Tips for removing top of Hayward Chlorinator?

Butterfly said:
The top of our Hayward auto chlorinator is stuck. Really stuck. Won't budge!

Any tips on how to get this thing off without breaking it?

Have you tried a strap wrench with a rubber strap?
Boa Constrictor is the model I have.
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0011EACZC)

I have a Rainbow 320 chlorinator, so I am not sure how the Hayward comes apart, but from pictures, it appears that a strap wrench would do the job.
 
A strap wrench would be my first try. Lowe's carries one with a rubber strap that is handy on all pool fittings.You might also want to pour some hot water over the lid too.
 
Dearest Butterfly,
My suggestion would be to cut it out and replace it with a Pentair Rainbow Lifeguard chlorinator if you are dead set on having one! :whip:
IMHO, Hayward chlorinators should be replaced at the first reason to do so! Sometimes an individual from a very good family just goes bad....such is the case here! :wink:
 
waterbear said:
Dearest Butterfly,
My suggestion would be to cut it out and replace it with a Pentair Rainbow Lifeguard chlorinator if you are dead set on having one! :whip:
IMHO, Hayward chlorinators should be replaced at the first reason to do so! Sometimes an individual from a very good family just goes bad....such is the case here! :wink:

Dearest waterbear,

I am not dead set on having one, but seeing that it came with the house, we DO have one, and use it at our leisure :wink: Of course, we are aware of the consequences (pros and cons).

Also, being on retirement income, we do not have the $$ to run out and buy another brand, just because it might be better. :whip:

If it should need to be replaced, it will probably be done by the next owner.

Also, all the equipment appears to be original which is 1992, therefore, I'd say that it has had a good long life and been a good combination :-D

Now, if we can get the top off, we can try it again :mrgreen:
 
Joyce, why didn't you just PM me :? That lid WILL come off!

Are you remembering to push in the tab on the influent side while trying to turn it? :hammer:

Do you have a jigsaw so that you could make a handle with notches to match the 'crenallation' of the lid? Do you have a pair of channel locks large enough to grip the crenallations? Do you have a 3/4" wrench so that you can pop the tab in the center of the lid and unscrew the bolt and then attempt to get the top of the lid off and then use a screwdriver to pry up the sealing plate?

If you go the 'brute force' way, be sure to brace your feet against the pipes going in and out of it (right foot to the right of the effluent pipe and left foot to the influent pipe) so you don't break the pipes :)

If you need more help or replacement parts (you'll probably have to replace the o-ring (CL 200 - K), shoot me a PM and I can probably get you one fairly inexpensive (for some strange reason, I've got a bunch of pool parts at my house :wink: ).



{edited to correct the part # -- it's been a long winter if I can't give correct Hayward part #s :roll: )
 
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waste said:
Joyce, why didn't you just PM me :? That lid WILL come off!

Are you remembering to push in the tab on the influent side while trying to turn it? :hammer:

...influent side....what's that...geez :oops:

Do you have a jigsaw so that you could make a handle with notches to match the 'crenallation' of the lid? Do you have a pair of channel locks large enough to grip the crenallations? Do you have a 3/4" wrench so that you can pop the tab in the center of the lid and unscrew the bolt and then attempt to get the top of the lid off and then use a screwdriver to pry up the sealing plate? Ted, you are obviously directing this stuff to my DH (jigsaw, channel locks, 'crenallation' :shock: , bolt, screwdriver, pry, sealing plate, :mrgreen: .... I will print this out for him!

If you go the 'brute force' way,You are definitely talking to Johnny here :grrrr: be sure to brace your feet against the pipes going in and out of it (right foot to the right of the effluent pipe and left foot to the influent pipe) so you don't break the pipes :) Rut Row, gotta watch DH on this one.....

If you need more help or replacement parts (you'll probably have to replace the o-ring (SP 200 - K), shoot me a PM and I can probably get you one fairly inexpensive (for some strange reason, I've got a bunch of pool parts at my house :wink: ).

Ted, fair warning, you should probably look out for a PM heading your way :lol: :mrgreen:

 
Joyce, if I weren't ready for it... I wouldn't have suggested/asked for it 8)

I'd have thought that you KNOW you can ask these things of me :mrgreen:

You give so much to the folks here that the LEAST I can do is help you (on those rare occasions you need it) with your pool :-D

Thanks for the well wishes w/ my mom - SHE says I ought help you as best I can too :goodjob:

NEVER! be reluctant to PM me on anything!! - that's what friends are for (musical note emoticon :twisted: ) :wink:
 
Thanks Ted!

waste said:
Thanks for the well wishes w/ my mom - SHE says I ought help you as best I can too
How sweet of your mom! Sounds like she is doing great, too! Yeah! :lol:

We're supposed to have wonderful weather today so we'll get out there and play with that lid!

I'll keep you posted. :wink:
 

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Butterfly said:
Thanks Ted!

waste said:
Thanks for the well wishes w/ my mom - SHE says I ought help you as best I can too
How sweet of your mom! Sounds like she is doing great, too! Yeah! :lol:

We're supposed to have wonderful weather today so we'll get out there and play with that lid!

I'll keep you posted. :wink:
Just wondering what did the trick...
 
derekm said:
Just wondering what did the trick...

Sorry, I really meant to give an update before now :oops:


Waste (a/k/a Ted) gave DH the confidence that he could remove the top w/o killing the thing, so.....

Using the tools he has on hand....

DH said he used some WD40 & let it set for a while. Then he used a big pipe wrench, verticle position, w/jaws fitting into the notches. Then bumped, bumped along with a little 'brute force'.

When I got home that day it was done :whoot:
 
Why are they still selling this. Mine is new been on and off 2 times before it started acting up..got a plastic strap wrench and gonna try it but this needs to be taken off the market imo

I don't know, they really are a bad design. I'm going to switch to a pentair chlorinator or forgo any chlorination device and add straight pipe.

So far i have 2 slip joint pliers on opposite ends that I jerk to get loose. I got so frustrated I used rubberbands and zip ties to keep one of the pliers permanently on lol. It is possibly the ugliest solution but is a rather easy job. You can buy a plastic part that costs $20 that does the same thing. I've rotated it the wrong direction on more than one occasion...Lesson learned I always read the open and close direction marking. This method take a total of 2 minutes to set up and use. Before the rubberband I was trying for like 10-15 minutes without a large channel lock.

The suggestion to cut a piece of wood with a jigsaw seems pretty good. I imagine cutting two 2' pieces at the center, using the same cutouts and slipping them on the lid and rotating would give you great leverage. Like someone said don't crack your pipes or unions.
 
I took the rubber pads off a quick clamp and straddled the lid with the clamp placing the ends in the notches. Removing the rubber pads allowed the ends to seat in the notches. The clamp worked as a handle which provided plenty of leverage. Good luck!
 
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