that a few tiny pebbles seem to be flaking off. I tried to do this drain during the best weather possible — it stayed pretty cool and only got up into the 80s. Am I going to start losing a lot more pebble?

 

[SunnyOptimism]

Hmmmm, hard to say. I get loose pebbles every once in a while too. Draining a plaster pool is always a challenge and I remember your post about it being overnight and relatively cool.

Keep an eye on where you find them. Also, grab a snorkel mask and inspect the p-tek surface. Look for cracks or obvious signs of delamination especially near transitions and curvatures. It could be just a few loose pebbles.....finger's crossed!

 

[MugZona]

Thanks. I was probably overreacting. I think it was just a few. things look pretty solid, except one spot that is white and missing pebbles, but I think it was like that already.

 

[jblizzle]

When tightening the filter nut, do not just crank on it. You should alternate tapping around the band with a rubber mallet and snugging up the nut. If you do this in multiple steps, you end up putting very little torque on the nut so you will stop stripping and stressing it.

 

[MugZona]

Great tip! Do I need to replace the nut at this point if i have observed some stripping or just using the mallet from now on? (In other words, can I avoid shelling out for a new nut?)

 

[jblizzle]

I am not going to say your nut is fine and then have it go shooting off and the upper half of the tank go flying in the air and possibly hurting someone and then have you blame it on me

It should be fine, but I have no idea what damage was done.

 

[SunnyOptimism]

Thanks. I was probably overreacting. I think it was just a few. things look pretty solid, except one spot that is white and missing pebbles, but I think it was like that already.

That's probably just a bad shot from the original pebble tek job. The stuff gets sprayed on just like shotcrete and if the pebble/plaster mixture isn't kept constantly fed to the gunite hose, it can burp out a wad of plaster with very few pebbles mixed into it.

A good PebbleTek crew would see that and try to add a spot patch of pebbles before letting it dry and doing the acid wash. Not all PebbleTek crews are created equal (lots of hacks, few experts).

 

[SunnyOptimism]

I am not going to say your nut is fine and then have it go shooting off and the upper half of the tank go flying in the air and possibly hurting someone and then have you blame it on me

It should be fine, but I have no idea what damage was done.

What, the ModSquad doesn't get covered under a Limited Liability Insurance policy

 

[MugZona]

I'll risk it for a couple days but I think I'll order this today, too:

http://www.amazon.com/Pentair-19499..._sim_lg_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=14C9VW6B6YJVSR51ACS8

The stripping of this barrel nut is apparently a common problem, I guess people not using the mallet. Hate to throw more money into this filter!

Now: best cheap mallet?

 

[SunnyOptimism]

Lowes, Ace, Home Depot....take your pick....

 

[Xexys]

When tightening the filter nut, do not just crank on it. You should alternate tapping around the band with a rubber mallet and snugging up the nut. If you do this in multiple steps, you end up putting very little torque on the nut so you will stop stripping and stressing it.

Extremely good advice!