Plumbing for SWG problem

Welcome to TFP! You have some plumbing DIY to do, but it's certainly manageable. Remember that the SWG is the last thing in the plumbing as water goes back to the pool. You have no other components (i.e. heater) after the filter, and you already noted the Polaris pump doesn't work and you are removing it completely correct? So you basically have that entire return line from where it exits the filter's MPV down at an angle to the ground level where it appears to split to two different return pipes. Curious though, where do those two pipes go? Are they two separate return jets, or jets and something else?

Either way, after the filter you can (and should) cut out all that patched flex line stuff and run a new PVC line. You can install an SWG in there, or instead of an angle install the SWG vertically if you like that look better. I think once you cut out that area where the Polaris line is connected, you could even make it work horizontally down there.

You have options for sure, just have to think it through ahead of time. Oh, be sure to get a union to install between the MPV outlet and the new plumbing line so that in the future you can easily remove the MPV from the top of the filter without having to cut it out. Since you're doing all of this now, you might get two unions and do the same on the inlet line.

Emilye718 said:

any suggestions on how to remove the old PVC piping glue without damaging the threading?

Click to expand...

The previous/original installers did you no favors by not using a union at the filter MPV. As such, your only option is to cut the pipe first so that you can unscrew the adapter from the MPV outlet (and inlet) ports.

You will see that it's the same scenario down at the pump as well. No unions to unscrew. make sense?

Here is an example of a union fitting at the MPV. The union fitting will (in the future) allow you to disconnect plumbing without having to cut it. But right now your plumbing is glued into a threaded adapter at the MPV than can only be unscrewed if you cut the pipe first.

A couple more examples for you to compare (bad & good).

Like yours now (Bad) - threaded adapter glued to pipe; has to be cut to remove.




How it should be with a union installed for easy removal and disconnecting later.

The adapter (white piece) is actually threaded into the MPV ports and not glued. It looks like may have used some Teflon tape which is pretty common. The glue of course is used to connect all the plumbing parts together. You can cut the pipe just about anywhere that it extends away from the filter so that you can then turn/unscrew the pipe and adapter from the MPV.

Watch this video so you can see how the plumbing is removed from the MPV. Notice how they cut the pipe so they can then unscrew the adapters from the MPV? Unfortunately for this pool owner, they did the same thing when they reassembled the plumbing, gluing everything instead of using union adapters.