Pump basket lid will not come off.

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vegas_dp

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May 13, 2007
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The pump is a Hayward Superpump 2 1/2 horsepower 2 speed..

I am trying to clean out the pump basket and I cannot get the lid off. I put it on about three weeks ago using just my hands and a little bit of Leslie's Pool and Spa lube for o-rings ...

Today I tried to remove it using the tool that was provided by my pool builder and it won't budge. I tried a hammer on that tool hit it about twenty times. I was afraid the plastic tool would break.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to get it off ? I am trying not to break it, but my patience isn't that good.
 
Try more taps with the hammer - but lightly!
I had a similar problem with the dome top on my filter. I finally had a repair guy out for something else and had him remove the dome. He very patiently tapped on it till it finally came loose a little at a time.
 
Greetings--

The top on mine occasionally gets stuck. I, too, lubed the O-Ring with lube, thinking that would make it easier. Nope.....
Tried releasing the vacum, too. Nope

About all I have been able to do is gently tap on it with a hammer and 2x4 until it releases.

I confess-- I broke one top banging on it. :oops:
 
I tell you, Leslie's products are something to be question......the problem with Leslie's lube is that it becomes very sticky with high temps, I too, had the same problem removing the top of the filter cover and the basket cover, they will not bulge, and end up breaking the top of the filter cover ($55), I threw away the lube, bought new o rings and now I used a couple of drops of Olive oil, and end of problems....and good bye Leslie's products. :twisted:
 
Vegas, I'll assume that the lid is round. If this is the case, put the bottom plug back in and restart the pump (you may need to reprime the pump by sticking a rag wrapped garden hose into the skimmer until the pump fills - you may need to open the air valve on the filter to get the pump basket to fill) Once the pump is running again, try turning the lid while the pump is on - it should loosen easily for you. If you need any more help, you know how to find us :wink:
 
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waste is right, the lid (clear part) gets sucked down when turned on and there's less pressure on the ring.
You can also try to tap it all the way around - meaning - use a 2x4 or something to hook on one of the ridges, tap it a couple of times, move a couple of ridges COUNTERCLOCKWISE and tap again etc - always go COUNTERCLOCKWISE. It WILL eventually come loose.

They really should come with a lid removal tool - pretty much every sediment filter for house plumbing does, and this is really no different!
 
Thanks guys, I finally got it off last night. I put a breaker bar on the end of the removal tool and just kept pushing at it over and over using only as much pressure as I dared on plastic
(I hate it when plastic breaks). IT was almost like bouncing due to the give in the removal tool.

I took out the o-ring and rinsed it off in warm water then oiled it with olive oil. We will see if it is better next time.

Again thanks for all the help.
 

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dschlic1 said:
You can try to use Vasaline.
Click to expand...

NEVER !!!!!! USE VASALINE ON POOL GASKETS!!!! NOT EVER! :!: :cop: :hammer: :evil: :grrrr:

Vasaline gets into the rubber that they're made of and swells them (like your fingers or toes if you soak in the bathtub too long).
It will quickly wreck the gasket/ o-ring. I don't know what olive oil will do to them but petrolium lubes WILL destroy the material the gasket is made of. I do know that silicon and teflon based lubes are copacetic.

Sorry, dschlic1, but Vasaline is best kept away from the pool equipment! I appreciate that you were trying to help, but Vasoline is a big NO - NO.

Welcome to TFP! :-D I hope you find the answers to all your pool questions here, and continue to contribute :party: - Ted
 
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The Mermaid Queen said:
I could be wrong, but I think silicone lube would be a better choice that olive oil...
Click to expand...
..

the Leslie's product in question is a silicone base product, I have it and is a waste of $ IMO, it becomes very tacky under high temps. As per olive oil, it is a natural oil that prevents 2 surfaces separated by a gasket, seal or packing, from becoming stuck together for easy removal...(an old trick from my aviation career) 8)
 
minispider said:
The Mermaid Queen said:
I could be wrong, but I think silicone lube would be a better choice that olive oil...
Click to expand...
..

the Leslie's product in question is a silicone base product, I have it and is a waste of $ IMO, it becomes very tacky under high temps. As per olive oil, it is a natural oil that prevents 2 surfaces separated by a gasket, seal or packing, from becoming stuck together for easy removal...(an old trick from my aviation career) 8)
Click to expand...

I was mainly thinking of what happens to excess olive oil in the kitchen... if it drips down the pour spout of the oil bottle, and does not get wiped up, it gets tacky. Not to mention it goes rancid quickly... Like I said, I could be wrong! ;)
 
minispider Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 6:22 am Post subject:

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I tell you, Leslie's products are something to be question......the problem with Leslie's lube is that it becomes very sticky with high temps, I too, had the same problem removing the top of the filter cover and the basket cover, they will not bulge, and end up breaking the top of the filter cover ($55), I threw away the lube, bought new o rings and now I used a couple of drops of Olive oil, and end of problems....and good bye Leslie's products.




Thanks for the Leslie info. When I opened my pool last spring, I lubed all of the o-rings to be proactive on wear and tear. Now when I closed the pool, couldn't understand why some of the o-rings were tacky......Leslie's Spa and Pool Lube goes into the trash.
 
I probably posted in less than a half dozen forms, and I been aware of this website for many years so I just felt like chiming in. I hope I don't step on anyone's toes and or cause any headache resurrecting a extremely old thread. I just want to add a few things and agree with a lot of the posts.

I know it's a super old thread. And no response needed but there are many different pump models out there all with different style lids. Some models like Hayward Super II has a tool designed for removing it's pump lid that can work on other pumps like the Challenger. But if your pump lid has a handle on it with a loop get a good piece of thick rebar that can still fit under the handle. Or something equivalent that will fit in between the handle and leave it there as your pump opening tool.

Also replace your o-ring every 3 to 5 years that way you're not over tightening to make up the difference. I highly recommend MAGIC LUBE BLUE LID (NOT the RED lid because that silicone will dry/semiharden) blue lid Magic Lube is one of the best pool Lube products I've dealt with in my 13 years of the pool business. Never leave your tube of lube outside in the weather to get cold for super hot which changes the consistency leave it in room temperature. Also leaving it outside destroys the container normally before you use it all. I saw people talking about Leslie's Lube which I've used it's never given me any issues (but it depends on the temperature of the lube.)
** I do recommend finding a local mom and pop pool store for advice, back in 2007-2008 working for liesles, I was the only co-worker/employee with a pool. My store manager (lived in Apt), assistant manager or coworkers, even my general manager didn't own a pool or even got their hands on working pool equipment. Becides displays in store. So a lot of their advice are just from training videos.

To quote my current boss "Leslie's are our best customers"

I created an account here just to support this thread because I thought there was some great replys/answers. Apologize for some of my ranting.

Also I totally agree stay far away from Vaseline a petroleum based product which will cause the O-ring to swell and then the black rubs off on on your fingers. ( if you ever see black on your fingers after touching a O-ring then that's a good indication the O-ring needs replaced)

Using products like magic Lube will prolong the life of the O-ring , also help you not "need" to tighten items like Lids even tighter due to a worn out or non-lubed overing.

I always keep a tool next to my equipment or a rubber mallet if your lid twists locks just to make life easier. because we get quite a few service calls due to pump lids left to loose or under tightened (even though this thread is not about that) But if a pump lid is stuck there is lots of good advice here, 2x4 is great with Mallet if it's got a notch in the lid, a pump removal tool for hayward's threaded lid, and that pump removal tool can work on a couple other lids. I own a challenger which has a loop for a handle and ever since day one I've always kept a thick piece of rebar next to my pool equipment as my removal tool specially when it's freezing cold in the winter because we run our pools year round in Texas and it's no fun dealing with that in the cold.

Sorry for the long message I just was happy to read some really caring responses and wanted to give my two cents. I apologize for bumping such a old thread. Swimming pools are expensive holes in the ground but they are very fun to have and if you stay ahead of the game you can make a pool cost a lot less doing it yourself. Don't wait for problems.
 
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