I had to replace the spider gasket for my Hayward Dreamline sand filter last year because it would get stuck and the backwash would stay open. After I put the new one in all was fine. So, fast forward to this season....I'm 2 weeks in and the new gasket is acting up; the backwash gets stuck on open (not full force, but enough to quickly suck the water out of the pool). I've ordered not only a new gasket this time but the housing it sits in (it comes pre-glued). I lubricated the gaskets each time. Am I missing something? Anyone else have this problem?
Constant grief with spider gasket for Hayward filter
- Thread starter Kirsten
- Start date
I suggest checking the surface that the gasket slides against and making sure there aren't any burrs or nicks that could be scratching the spider gasket.
Seems to be a clean surface. I suspect maybe the glue doesn't hold up and then the gasket doesn't stay put. What kind of glue is best?
Sorry for asking, but you are shutting the pump off and depressing the handle when switching filter settings, right? The handle goes back up on it's own when you release?
No, I have not been shutting off the pump to switch between filter and backwash. Was that an oops on my part? I do depress the handle all the way.
I think that's a was! 
Not any more! 
We all do stupid stuff till we learn better! (hold my
and watch this!)
Not any more! We all do stupid stuff till we learn better! (hold my
and watch this!)
Kirsten said:
I wouldn't have asked if you were the first!
It's not obvious that you need to do it. Other valves can be switched at any time.
Just be glad you found out before you damaged the new one too!
Well I guess I'll chalk it up to one more reason I appreciate this forum so much! Now I know better for sure ( and I'm kind of glad I'm not the one who's done this...lol)
I had a similar incident happen when I backwashed my pool. Upon re-starting the pump after I moved the Hayward lever from rinse to filter it did not pop up all the way and i was pumping water back to the pool and out the waste line. When I noticed this was happening I turned the pool off and re-set the lever and actually held it up while I turned the pump on and had no more problems. This has only happened once to me.
It's scary to see all that water pouring out when you're not planning on it doing that! I guess the positive in this is 1. I know what NOT to do anymore and 2. I have 2 extra spider gaskets! LOL
jasonknox said:
I have done this twice .... loosing some amount of the fresh DE I was pouring in. Both times I eventually heard a hissing from the multi-valve and then noticed the water out in the yard.
Definitely going to be checking for water out the backwash BEFORE I start to add the fresh DE from now on.
I am constantly having issues with the Hayward spider gaskets ans the o-ring that goes around the top of the valve. I have a union that goes to the waste/rinse line that I can open and check for flow and the spied gasket always seems to let flow go by slowly - it does not completely seal and after several days I loose water. My wife had the pool place guys replace the entire head last year while I was away for an extended period and when I came home I found it continually leaking by, no matter the position. I could not get it to ever seat and it seemed that it was not thick enough to seal. I actually put the old top part back on and it sealed better. It is now leaking by again. The o- rings never seem to last an opening, and I do lubricate them properly. I am sick of this valve system.
Not sure what is going on here but the main culprit seems to be not gluing the spider gasket in correctly. The surface needs to be cleaned and the new gasket glued in with rubber cement or super glue. Also make sure you never move the valve with the pump on. If needed private message your phone number and we can discuss and I will then post the result.