I can't get the belly ring back on my filter - took it apart to clean. Pac Fab Nautilaus 60, or same as Pentair??, stainless steel model. There's a rubber gasket and a metal clamp that needs to clamp around the middle closing the top to the bottom. The top wont set all the way down over the gasket and the metal ring is about an inch off from closing. Tried and tried to pull it together but it just won't close. Any tricks to pull it together to seal?
Pac Fab 60 belly ring on filter wont close
- Thread starter poolmomct
- Start date
There was a thread like that a while back on here. Sorry I don't have time to search fo it right now but you can if you want by scrolling to the bottom and using the Google search function.
Welcome to TFP!!
Any chance the band has 2 sets of tightening bolts? If it does, loosen the other bolt, almost all the way, before trying to install the one you removed to open the filter
If this still gives you trouble, let us know and we'll help (a pic or 2 is never a bad idea!)
Any chance the band has 2 sets of tightening bolts? If it does, loosen the other bolt, almost all the way, before trying to install the one you removed to open the filter
If this still gives you trouble, let us know and we'll help (a pic or 2 is never a bad idea!)
Are you sure your grid pack is properly seated on the standpipe? Check this, it should be able close together just fine.
Be careful, it should go back together without being forced. Don't force it, you will just break something if you try to force it. Something is definitely not right.
Pentair=PacFab, btw. Pentair bought out PacFab a long time ago.
Be careful, it should go back together without being forced. Don't force it, you will just break something if you try to force it. Something is definitely not right.
Pentair=PacFab, btw. Pentair bought out PacFab a long time ago.
Until this spring when we put in a Pentair Quad 80 DE, my pool used a Nautilus 36 sq ft. but the same applies for both. The old filter was 29 years old this year. Original "belly clamp". I've done all the maintenance with a few exceptions, usually includes taking grids out twice a year to clean, inspect, and replace some if needed. We have tons of sand and silt that gets everywhere. Many times it even works its way under o-rings. It will make screw tops, o-rings, etc., gritty and catchy. So it is best to clean anywhere anything will touch to get all grit taken away. Remove 0-rings and clean the grove and o-ring very well and then lube very well with pool and spa lube. The lips of the filter top and bottom will collect a lot of grit too and any fitting inside the filter including the manifold and the part of grid that fits into the manifold. Clean all very well. I use paper towels and a very mild soap and elbow grease, wiping until all grit and old lube are removed. When you put things back together or replace o-rings be careful to keep any grit out of everything. I usually bring as many parts as possible up to the deck where there is very little grit.
This may help to get things back together more easily.
The belly strap on my Nautilus has bolt and nut on each side. I like to keep the one on the side I don't use to open a little "looser" (pulled together less) so that I have more bolt length to work with when closing the clamp. Be sure to get a rubber mallet to lightly tap around the ring in several places while you are tightening the band. This helps to keep the the rubber gasket seated properly.
Hope this helps some.
gg=alice
This may help to get things back together more easily.
The belly strap on my Nautilus has bolt and nut on each side. I like to keep the one on the side I don't use to open a little "looser" (pulled together less) so that I have more bolt length to work with when closing the clamp. Be sure to get a rubber mallet to lightly tap around the ring in several places while you are tightening the band. This helps to keep the the rubber gasket seated properly.
Hope this helps some.
gg=alice
Brice, welcome to TFP!!
It is GREAT to have a Pentair dude here
Thanks for joining and helping :handshake:
It is GREAT to have a Pentair dude here
Thanks for joining and helping :handshake:
- Apr 26, 2009
- 419
The O-ring on mine "gets fatter" a little bit more each year, making it harder and harder to get it back on. I replaced it about 4 years ago, and this year getting the filter back together was a b----. However, one of my many hobbies is as a wood worker, so I have a few of the newfangled "bar" clamps (I can't remember their exact name, but they're the 12 inchers you get at home depot...). I put these on each side of the "lip" of the filter and clamp them down to get the lid back on (the lip of the filter just doesn't want to go over the o-ring by itself), and then slide the filter's clamp into position (sounds backward, but if you position the bar-clamps right, you can get one side of the filter clamp on, and the other side will generally stay).
I do lots of filters - and PacFab SS tanks are the ones I dread.
Good luck.
I do lots of filters - and PacFab SS tanks are the ones I dread.
Good luck.
taekwondodo said:
I love my old Nautilus and it is still pretty. I won't tell it what you said. :lol: I'm trying to think of some alternative use for it in the landscape. It's 29 years old and not a spec of rust on it. (Its been under deck and out of weather and sun for all those years. Label still nice.)
Could it be used as a still?
gg=alice
geekgranny said:
This was what I was going to suggest, once the band is in place this helps to tighten it.
The first time we first cleaned our Cart filter after moving in, we had a heck of a time getting the band back on. Finally realized that the equipment pad had shifted slightly at some point and the whole filter was too close to the wall making the band hang up before getting into place. We wrestled the filter away from the wall and put a shim under it to keep it from moving that way again.