Extra O-Ring?

[jlg1636]

I changed the sand in my sand filter, and after reassembling, I found I have an extra 2" o-ring. Most of the o-rings in the system are 1.5", and I'm not sure where it came from. The pump is still inside from the winter, so it shouldn't have come from a connection from there. My suspicion is that it somehow goes over the vertical pipe of the lateral assembly to prevent water from bypassing the sand. There is a groove inside the multiport valve where the pipe goes, but the o-ring doesn't fit well (the o-ring is a little big). I did manage to get it in there, but the valve will not fit over the pipe then. Is there usually something that prevents water from going around the outside of the pipe and back into the pool without going through the sand? Also, there doesn't seem to be any mention of a 2" o-ring on my diagram, which further leads me to believe it is meant to be part of the multiport valve. My system is very similar to the one in the diagram at this page.

Any ideas?

As a side note, I did notice towards the end of last year that when vacuuming off the floor of the pool that some of the dirt returned immediately into the pool as cloudy water. I checked the spider gasket and it seems to be in decent shape still.

Thanks in advance for any help,
Jim

 

[coloeb]

type and capacity of sand pump please . it could be that you have a o-ring supplied in both 1-1/2 and 2". these are fairly common piping sizes and may just be an extra part. Really need more info to determine what you may have missed.

 

[jlg1636]

I have a 1.5 HP PROLINE pump (PH1150)
19" PROLINE High Rate Sand Filter (515-1901) (45 GPM, 2 sq ft surface area)

 

[waste]

Welcome to TFP!!

I bet it's the ring for the standpipe that the multi sits on.

When you say 'too big' - do you mean too fat or too large around? I'm thinking the latter and that you might be able to slowly work the multi down without causing it to pinch (I can't even begin to explain the method ) What you'll probably want is a new o-ring.

 

[jlg1636]

Thanks for the advice.

That's what I suspected, because it really seems like an o-ring should be there to prevent filter bypass. The o-ring really just seems too fat. It is a little too big to fit in the groove inside the valve, but it will go. But when attempting to put the valve over the standpipe, the end of the sandpipe hits the inner part of the o-ring that's sticking out in the way. It seems like if it were a little thinner, it would fit better all around. Do these o-rings tend to swell? My fear is that if I try to force it, the o-ring will pop out of the groove in the valve and I won't know it. Maybe I'll run down to the pool store and see if they stock a similar, yet thinner o-ring.

 

[waste]

You've nailed exactly what I was suggesting

 

[jlg1636]

Well I bought a new o-ring from the pool store packaged as a standpipe o-ring. It fit very well in the valve and over the standpipe. That makes me feel much better about the possible filter bypass I may have been experiencing. The only question remaining is what was the extra o-ring for? It looks like it's in good shape still, but surely wasn't the standpipe o-ring. Seems the only place left that it could fit would be the drain plug. I used teflon tape when I put it back in, but does it need an o-ring?

 

[waste]

Most probably your plug is a SP 1022-C, which has an o-ring. Teflon tape is as effective as the o-ring, so that's probably why you weren't 'missing' the ring

Unless you've got leaks, the pad equipment is fine and it's time to go swimming

 

[jlg1636]

Update: I was about to hook my pump and filter to my pool today and noticed that the drain plug had a small leak. So I removed the sand... again... and put the mystery o-ring on it and reinstalled the drain plug. Looks like it is no longer leaking. I guess my problem is finally solved. And I feel better now having discovered my standpipe was missing its o-ring. Thanks for the help!

 

[waste]

Just happy to be of some aid in getting you closer to the first swim of the season

Make the most of your pool and thanks for joining us here!