Pentair Filter Cap Blew

[Tootles]

My pool water was down about 6 inches this morning. I discovered one of the filter caps had blown off and water was shooting up into the air and soaking all the pool equipment and surrounding area. Why did this happen? Did my pool service do something wrong at their last visit? Can I easily replace the cap or do I need to call a repair service? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

That is a common failure point and it was likely tightened on with too much torque causing the plastic to crack. It was likely leaking/dripping prior to it blowing off. Sorry to hear that everything got soaked and you lost so much water.

The high flow air relief valve is fairly cheap and easy to replace. It the one caveat is that it must only go one HAND TIGHT, no wrenches!

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Also, I see Teflon tape on the hole where the valve goes. Plumbing tape should be absolutely unnecessary there. Someone was trying to fix a leak thinking that tape would work and tightening it would be good enough. That valve was likely cracked and the tape just bandaged the problem. Whoever touched that last did not replace the part and so it failed from an improper fix.

 

[Newdude]

The part that is stuck inside the filter is pvc/plastic. You can notch it with a sheetrock knife (go gentle) and then use a big flat head screwdriver to back the piece out of the filter.

Then the new one screws in hand tight as said above.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The part that is stuck inside the filter is pvc/plastic. You can notch it with a sheetrock knife (go gentle) and then use a big flat head screwdriver to back the piece out of the filter.

Then the new one screws in hand tight as said above.

You can pick up different sizes of pipe nipple extractors for pretty cheap at most hardware stores. I have a full set. They’ll make fast work of extracting the sheared off plastic bit …

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Worst comes to worst, if that threaded hole is shot, then you’ll need a new filter lid. It’ll set you back a pretty penny but you really can’t repair, nor should you, filter bodies. They are pressure vessels and should never be modified or repaired, just replaced.

 

[JamesW]

Most likely, the part was overtightened.

It should be under warranty if your system is less than 3 years old.

Ask the service to handle the repair under warranty or file a warranty claim with the builder or Pentair.

The filter is only 3 years old, why does it look way older than 3 years old?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Good catch @JamesW ... agreed, what is up with the wear and tear on that equipment? My Pentair equipment is over 10 years old and sits out in the direct, brutal AZ sun all summer long and it doesn't look even half as bad as those pictures.

Did this pool happen to get submerged in a recent hurricane?

 

[98Poolmaster]

Good catch @JamesW ... agreed, what is up with the wear and tear on that equipment? My Pentair equipment is over 10 years old and sits out in the direct, brutal AZ sun all summer long and it doesn't look even half as bad as those pictures.

Did this pool happen to get submerged in a recent hurricane?

That lid does not look new the sticker looks like it was scraped off or is close to the surface of the sun

 

[98Poolmaster]

That lid does not look new at all the sticker says P/N 178744 REV C. 8/18 I believe that is a revised sticker put on there so I guess it can’t be older than five years and almost four months old but it really does look like it’s been through some major wear or a hurricane like you said

The part number listed on the Clean and Clear RP 100 sq ft filter is 178548Z from the Pentair catalog 2021 that number on that lid is the old part number that lid can’t be only three years old

 

[JamesW]

Pool built June 2020.

Is this the new pool or an older different pool?

The top looks like it is from 2004?

If the parts are 20 years old, that makes a huge difference in diagnosing the problem.

You have to tell us details of the equipment so that we can assess the situation accurately.

There is a big difference between a 3 year old pool and equipment and a 20 year old pool and equipment.

Did you get new or used equipment?

Something is not adding up about the equipment age vs. condition.

For 20 years old, things eventually wear out and the part might have just reached its end of useful life.

The Teflon indicates that the service probably tried to stop a leak and they probably also tried to tighten the part to an excess instead of replacing the O-ring or the whole part.

Problem With Both Skimmers

These skimmer problems both occurred at the same time. Not sure if related or a coincidence. The first skimmer, located in the shallow end of the pool, the weir will not stay up. It just lies flat However, it does pull in debris. I tried to get it to stay up but no luck. The second...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[98Poolmaster]

Pool built June 2020.

The top looks like it is from 2004?

Did you get new or used equipment?

Something is not adding up about the equipment age vs. condition.

View attachment 544568

View attachment 544569

View attachment 544570View attachment 544571

Problem With Both Skimmers

These skimmer problems both occurred at the same time. Not sure if related or a coincidence. The first skimmer, located in the shallow end of the pool, the weir will not stay up. It just lies flat However, it does pull in debris. I tried to get it to stay up but no luck. The second...

www.troublefreepool.com

The old lid number was from like 2008 or 2009 when they changed to current part number that is a used lid for sure no way that is three years old

 

[Tootles]

Thank you all for your helpful comments. I bought the replacement valve on Amazon. Tuesday I will try to get the broken piece out and put the new valve in.

As far as equipment age, the house is 3 1/2 years old, but I only bought it 14 months ago. I was told all the pool equipment was put it by the builder. I have the Pentair pump paperwork but nothing on the filter. However, there is a sticker on the filter with the date 5/12/2020. So is it older than I was told? I have no idea. Nothing a builder does to cut corners would surprise me.

The pool equipment is in the hot sun for most of the day, plus the original owner did not install gutters, so lots of water comes off the roof on it. I have been waiting five months for gutters to be installed and it should be done next month. Hurricane Ian did hit Fort Myers, however, I am not near the coast or in a flood zone, so fortunately I had no flooding, just lots of rain and wind.

I will let you know next week how I do on the valve installation. And thanks again for your advice.

 

[JamesW]

Why does this picture show a different pump?

The filter labels are also different.

Something does not make sense.

When did the pump get replaced?

The picture below is from July 5 2020 and the pool is brand new?

Is this a different system?

 

[JamesW]

Can you show the whole system?

One sticker is completely destroyed and one looks relatively new.

The stickers would age the same way.

There is no way that that filter is from 2020.

It looks like the sticker was added to an old filter.

Can you peel off both of these stickers and show what it looks like underneath?

The plastic and the bottom of the sticker should look clean and new beneath the stickers.

If the sticker was added to a dirty filter, the sticker would be dirty on the bottom as you peel it off.

If the bottom of the sticker or the filter looks dirty and aged beneath the sticker, then the sticker was definitely added to an older filter.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

New homeowner, old pool. That equipment is used. Whoever sold the home had the pool pad “cleaned up” to look good for a pool inspector … and “pool inspections” are an absolute joke. Most of the time the guy from “Shady AF’s Premium Pool Service” shows up, sits in the driveway for 45mins surfin the web, goes to the pad and throws a few switches to make sure everything turns on, checks the condition of the plaster, and then writes up some bogus report saying how the pool is in tip-top shape and you’ll get years of service out of it before it ever needs anything …. and if you signup for their weekly pool service, they’ll guarantee everything they put into the write up too!

Not your fault, just the way it is. Buying homes nowadays is like buying used cars - sellers will do everything they can to hide any defect and make the car look spectacular. Then everything starts to fall apart 30 days out after the Lemon Law expires.

 

[98Poolmaster]

New homeowner, old pool. That equipment is used. Whoever sold the home had the pool pad “cleaned up” to look good for a pool inspector … and “pool inspections” are an absolute joke. Most of the time the guy from “Shady AF’s Premium Pool Service” shows up, sits in the driveway for 45mins surfin the web, goes to the pad and throws a few switches to make sure everything turns on, checks the condition of the plaster, and then writes up some bogus report saying how the pool is in tip-top shape and you’ll get years of service out of it before it ever needs anything …. and if you signup for their weekly pool service, they’ll guarantee everything they put into the write up too!

Not your fault, just the way it is. Buying homes nowadays is like buying used cars - sellers will do everything they can to hide any defect and make the car look spectacular. Then everything starts to fall apart 30 days out after the Lemon Law expires.

They pulled the old switcheroo with stickers and equipment I would bet no serial numbers were documented on that report.When we do a pool inspection we document serial numbers take pictures run equipment leave it running then return the following day we also do insurance claims and those adjusters are brutal to deal with they claim a Tropical Isle heater is considered new enough?

 

[Dirk]

The builder might not have been on the up and up, but there is another possible explanation.

Before you pull stickers off, try to follow up with the builder. An apparently out of warranty sticker does not prove you would be out of warranty. Pool parts can sit around for years, and age, too, before they get installed. The warranty would start from the date of the installation by a Pentiar authorized dealer (the builder), not from when the builder first put it into his dirty, outdoor storage yard.

It is also the builder that should have filed warranty info with Pentair. If the installation included three specific types of equipment, then Pentair would have offered their three-year warranty.

Now, the part is on order, and it might be an easy repair, so this might seem moot. But having your warranty in order might pay off if something more expensive fails, like if the crack is in the filter top and not in the valve you're replacing, or if the threads are stripped.

If the warranty is about done, then following up about the warranty might not be worth the effort. But if the pool was built well after the house was, maybe you have six or more months of warranty left.

If you cannot get the builder to handle this, you can call Pentair directly and, if it exists, they would have the warranty info either under the old owner's name, or possibly still associated with the address.

 

[JamesW]

The warranty might not transfer to a new owner.

However, it is worth a call to the builder to see what they say as well as Pentair to see what they say about it.

 

[Dirk]

The warranty might not transfer to a new owner.

However, it is worth a call to the builder to see what they say as well as Pentair to see what they say about it.

Yah, I'm not sure how that works. But if the builder is still active, and an actual Pentair dealer, he might have an incentive to do the right thing over jeopardizing his relationship with Pentair. And as I mentioned, this could all be legit, so best to approach from that angle first.