Check valve

[johnny pool]

Need to replace the inline check valve near my pump. The original pool builder installed the standard check-valve with black body and clear top that I see on Amazon for around $60.
Lowes carries a white inline PVC check-valve that it states in the description can be used for pools and its only $18. Any reason I should not go with this cheaper alternative?
Thanks. John

 

[Jimrahbe]

Johnny,

You almost always get what you pay for.

You can't repair the cheap valves.

Why do you have a check valve in front of your pump anyway? Most pools do not.

Show us a few pics of your equipment pad..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

The Jandy style black body check valve is made to be repaired so that you do not need to cut out the valve body.

What is wrong with your check valve?

 

[johnny pool]

The Jandy style black body check valve is made to be repaired so that you do not need to cut out the valve body.

What is wrong with your check valve?

Stupid pool contractor used cheap union-- which has now cracked-- and no room to cut it off and replace with a new union ( union is glued right up against the valve) so valve is useless. eveything is glued.

 

[johnny pool]

Johnny,

You almost always get what you pay for.

You can't repair the cheap valves.

Why do you have a check valve in front of your pump anyway? Most pools do not.

Show us a few pics of your equipment pad..

Thanks,

Jim R.

Hi Jim,
Isnt a check-valve placed there to prevent backflow of water which helps on start-up with a quicker prime and also to prevent potential backflow of DE from filter? If you say I dont need one I'll just leave it out

 

[ajw22]

Stupid pool contractor used cheap union-- which has now cracked-- and no room to cut it off and replace with a new union ( union is glued right up against the valve) so valve is useless. eveything is glued.

So you need to replace the check valve since it is glued tight to a union that has cracked.

For future reference you can use a socket saver to ream out the PVC glued into the valve body. Or with the valves depending on the way the pipe was put into the valve as a male or female slip you can do the opposite.

That check valve is likely reusable and as Jim says not necessary.

See PVC Repair - Further Reading

Showing us pics of your situation would be helpful.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Jonny,

Unless your equipment pad is way above the level of the pool, then you should not need a check valve in front of the pump.

If the water in your pump basket drains back into the pool, it means you have an air leak. The real fix is to find and repair the air leak, but a lot of lazy pool guys, just put a check valve in front of the pump.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[johnny pool]

thanks for all of your help everyone!
Got some good advice
John