Stenner Injection Valve Install

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dschribs

Well-known member
Mar 14, 2013
382
CT
Drilled my PVC this weekend. I used a 7/16" drill and a 1/4" x 18 NPT tap as suggested on the forums here.

The injector was EXTREMELY hard to screw in. I needed to use vice grips to hold on to the valve so it would go into the PVC. That doesn't seem right as the hole was tapped. No way was it going in by hand.

Any one else have this problem? It doesn't seem that this was the correct tap to use.
 
You could always go with a t fitting like this. http://www.supplyhouse.com/Spears-4...ocket-x-FIPT?gclid=CJiJ-Z7Y4NMCFUNcfgody9IKQQ

I'm sure your local big box store will have something similar... That, some primer, glue and 5 minutes of your time will result in a secure reliable fit.

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Hold your tap up to the threads of the quill and double check the pitch. You may just have to tap further in.
 
You may not have run the tap in deep enough.

NPT = National Pipe Taper

These are a tapered thread, if you run the tap just through the material the hole will be very tight. Running the tap deeper cuts the threads deeper and will actually make the threaded hole larger. On plastic stuff it works pretty good to run the tap most of the way in, then in and out a few times to make sure the threads are cut cleanly. I also like to use a brand new tap on plastic stuff because it cuts more cleanly.

With plastic parts I prefer to have the threads fit a little looser, then wrap an extra wrap of teflon tape. The slick teflon tape keeps the two plastic parts from sticking and binding. Without proper lubrication plastic parts can bind together so hard they can almost seem welded.
 
CaptainCannonball said:
You could always go with a t fitting like this. http://www.supplyhouse.com/Spears-4...ocket-x-FIPT?gclid=CJiJ-Z7Y4NMCFUNcfgody9IKQQ

I'm sure your local big box store will have something similar... That, some primer, glue and 5 minutes of your time will result in a secure reliable fit.

- - - Updated - - -

Hold your tap up to the threads of the quill and double check the pitch. You may just have to tap further in.
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Won't work for me. I have 1 1/2" pipe. Not 2“.

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk
 
CaptainCannonball said:
They make pvc fittings in 1.5" too :) dsmith did a good job of explaining the tap issue. I hope you find a solution that works well for you.
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I know but the problem is I'm finding it impossible to find a 1.5" pipe with a 1/4" fitting on the side. If I use a half inch fitting w 1.5" PVC the injection valve is too long and won't go screw all the way into the pipe.

I'm going to try and run the tap through again the entire length of the tap and see if that helps.

Thanks guys.
 
You already have the hole, just run that tap down further into the pipe, it will cut the threads a bit deeper and allow the injector to screw in easier.

NPT threads are tapered so the taps are also tapered, if you use the tip of the thread tap the threads are not cut deep enough and that will make the injector or any other pipe fitting fit tight and screw in very hard if you can even get it started.

The dies used to cut male threads are also tapered, that's how it's made to work. These threads are designed so the fittings screw together and get tight just before bottoming out.

You can easily cut the pipe, install a fitting, use a 1/2x1/4 reducing bushing and make that work too but it's not really necessary.
IMG_0971.jpg
 
I re-tapped the hole the entire length of the tap. The injector then went in no problem. (I bought a new injector because the threads were not great on the other one after forcing it in) I then unscrewed it and wrapped it a few times w plumbers tape then put it back in the threaded hole. It goes in but it won't tighten down all the way. I can still spin it when it's bottomed out although it does take a little bit of pressure - it's not like it's spinning freely. It doesn't tighten down fully like a screw into wood. Hopefully that's just the nature of this type of thread and I dont get any leaks. I'm not optomistic.
 

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Did you drill and tap into the pipe or a fitting? I drilled mine into the 90 fitting because it's thicker than the pipe and would offer an extra thread or two. The injector screwed in and tightened down relatively tight. Of course it's all plastic and small diameter so it is never really going to get to a point where you just can't turn it any further. If you do over-tighten, it will likely strip the threads in either the hole or the injector or the injector itself might just just snap off.
 
I tapped into the pipe (1.5"). It's in there relatively tight after wrapping it w plumbers tape bit not so tight that it can't be turned anymore if I wanted to. There's no way for me to OVER tighten it because it will just continue to spin - although it's not spinning freely.

I was going to open the pool this weekend but we are getting rain both days so that kills that plan. Maybe next weekend. We'll see what happens. If it leaks I'll just spray it w half a can of Flex Seal and be done w it.

I just sometimes think using pucks - like the rest of my neighborhood - is so much easier.
 
dschribs said:
I just sometimes think using pucks - like the rest of my neighborhood - is so much easier.
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If it gives trouble just cut the pipe and install one of those threaded T fittings, Or cut the pipe and install a coupler and drill/tap through that, the thicker coupler gives a bit more material to thread. PVC is super easy to work with! I manage the maintenance dept in a large industrial plant so I work with plumbing, piping and pumps of all types and sizes everyday. Mechanical stuff is not everybody's skill set and can be a struggle for some folks. I recently had a friend call, completely defeated trying to replace a sink trap, it took 5 minutes and didn't even require a trip to the store.

You can maintain a pool with pucks, I did it for a few years without real understanding of the problems. After all, that's the way everybody did it??
By year 4 my pool took on that familiar aqua green color, despite dumping a few hundred dollars in shock and cranking up the tablet feeder full on it never came back. I closed it that fall planning to drain and install a new liner in the spring. Finding the pool in bad shape, I just ripped the whole thing out. I didn't have a clue then, but I know now. Ten years later here I am with a new pool, knowledge and a new outlook.

I'm sure I could use pucks again and probably figure out a system to get along. I figure you would just have to waste a bunch of water everyday to keep CYA in check or coast along in complete ignorance with minimal FC then do a major water change every time it gets out of control. I'm pretty convinced that is how "everybody else does it".

I struggled to maintain any kind of steady FC level with pucks. No matter where I set the chlorinator the pucks either dissolved to fast or too slow so my FC was always either all but zero or over 5 on my not nearly good enough OTO kit.

I LOVE knowing right where my FC will be before I ever test. I LOVE that my pool is sparkling, clear and has no chlorine smell. I LOVE having people ask me how in the world I keep my water so clear and how I open my pool to blue water. Most of all I really appreciate knowing that my family and especially my 2 year old grandson is swimming in clean and safe water.

Once you get that stenner set up and running you will love it. Just add bleach to the tank, test FC and adjust the timer. I've considered switching to a SWG so I don't have to haul bleach anymore, but liquid injection really works great.
 
Don't give up. When you get this working and get the Stenner dialed in you'll love it. You won't have the CYA problems and will have more clear water than any of those other neighbors.

One the issue with the threads - you say the injector would keep spinning if you turned it. This either means the threads are stripped in the pipe or there is possibility the threads on the injector stop before it completely seats against the pipe.

Do you already have the suction side in chlorine? If not, get a bucket of water and use that for testing. You'll soon know if it leaks or is sealed, you don't want to take a chance with chlorine leaking everywhere. If it indeed does keep turning and the threads in the pipe are good then try an o-ring. A quick trip to the hardware store- buy a couple of sizes if you can't take the injector with you and put one of those on. That might be all you need.

I put mine (in a bad location I know) into a Nature 2 puck dispenser - I took the drain plug out of the Nature 2 and it had the right threads. The plug had an o-ring on it, so I took the o-ring off the plug, put it on the 1/4 inch thread of the injector and it tightened down. It's working perfectly.
 
The return pipe would have to be pressurized to make the injector to leak, that means running the pool pump. Running the stenner will really only test the black chlorine line that connects to the injector and the injector itself, it will never pressurize the return line to make the threaded joint between the injector and return pipe leak.

If the injector does leak where it's screwed into the pipe it's going to leak about 99.9% pool water.

Highly unlikely an O-ring could solve a leak in this case, the body of the injector tapers away and the O-ring would likely just stretch around it. In the case of my injector the body is not close enough for an O-ring to even come close to sealing.
 
dsmith99 said:
The return pipe would have to be pressurized to make the injector to leak, that means running the pool pump. Running the stenner will really only test the black chlorine line that connects to the injector and the injector itself, it will never pressurize the return line to make the threaded joint between the injector and return pipe leak.

If the injector does leak where it's screwed into the pipe it's going to leak about 99.9% pool water.

Highly unlikely an O-ring could solve a leak in this case, the body of the injector tapers away and the O-ring would likely just stretch around it. In the case of my injector the body is not close enough for an O-ring to even come close to sealing.
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Agree the pump would need to be running - so just stand by and when ready to start the pump be ready to do the testing. In most cases I would agree the o-ring may not do a lot of good, especially on a pipe thread, but in this case - the stenner has the 1/4" thread then the 1/2" thread and has a good neck to rest on where it transitions between the two sizes of threads.

Several temperature probes etc, have no threads at all - you simply drill a hole, insert the probe, which has an o-ring around the base and then a hose clamp goes around the probe and PVC. Unfortunately these stenner injectors are not built where you could clamp them on in any good manner, you've got to have a good thread to bite in to.

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Probably two things happened,

running the tap to the hilt cut the threads extra deep and loosened up the fit. Then screwing in the fitting it didn't really seem to get as tight as you expected and you may have screwed the threads all the way through the thin piping. It does not really need to be super tight, just not leak.

If it does leak go ahead and try to remove it. If it screws out OK, wrap again with thread tape and screw it in until it's snug, but don't go so far as to run it all the way through again. Hand tight is really plenty in this situation.
 
Could you install the injection valve on the cap of your tablet feeder?

My thought is the cap of the tablet feeder is nice and thick so you could make lots of threads and if you make a mistake or want to get rid on your check valve later all you have to do is buy a new tablet feeder cap. What do you folks think?
 
GoatsB said:
Could you install the injection valve on the cap of your tablet feeder?

My thought is the cap of the tablet feeder is nice and thick so you could make lots of threads and if you make a mistake or want to get rid on your check valve later all you have to do is buy a new tablet feeder cap. What do you folks think?
Click to expand...

It is unsafe to have the ability of injecting liquid chlorine into a container that can hold solid chlorine. Explosive gases can result.

It is best to install the liquid chlorine injection point as the last item prior to the water being returned to the pool. Same as a SWCG.

Take care.
 
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