Cut out chlorinator?

[V___25]

With a confidence post from TFP, I de-winterized my plumbing today and got everything up and running. All works as expected with one problem - this god forsaken inline chlorinator that we inherited with the pool is leaking where the white PVC meets the black joint thing. How much of a PITA is it to cut this thing out and just make straight plumbing? The hubs is pretty handy with DIY stuff but also, not the fastest at getting projects done so there's a chance I could be waiting a while. Is it OK to run the pump and filter with a leak in this area?

 

[Oly]

Looks easy to remove. The rubber hose and pipe clamps (looks like two of these) are an issue and should be replaced with PVC. Better to hard plump them or use unions if you want to be able to disconnect the valve and filter housing.

 

[newdude]

PVC takes some planning to get the right fittings because Home Depot thinks its funny to have 73% of what you need, but is stupid easy once you have it all out there. Replace the other flexible coupler(s) while your at it, or it's only a matter of time until you'll be at it again.

 

[V___25]

Replace the other flexible coupler(s) while your at it, or it's only a matter of time until you'll be at it again.

Is that what the black rubber things are called? I know the technical name of nothing. It's the black rubbery doohickey and round metal clip thingies in my vocab.

 

[newdude]

It's the black rubbery doohickey and round metal clip thingies in my vocab

Mine as well. others call them flexible couplers or by the name brand Fernco.

 

[ajw22]

Is that what the black rubber things are called?

Flexible pipe couplings...

Flexible Couplings - Pipe Fittings - Ferguson

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round metal clip thingies

Worm clamps...

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

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Get rid of them and hard pipe it all with PVC. It will take a bit of work to align the pipes and using a flexible coupling is a lazy way to do alignment.

The worm clamp couplings are not for pressure applications and that is why they leak.

 

[V___25]

Get rid of them and hard pipe it all with PVC. It will take a bit of work to align the pipes and using a flexible coupling is a lazy way to do alignment.

The worm clamp couplings are not for pressure applications and that is why they leak.

D'oh! The longer we're here, we find lots of lazy ways the prior owners have done things.

 

[sktn77a]

As a potential short term fix, have you tried tightening the clamp around the black "doohickey" at the leak?

 

[1poolman1]

Best thing you could do is get rid of that chlorinator. Unless you run 24/7 they only add chlorine when the system is running and can cause damage when it isn't.
Originally designed for commercial applications where pumps run many, many hours. Now banned by most health departments, at least in California, because of the high amounts ot CYA that end up in the pool among other issues.

 

[V___25]

Oh we’ve never used it. It was completely pointless, it was just a matter of it “it’s not broke why fix it” and we didn’t cut it out.

We did try tightening those clamps and it still leaked.

So now the chlorinator is officially removed and it’s one solid piece of plumbing.