Help with waterfall spiller

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frank1823

frank1823

Active member
Apr 20, 2022
38
Baton Rouge Louisiana
Pool Size
18000
Surface
Fiberglass
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
Our new pool as of about a year ago included a waterfall we wanted on one side. Our pool contractor basically designed it, and we approved the design. The spiller is a Bobe 36" stainless steel scupper that the wall is built around. My issue is rust. The rust is staining the pretty light gray ceramic tile that the wall is wrapped in, and obviously the stainless spiller is rusting. After looking for information on Bobe's website, I discovered that they do not recommend using stainless spillers on salt water pools which mine is. Probably explains the rust. I have no recourse with my contractor which would have been my first call as we are at legal odds due to issues with the whole project. We went with their recommendations because we knew nothing about these things which is why we hired "experts". Long story short, they were NOT experts, and the fact we have a beautiful pool is in SPITE of them not BECAUSE of them. Like herding cats! Anyhow, so we have this thing rusting within my wall. Does anyone have any suggestions of anything I can treat the stainless with to minimize the rust? I know the correct remedy is to replace the stainless spiller but that of course would be an enormous undertaking which I am trying to avoid or at least put off. I know now I should have asked questions when the subcontractor tile guy building the wall asked me why we weren't using an acrylic spiller. Hindsight and all that.......... help!
 
Frank,

Stainless steel does not rust, or I should say that a good grade of stainless steel will not rust. That tells you all you need to know about Bobe...

I know of nothing that you can add after the fact that will help.

Let's see if Matt has an ideas. Calling @JoyfulNoise

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Last edited:
Short answer … no, there is nothing you can do.

Once the stainless steel starts to rust it is compromised and the rust will continues unabated. As you have determined, it is not a grade of steel that is compatible with a high chloride environment. It shouldn’t be used around pools at all because all pools build up chloride over time.

I would turn it off to avoid more staining and then leave it off until you can replace it with one appropriate for your pool.
 
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Stainless can corrode especially in the presence of saltwater depending on temperature and concentration of chlorides. However most 300 series stainless steels are good to go in more alkaline water (ph of 7.0 to 8.0) which is most pools. If you haven't done so, check your ph and make sure its in the right range. Also provide a link to the spillway and i can take a look at the material and see what type of stainless it is. It should be a 304/304l or 316/316l material. If it is, my next thought would be iron contamination in the water causing rust spots. This would be easier to remedy. If its some other material, more than likely it will need replaced.
 
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Jimrahbe said:
Frank,

Stainless steel is does not rust, or I should say that a good grade of stainless steel will not rust. That tells you all you need to know about Bobe...

I know of nothing that you can add after the fact that will help.

Let's see if Matt has an ideas. Calling @JoyfulNoise

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the response Jim. I was under the impression Bobe was a top shelf manufacturer for these things. I know we paid top shelf kind of money. The spiller itself we paid well over 1000 dollars for - just for the stainless insert. I was originally under the impression that stainless didn't rust, but others have recently told me that nothing is impervious to rust, only resistant.
 
Another note. If your turn it off, wire brush the spillway then pickle and passivate it with something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Citrisurf-St...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584413749438443&psc=1

You may extend the life of the spillway.

Please note that anything, and I mean anything, used to wire brush or clean the spillway must
be stainless steel as well and have never been used to clean or have come into contact with plain carbon steel previously. Also take into consideration the possibility of streaking with the passivation process.
 
W.J.Christy said:
Stainless can corrode especially in the presence of saltwater depending on temperature and concentration of chlorides. However most 300 series stainless steels are good to go in more alkaline water (ph of 7.0 to 8.0) which is most pools. If you haven't done so, check your ph and make sure its in the right range. Also provide a link to the spillway and i can take a look at the material and see what type of stainless it is. It should be a 304/304l or 316/316l material. If it is, my next thought would be iron contamination in the water causing rust spots. This would be easier to remedy. If its some other material, more than likely it will need replaced.
Click to expand...
Attached is link to general information about their stainless scuppers. It says they use marine grade 316 stainless steel. It also makes me wonder if my contractor actually used this particular brand. I see there are many, lesser quality, cheaper stainless units available. I would not be surprised if they billed me for premium and installed cheap stuff. This contractor has proven on many occasions they could not be trusted. They sent me a text with the information early in the build but I do not see that exact unit referenced on their website. I posted a photo of what they sent me originally.

 

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frank1823 said:
Attached is link to general information about their stainless scuppers. It says they use marine grade 316 stainless steel. It also makes me wonder if my contractor actually used this particular brand. I see there are many, lesser quality, cheaper stainless units available. I would not be surprised if they billed me for premium and installed cheap stuff. This contractor has proven on many occasions they could not be trusted. They sent me a text with the information early in the build but I do not see that exact unit referenced on their website. I posted a photo of what they sent me originally.

Click to expand...
Is it a scupper where you can access the whole thing or is it enclosed like the sheer decent on your pic above? I fear if its the latter there is not much that can be done on the inside. You coild only address whats on the exterior.
 
W.J.Christy said:
Is it a scupper where you can access the whole thing or is it enclosed like the sheer decent on your pic above? I fear if its the latter there is not much that can be done on the inside. You coild only address whats on the exterior.
Click to expand...
Yes, its fully enclosed so I can only imagine how much rust is on the inside and cannot be seen. I figure I will use it and continue to treat the outside until visible chunks of stuff start polluting my pool. I've resigned myself to the fact that I am going to have to pay someone to dismantle part of my feature wall to take the thing out and replace it with an acrylic one.
 
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