PVC puzzle help

[SwimAustin]

I've done some PVC work, but this fix is a bit of a puzzle. My check valve is blocking flow in the wrong direction. I can explain why I know this, but that's a distraction.

Explaining the picture. This is all pressure side. The line from the pump comes in from the bottom, feeds into my multi-port valve and sand filter. It comes out, pass a tee which feeds my booster pump then an elbow, union, elbow and into my worthless heater. It comes out of my heater, into two elbows, then the broken check valve, my tablet feeder, another union and off to the pool.

The heater works just fine, but I never use it. It costs way too much for how little it does.

I'm thinking of cutting the pipe right next to the first elbow. This lets me keep the booster connection, but I can unscrew it from the multiport and reattach it with dope, fixing the minor leak that's there. I'd cut the other line right next to the check valve on the feeder side.

To put it back together, starting near the booster, I'd put a union on, then a elbow to the right, a straight run to past the feeder, then elbow up, straight, and elbow into the feeder line.

Do this seem like a good idea? I'm not against spending more money on unions and such. Thanks!

 

[n240sxguy]

Are you just trying to take the heater and check valve out of the piping? If so, what you propose should work.


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[SwimAustin]

Are you just trying to take the heater and check valve out of the piping? If so, what you propose should work.

Yes, thanks. I actually had a much more ugly plan in mind, but typing it all out made me realize a simpler one existed.

 

[n240sxguy]

[emoji106]Just remember the old saying. Better to measure 10 times and cut once than to measure once and cut 10 times. I try to think that to myself when I work with pvc so I get it just right the first time. PVC has this bad habit of not stretching if you cut it too short. [emoji57]


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[SwimAustin]

[emoji106]Just remember the old saying. Better to measure 10 times and cut once than to measure once and cut 10 times. I try to think that to myself when I work with pvc so I get it just right the first time. PVC has this bad habit of not stretching if you cut it too short. [emoji57]

Yeah, it's definitely worth the time to be extra careful and triple check everything. I was raised in part by a carpenter, but it took a long time for what I was taught to really sink in. I caught more than one mistake while rechecking, but didn't make any bad cuts.

All told the work took about three hours, including one (just one) run to the home store. Getting it apart was more work than putting it back together. My biggest surprise was when I tried to put the hardware back on the outside of the feeder. The new union I put was in the way of rotating the dial back into place. I had to remove the handle and undo the union and it just barely worked. The water's on and there are no obvious leaks, but it's hard to be 100%, since it's sprinkling out.

The plastic flap in the check valve was free. There were bits of rubber in there for whatever must of held it in place long ago. No wonder it wasn't working right.

Thanks for the support!

 

[n240sxguy]

Looks really good. If you ever put a check valve back in there get one of the full flow pool ones. Way less restrictive than the type you had, and the top is clear so you can inspect it.


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[SwimAustin]

Here's inside the failed check valve. The flap is upside down so you can see the rotted seal and where it used to connect to the side. It was installed upside down according to the label, but I doubt that made any difference to its life. I didn't take any pictures, but the inside of the pipes down stream from the table feeder looked nasty. Upstream, they looked fine. This is why people say not to dump chemicals in your skimmers.

I'm glad to have that heater cut out. Once less thing to fail. No leaks and the tiny leak at the output of the multiport valve was fixed by undoing it, adding thread dope and redoing it.

The ratcheting cutter I purchased got stuck the first time I tried it. After that I just cut them with a saw. The cutter will probably be really nice for the smaller pipes on my sprinkler system, especially for cutting PVC below grade.

 

[SwimAustin]

Looks really good. If you ever put a check valve back in there get one of the full flow pool ones. Way less restrictive than the type you had, and the top is clear so you can inspect it.

I've heard great things about those here. I'm not sure why I'd need one. I guess the old one was installed to keep the chemicals from the tablet feeder from going back into the heater. Of course, I don't use the feeder much. After I took over the pool it took almost two years before I need any more CYA at all.

 

[n240sxguy]

I've heard great things about those here. I'm not sure why I'd need one. I guess the old one was installed to keep the chemicals from the tablet feeder from going back into the heater. Of course, I don't use the feeder much. After I took over the pool it took almost two years before I need any more CYA at all.

That's exactly why it was there, but the tablet feeder is what destroyed it most likely. High chlorine, super low ph, and rubber isn't a good combo. I put one of the check valves in because a gasket or o-ring in the top of my multiport has a tiny leak that lets my water drain out of the pump causing it to run dry. I found out where the leak was after I installed the check valve. I put it in the suction line in case there was a leak on the pump somewhere it would hopefully safeguard it in the same way.

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