Broke Filter Drain Plug - Please HELP!

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nikolausp

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Jul 16, 2020
167
Houston, TX
I was all finished replacing all my filters on the main pool filter, and everything was good to go. I tightened the Drain Plug and had it pretty snug, and apparently gave it that extra tiny turn too much, and the Drain Plug BROKE IN HALF, with the threaded part of the plug snug & tight in the drain hole, but the other half of it broken off. So even if I got a new drain plug (which I don't have), there's no way to get the threaded part out I don't think! It's gotta be in there really tight!

I can't run my pool now, and don't know what to do.

I've never ever messed with PVC piping before, but here is the only thing I can think of for now, to get my pool running:

Is it possible that I can try and conjure up some sort of PVC "cap" to just shove and glue up inside my drain plug hole and "Block" it off, so I can run my pool pump again? (this also might give me something to try and "Turn" in the future, to try and unthread the broken off part of the drain plug in the future that's now stuck in there? I have no idea how to know what exact size of PVC cap I would need, or how to go about this. I suppose I could try and measure using the broken off part of the plug that snapped off. (pic of that attached)

Filter Drain Plug.jpg
 
nikolausp said:
I was all finished replacing all my filters on the main pool filter, and everything was good to go. I tightened the Drain Plug and had it pretty snug, and apparently gave it that extra tiny turn too much, and the Drain Plug BROKE IN HALF, with the threaded part of the plug snug & tight in the drain hole, but the other half of it broken off. So even if I got a new drain plug (which I don't have), there's no way to get the threaded part out I don't think! It's gotta be in there really tight!

I can't run my pool now, and don't know what to do.

I've never ever messed with PVC piping before, but here is the only thing I can think of for now, to get my pool running:

Is it possible that I can try and conjure up some sort of PVC "cap" to just shove and glue up inside my drain plug hole and "Block" it off, so I can run my pool pump again? (this also might give me something to try and "Turn" in the future, to try and unthread the broken off part of the drain plug in the future that's now stuck in there? I have no idea how to know what exact size of PVC cap I would need, or how to go about this. I suppose I could try and measure using the broken off part of the plug that snapped off. (pic of that attached)

View attachment 534100
Click to expand...


I have a LOWES store pretty close to my house I could go to, if there are ideas. It looks like the "hole" I need to block off is about 1.5 " in size, just going off measuring the size of hole from the broken off part. Pic attached:

PXL_20231004_233650813.jpg
 
It should be straight threads and not tapered, so if any is sticking out on the inside, you can 'tighten it' all the way though with channel lock pliers. It was tight to turn because you bottomed it out and then snapped off the head of the nail so to speak, so what's left will likely turn easier.

Or score the insides of the plug with notches and use a chisel or some other 1.5 inch thin metal to act like a flat head screwdriver once it's notched.

Any poolstore should have a replacement. It's a common plug. They can really come in handy sometimes and you won't care it costs $4 more than Amazon when they have it today.
 
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"if any is sticking out on the inside, you can 'tighten it' all the way though with channel lock pliers"

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying...... What are you describing I do? "If any is sticking out on the inside" ? I'm not following. BTW, thanks for your idea tho.
 
nikolausp said:
What are you describing I do? "If any is sticking out on the inside" ? I'm not following. BTW, thanks for your idea tho.
Click to expand...
Without the head on the plug, nothing stops it from going in further. It will spin until it drops inside the filter. If you can grab any sticking in the inside, you can turn it all the way into the filter.
 
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Newdude said:
Without the head on the plug, nothing stops it from going in further. It will spin until it drops inside the filter. If you can grab any sticking in the inside, you can turn it all the way into the filter.
Click to expand...

It was a really clean break it seems. It's really hard, because there's no way to really get at the threaded part that's stuck in there. It's so close to the ground, and I'm kinda blocked by other pipes and plumbing and stuff to really get at it good. There's no way to see inside the hole of course, to try and grab anything with the Plyers, (though I don't think there's anything to grab, I felt up in there with my hand, and it just feels all smooth)
 
You would have to open the filter and grab any sticking out on the other side.

Or harbor freight is probably open and has Pipe expanders

@jnojr just busted his. maybe he'll see this and share what worked.
 
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I checked Leslie's website.... they don't appear to have the Drain Plug I need..... so I guess perhaps it's not as common a part as I hoped for. And I'm not convinced the one on Amazon is gonna work great, the reviews are bad.
 
Undo the unions so that you can pull the bottom out and work on it upside down.

Prop up the pipes so that they have support before removing the bottom.

Flip it over on some cardboard so that the rim does not get scratched.
 
Use a hacksaw to cut some slots in the remaining part and then push a piece of flat metal into the part such that it fits in the slots and then unscrew with the metal plate.

Alternatively, find a piece of pvc that exactly fits into the remaining part and glue it into the part.

Give it about 30 minutes to dry and then unscrew.

If you can't find a part that exactly fits, find a part that is just slightly too big and sand it down to make it fit.

Don't not get glue on the threads.
 
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JamesW said:
Undo the unions so that you can pull the bottom out and work on it upside down.

Prop up the pipes so that they have support before removing the bottom.

Flip it over on some cardboard so that the rim does not get scratched.
Click to expand...

I think this is beyond my confidence level haha. Thanks for the thought tho.

The PVC glueing thing seems like Something I could try tho. Any suggestion about what would be the best , most robust glue for this?

It seems like I could just do this from "inside" the filter, by taking the top off and removing all the cartridges? That seems a lot easier then somehow figuring out how to flip the bottom filter half upside down. I don't even know what "Undo the Unions" means.... I don't really know a lot about this stuff.
 
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