Help on fixing my pool pump/piping and adding a threaded shaft??? Flooded yard today.

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beachinmoney

beachinmoney

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Jun 13, 2013
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Buckeye, AZ
No one answered my add on to my old post so I am posting this new... So today at 5:30 am I woke up to a flooded yard. My pool pump came apart at the pipe going into the pump. It isn't a threaded piece that goes into the pump... Any and all help on fixing would be greatly appreciated. I am going to have to hire someone. Any ideas on what I should pay? Don't you think a good Handyman could fix this instead of an over priced pool repair company?

Found this on a Google search on how to repair, Opinions???

2" coupler

2" 90

New Hayward NorthStar union

2" pipe

Cut the pipe a few inches after the 90 that's above the pump and remove the section that has the hose bib and the old Union. Sand or scrape the paint off for 2-3" past your cut. Prime and Glue on coupler to your newly sanded area, then some pipe, then 90 down to the pump. Temporarily set the new union on the pump, cut and glue the last straight piece of pipe from the new 90 above, down to the union.

This is the easiest and best solution. You'll be $30 in materials and the repair should take 5-10 minutes. I can mail you everything you need if materials are hard to get in your area.

A simpler way than what many people here have suggested is to cut the pipe (vertical cut) about 1/4" from the 90, glue on a coupler, then glue a street 90 into the coupler. Glue a piece of pipe into the new union tailpiece that's a bit longer than you need, set the union right next to where it connects into the pump, and trim that section of pipe so it's just a sliver (1/8-1/4") shorter than the bend in the street 90. Slip your union nut onto the pipe, lubricate the union oring, then glue the pipe into the bottom of the street 90.

Oh, and MAKE SURE YOU GET FITTINGS THAT ARE PRESSURE RATED! HOME DEPOT AND LOWE'S SELL PROPER DEEP SOCKET FITTINGS AS WELL AS SHALLOWER NON-PRESSURE FITTINGS!! ask the plumbing guy at the hardware store, he'll know what I mean.


Than I found this on YouTube, Repairing A Pump Discharge Leak Updated Revised Version - YouTube Repairing A Pump Discharge Leak Updated Revised Version - YouTube

Any ideas on where to get them in Arizona? I see that I should use, schedule 80 nipple. Also, since the entrance into the pump housing isn't threaded how do I turn it into a threaded one???
 
nm - just be certain to NEVER use that drain line - the Northstar wants a pressurized circuit - asking it to pump to open air is an invitation to disaster.

Was the flood from the pump or the drain line?

You may have broken the drain valve, creating a prolonged period of non-pressurized operation.

I'd ditch the entire drain line - don't leave a weak point in a pressurized circuit.

It looks like a new union and a few inches of pipe plus a connector should fix the immediate problem.
 
I see that this has been a continuing problem for you.

There is either something blocking the output - when did you last clean the filter? or something blowing out the line - the valve on the drain (I presume) line would be my first suspect.

Unless you had a defective union joint on the pressure side, there is no reason for it to have blown out.

If the filter is clean, and the 'drain' valve is solidly closed, you may just need a professional pool guy (preferably a builder) to find out why this is a problem.

(I blindly assumed the (craigslist) replacement pump I had just installed was bad. When the second one exhibited the same problem, I started looking for another problem. It was the now-waterproof, ancient, cartridge in the filter.)
 
happyheathen said:
Your problem is NOT a threaded vs union connection - it is why did it blow out?

There are 10's of thousands of those pumps happily pushing much more water than that without blowing out the pressure line.
Click to expand...

Unless you had a defective union joint on the pressure side, there is no reason for it to have blown out. Here's my answer, I responded below but than read your previous sentence here that I copied.... Answer, it was loose. I thought all I had to do was use the silicon stuff to keep it connected. It actually lasted a long time. I was lucky it didn't happen sooner I think. I thought that the pipe going into the top of the pump wasn't suppose to be securely screwed or glued solidly in. When I bought the house the pool and equipment was here. I have been up keeping and it just needed to be replaced and I didn't know that, like I said, I thought just the new silicone would do it...


I believe it blew out because it was loose. I only used silicon to keep it in and that worked for 3-4 weeks. I'm confused on what you said here, just be certain to NEVER use that drain line.... Do you mean the connection of the blue drain line. It is not open. It's just like that because the last time the pool was over filled we closed it but didn't take the blue drain line off. It's fully closed. My confusion is in just exactly what pieces to get to do the fix. I have 3 inch pipes...
 
I looked over what the last person said I needed and found this peice and wondered if it would work. He said to do this, Your best bet is to buy what is called a "nut" fitting or union fitting that is the right size to screw to your pump. The other end will be glued to the white PVC pipe. With a new fitting and perhaps a foot or two of new PVC pipe, you can be assured of a good strong fit. Here is the picture of the item I found, Here are the spec's. I need to get something ordered today.... The thing is it has to measure up and go into the pump correctly and it isn't a threaded shaft...
1-1/2" CPVC Loose Tank Fitting - 2.65" Hole Size
Specifications
Item #
16576
Availability
In Stock. Ships Soon.
Sold By
Each
Catalog Page Number
P-281

Weight in pounds
0.8
Manufacturer
Hayward®
Manufacturer Part #
BFA2015CES
Average Customer Ranking: Be the first to review.
Product Description
This 1-1/2" CPVC Tank fitting has an outside dimension of 3.25" across flats and overall length of 4.00". Maximum tank wall thickness is 2.00". Minimum flexible tank radius is 12.19" and minimum rigid tank radius 16.25". Hole size required is 2.65".
 
Those unions (the original coupling on the pump) do not screw in easily - use what is known as a 'strap wrench' to tighten it.

If the piece on the pump in intact, cutting the pipe a few inches up and then replacing the part of the union (it includes what is called a 'nut') and the pipe.

But: at this point, after the silicone application, the fitting on the pump itself may be damaged to the point of needing replacement.

I do not mean to insult, but, at this point, maybe stepping back and hiring a pro to evaluate the condition of the various bits and replace as needed just might be your best bet.

At the very least, find the installation instructions for that pump - it will give you the part names and numbers, as well as tips as to how to properly close the union joints.
 
https://www.hayward-pool.com/pdf/manuals/NorthStar.pdf
This is the manual. Note page 11 has an exploded view of the parts. The union assembly is "SPX3200UNKIT Union Connector Kit (Includes Union Nut, Union Connector, Union Gasket)".

Note the term 'Nut' - I'm guessing this is what the previous poster was referencing.

PLEASE - If you do this yourself, get a good quality strap wrench and tighten the union properly - this is what should have been done before adding silicon to the mix.

PLEASE NOTE: These pumps can generate 50 PSI - a pressure which will blow out your tires - if you are near one of these when it blows, you can sustain serious injuries and/or death.
 

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My neighbor helped me. It would only tighten so far and then if you kept turning to tighten it more, you were loosening it again. So he did the silicon and let it set. Installing the new union I imagine it would work the same way. Sorry, I had forgotten that part of the step last time but because it wouldn't tighten any further that is why I wanted to retro fit the connection to the pump with a threaded connection. That is what the pool repair guy said he would do. He wants 135 plus tax and I don't have it with my new dog neutered, quarterly HOA and disposal replacement all happening in the last week. Not to mention new refrigerator, 2nd new cell phone purchase because my husband broke his other one two days after I bought it... Get the picture...
 
Okay, The reason I am confused is because the dimensions of the current Hayward Union that is on there are this, see attachment below. I measured my pipes and they are 7.5 inches around which means they are 3". So, that being said, how did the below part fit onto that pipe? Again, here's a copy of the pool pump. I was able to find the union here,
Spears 457 Series PVC Pipe Fitting, Union with Buna O-Ring, Schedule 40, 4" Socket
Product Features

Union for connecting and disconnecting two pipes more easily than with a coupling
Socket ends for connecting to un threaded male pipes or fittings
PVC for corrosion resistance, high strength, and less weight than fittings made from metal
Buna-nitrile O-ring seal for strength and compatibility with a variety of fluids such as petroleum and hydrocarbons
Meets NSF/ANSI 61 Annex G, NSF/ANSI 372 for quality assurance

All I need some one to do is verify that I am getting the correct sizes, I believe I need this and then the adapter piece of the correct size. Once I get those it's just a matter of cutting with a hack saw and gluing with the Aqua Blue and I'm good to go... Anyone, Please????
 

Attachments

  • Hayward-SPX4000UNPAK1-dims.jpg
    Hayward-SPX4000UNPAK1-dims.jpg
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Can't you just unscrew the broken part (the side still on the pump) and take it (along with make/model of pump) in to a Leslie's or something? They should be able to sell you the correct replacement part and then you just need a small section of PVC pipe and cement from Lowes.

If you have any doubts about your abilities, I would try to find someone (not the neighbor with the silicone) to install the new union and pipe. The pressure side of the pump is not really the spot to have something go wrong.
 
The outlet of the pump is threaded. Look at the parts diagram in the manual linked up above. The nut is still on the pump in your picture up above. The parts diagram has the parts number for the union connector kit.
 
Just in case I'm seeing something different .....by any chance, does your fitting look more like this one (prior to 2007)? PoolPartsOnLine.com 138038. Is that also what you posted in post #12? That's different than my set-up (standard threaded attachment), but if it is, then it looks like it should be a type of slip-on & twist mating base, sealed by that O-ring. Then PVC would be glued to that above. Maybe?
 
By threaded I mean you can screw it in like the white piece above and this...

- - - Updated - - -

Texas Splash said:
Just in case I'm seeing something different .....by any chance, does your fitting look more like this one (prior to 2007)? PoolPartsOnLine.com 138038. Is that also what you posted in post #12? That's different than my set-up, but if it is, then it looks like it should be a type of slip-on & twist mating base, sealed by that O-ring.
Click to expand...

That is exactly what is currently on there. The picture of the one below here is what I call threaded. Also, the part alone is crazy expensive and it is known to be a problem. The Pool guy said if he did it he would retro fit it for "We use schedule 80 threaded nipples for inlet and outlet of pump. Unions always fail. Repair includes all plumbing."

I just saw an email from him and he said what I just figured out. "U will need a reducer coupling from 3" to 2"" That I need a Yes we always use threaded fittings when installing pumps. We can definitely replumb it with a threaded fitting if the pump housing has not been compromised. The job will be $125.
 
So then it would appear that the tube portion of that Hayward fitting, where it was molded to the base, failed at the bottom as seen in your original pic from post #1. Since your pump outlet at the top doesn't have the typical outside threads we see today, it used that slip & twist type base w/ O-ring. I suspect the trick now is to get that remaining base off of the top of the pump which appears to be stuck right? Then once you replace that with the new Hayward piece, cut the remaining black/broken piece off of the white PVC tube and simply use some new PVC tubing to connect it all back together. Am I on the right track?

- - - Updated - - -

If so, I would take the new Hayward replacement part to Lowe's or HD and simply dry-fit a few pieces together to make sure I have a good match. They should have something there that will work.
 

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