New Pump is Here - Basic Install Questions

[Sprocket]

My Pentair Whisperflo finally arrived today. Below is a picture of my current setup for reference.

1. Hacksaw or sawzall to cut PVC?

2. Pump is 2" and pipes are 1.5". I'm thinking a 1.5" x 2" adapter. Threaded on the 2' side and slip on the 1.5" side. Sound correct?

3. For materials, I assume teflon tape on all threads, and primer/glue on all slips. Which primer ang glue?

4. Plan to cut in middle of pipe as shown below with red line and insert a union. I'll replumb from there down to the pump, getting rid of the coupler. Does this make sense?

5. The run between the pump and diverter valveis very short. I'll have to replumb this as well.

Thanks for all the help. Any idea how long this should take?

 

[duraleigh]

1. Sawzall...wood cutting blade.

2. OK

3. You will have a little better luck using ordinary pipe "dope" on a 1.5 or 2" connection. Clear pvc primer and all-purpose or PVC glue

4. Yes

5. Yes. Put a union on that side as well if you have room.....allows for easy removal of the pump

How long? Almost impossible to say but, AS ALWAYS, longer than you plan on. :lol:

 

[msgtdan]

In a pinch while standing in water and not wanting to use electric tools and no room for a hacksaw I've used nylon construction string to cut pvc. Take a length make a U shape around the pipe and alternate pulling the ends fast. The friction will cut through the pipe. Usually need a new length of string for each cut as the nylon burns through from the friction as well.

 

[Sprocket]

Thanks for the quick response. I assume the "Blue" wet or dry glue is fine too.

Here is a picture of the space between the pump and the valve. If I need a reducer here will I find that this needs to be threaded on the pump side and slip on the valve side?

I'm going to make my "first" run to Homey shortly.

The foil baking sheet below was to channel the water leaking from a large crack in the pump. :grrrr:

Thanks again

 

[Melt In The Sun]

Sounds like a good plan; I second Duraleigh's recommendation for unions.

Just buy 3 times the pipe and fittings you think you need, then you can return the rest. That primer stench does funny things to your brain, and makes me screw up no matter how well I think I have it planned.

 

[Sprocket]

I'm going to work on it this afternoon. The only issue I see is the small space between the pump and the diverter valve as seen in the picture above. How the heck am I going to get that out and put back together? I know the pump side is threaded, but not sure if the valve side is. If the valve side is glued, will I ave to "chip" it out somehow?

 

[duraleigh]

If the valve side is glued, will I ave to "chip" it out somehow?

That's gonna be a problem. It appears that the adapter is a slip (glued) connection into the valve and, as such, is permanent. The only way I see to save that jandy valve is to disassemble the pump so you can unscrew the front part of the pump from the adapter.....leaving the valve and adapter undisturbed.

The other (perhaps easier) option is to cut out and replace the valve.

 

[Bama Rambler]

That valve should be a 1½" or 2". That means that a 1½" pipe will fit inside the cuff and a 2" will fit over the cuff. You can saw the adapter off flush with the valve and install a 2" coupling over the cuff.

I'd add some to the pad and move the booster pump over and then turn the main pump 90º to the right and replumb it. That'll give you a little more room.

 

[Sprocket]

That valve should be a 1½" or 2". That means that a 1½" pipe will fit inside the cuff and a 2" will fit over the cuff. You can saw the adapter off flush with the valve and install a 2" coupling over the cuff.

I'd add some to the pad and move the booster pump over and then turn the main pump 90º to the right and replumb it. That'll give you a little more room.

Thanks for the tip of possibly using a 2" coupler over the cuff.

I'm not sure that I want to go through the trouble of adding to the pad right now. If a 2" coupler will work, I'll see if I could then use a threaded 2" union with a slip on the other side. I'm just not sure if there will be enough room between the motor and the wall.

 

[Bama Rambler]

I'm just not sure if there will be enough room between the motor and the wall.

That was my reason for adding to the pad and turning the pump. You could use pavers to add to the pad.

 

[Sprocket]

I'm just not sure if there will be enough room between the motor and the wall.

That was my reason for adding to the pad and turning the pump. You could use pavers to add to the pad.

Come to think of it, I have some of those 12x12 popcorn stepping stones. Would these work? By moving the booster pump to the right and rotating the pump to the right as well, it seems I'll only need to add a 90 degree in the run from the valve to the pump.

Also, is there any issue if all my piping is 1.5" except for the run between the valve and the pump?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Those would work.

There's no issue using 2" anywhere.

 

[Sprocket]

Thanks again guys. This is how my kitchen renovation started about 5 years ago. It was the failure of a recessed fixture that started the walls coming down! :lol:

I think I've got a good handle on it now. Bama's tip of using a 2" coupler over the cuff of the valve was golden.

 

[msgtdan]

To avoid cutting the valve away from the pump and burning bridges, it looks like you could unbolt the basket from the pump and then unscrew the basket from the valve. That way the valve is still intact if you can just connect to it with your new pump. If it won't work then you can cut. Sure doesn't look like they left you much room for repairs on some of that piping. I see a bandaid on the T fitting in the background as well. :|

 

[Sprocket]

Got everything torn out this afternoon but ran into a couple of issues - imagine that! The new pump will fit in the same configuration as the old, but the intake is 2.5" lower. I decided to lower the level of the diverter valve by cutting the two pipes leading to it. It started to rain before I had a chance to do much dry fitting so it will be tomorrow morning before I make more progress.

 

[Sprocket]

Re: New Pump is Here - Basic Install Questions-Almost Done

I got all the plumbing done and everything fit on the existing pad. Decided not to use a union as I decided to replace the entire run from the pump to filter. I almost f'd up the wiring by not checking if the old pump was running on 220 or 110. My electrician down the street came by and luckily confirmed it is 220. I may shorten the wire leading to the booster pump at some point to clean it up.

Just need to give it a couple of hours to cure before cranking it up!

 

[duraleigh]

Mr. Sprocket,

That appears to be nice, tidy work. :lol: :lol:

The outflow on the top of the booster pump looks a little skewed.....just my imagination?

 

[Sprocket]

Thanks Dave. It's just the camera angle that makes the outflow look skewed, but....

Everything held fine when tested under pressure except there is a small leak around the threaded adapter on top of the pump. I know it is screwed in as far as it can go. The only thing I can think of is that I either did not use enough pipe dope or could it possibly be overtightened?

The only way I can think of to re-install is to cut the horizontal pipe between the pump and filter, re-install the threaded adapter then install the union I didn't use on the horizontal pipe.

Is there any other trick you can think of?

 

[duraleigh]

I know it is screwed in as far as it can go. The only thing I can think of is that I either did not use enough pipe dope or could it possibly be overtightened?

Interestingly, I am re-plumbing my irrigation pump and have a similar leak involving that same adapter.

Like most threaded joints you should not be able to screw them in until they bottom out as you describe......mine did the same thing. I unscrewed the connection and cleaned off all the pipe dope I could and replaced it with 3-4 turns of teflon tape. While the threads were still too "loose" (I think I could've bottomed them again), I was nevertheless able to stop the leak by using teflon tape.

You would have to cut that pipe loose (I think) to try that but I would suggest doing it nevertheless unless the leak is so small it doesn't bother you.

Installing just one union won't really help in the future removal of the pump.....you would need another on the suction side of the pump.

 

[Sprocket]

Thanks Dave. I just hope I didn't do any damage over-tightening. Cutting and gluing pipe doesn't bother me so I'll get it done this afternoon. The leak is more of an ooze but I'd just a soon fix it.

One comment - I can't believe how quiet the motor is.