Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advice.

[kristyj077]

We have a 12x39 intex metal frame pool, this is our 2nd year having this pool. The first year we got it, we took it down for the winter and there wasn't any rust. Last year, we left it up all winter and it started to rust over the winter. We couldn't keep the cover on it cause the wind would keep blowing it off so we just let the rain fall on it. The t joints, and legs are rusting. One of the t joints won't even fit inside the leg cause of the rust eating it away. The water of course keeps it from falling but I feel that next summer when we drain the pool to put fresh water in it, it's gonna get worse. It will probably rust even more over the winter. We use a salt water system and the only time the water touches is when we splash. I am aware that intex will not replace these parts which makes me very angry. They are supposed to be rust resistant and I know lots of people who have had these pools for years and didn't have this problem.

What sucks is that if we get a brand new pool next year, I feel it will suck cause there's nothing wrong with the pool, just the parts with the rust and then if we leave it up I'm afraid we will have the same problem again in another year and we can not keep affording a new pool every 2 years. And taking it take is very hard to do cause the legs get stuck so tight that it's hard for my mom and I to take them apart.

I would like to know if anyone has any advice at all about what can be done to prevent this problem. How it might can be fixed, anything. I just need to know. Intex should do something about it, I am not happy with them right now. My next question would be what is exactly causing the rust? Rain? Thanks to anyone who can help!

 

[techguy]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

Have you considered Craigslist? I don't see anything in your profile to tell us where you are located.

Maybe someone has these parts in their backyard or they are selling the pool for cheap or they had a leak and looking to get rid of it. I see lots of Intex pools for sale in my area.

 

[MikeInNH]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

How bad is the rust? If it's just surface rust (no holes and still strong) then use some sand paper and clean it up then use a rust inhibitor on it. POR-15 is a great rust inhibitor but when applied may be too thick to fit the pipes back together so maybe something like Rustoleum. My guess is assembly and disassembly has scraped enough paint off that the salt water is making it rust quickly. Can you post a picture?

 

[frogabog]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

My pool is rusting too, some poles worse than others. We haven't tried to remove them from the T sockets yet. It occurred after we added salt to the pool last August and over the winter (this pool's second full winter - no cover either).

You can purchase new poles from Intex. Or, as was discussed last night at our house... craigslist and someone else's failed pool would probably fix us up nicely.

 

[techguy]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

I have heard the ACF-50 is excellent at preventing stopping rust and other corrosion. I have never used it myself but it was developed for aviation use and many motorcyclists swear by the stuff at preventing rust on the underside of metal bodied bikes and scooters in corrosive environments (foggy London roads, island and beach communities).

See if this isn't something that might help.

 

[kristyj077]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

I haven't checked craigs list for parts, I am in Magnolia North Carolina but I will look around. I will post a picture of the worst beam. I don't know it would be fixable, the other beams are beginning to look like this as well. I have contacted a company that has great rust resistant paint called Rust Bullet, and they told me that this stuff works great and can go over rust and prevent it from coming back. And prevent corrosion. The beam that you see, I don't know if it can be saved by rust bullet or any other rust prevention stuff you guys mentioned. The beams can't even connect.

 

[kristyj077]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

I think that the rain might have done it and the salt probably had something to do with it too. I know a lot of people though that have the SWG and still doesn't rust. It was only taken apart once, and that was before we even got the SWG. Last summer we got the SWG and last winter was the first winter it stayed up and I think I remember seeing the rust form over the winter. So, if this pool can't be fixed up then the next pool will be attacked with Rust Bullet or I can try what someone mentioned ACF-50 to keep this from happening again.

How bad is the rust? If it's just surface rust (no holes and still strong) then use some sand paper and clean it up then use a rust inhibitor on it. POR-15 is a great rust inhibitor but when applied may be too thick to fit the pipes back together so maybe something like Rustoleum. My guess is assembly and disassembly has scraped enough paint off that the salt water is making it rust quickly. Can you post a picture?

 

[Taterfink]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

Just a point to ponder. Here in NE Florida we get tons of rain during the summer. I'm thinking that the rain may keep the salt from the pool water rinsed OFF the legs and T's. Then during the winter when we get a lot less rain, maybe the salt gets to sit on the legs and T's for longer periods of time and this is causing the rust to appear over the winter months. I mentioned when I set up my pool that I was going to try waxing the metal parts and keep them rinsed off. I won't know for a while yet if it works tho.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2

 

[kristyj077]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

I am gonna post up more pictures of all the beams for you guys then you tell me if you think that this rust stuff will hold up until we take the pool down this fall.

 

[kristyj077]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

That might be a good idea to wipe the beams down.

 

[kristyj077]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

Here are more photos. After looking at this, you tell me if ACF-50 will save this until the fall lol. I don't think the pool will fall with tons of water in it but this isn't a pretty site.

 

[kristyj077]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

These are the worst ones. You can look and tell that some of the beams are beginning to break away from each other.

 

[techguy]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

I am not sure but I don't believe the frames on "sack pools" actually hold the pool up. I think they hold the liner up so it can hold the pool's water. The vast majority of the pools weight is on the ground and the liner provides the strength to hold the water from going sideways. So the frame's job is to hold up the sack and prevent it from "rolling" and dumping the water.

You will need to make the decision about if the rust is bad enough to require replacement. Are the posts weak (not strong) or mostly "ugly"? You can stop some of the rust by removing the what rust you can with a wire wheel and paint over the bare metal with a rust inhibiting paint. The ACF-5o is an inhibitor/preventer that would be used after the rust is removed. I just re-read the site and it says it removes corrosion but I think that is is the white stuff on aluminum and different than rust on steel. I don't know if a rust converter would be better for what you have now.

Sorry if I am just adding confusion.

Could you slip couplings over the exiting t-joints to provide extra strength? Google Kee Klamp for one idea.

 

[MikeInNH]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

So you have a least one broken all the way through and another that looks cracked two thirds of the way? That's a disaster waiting to happen. Pitiful for a pool on it's second year. Have you asked Intex about it? I'd start there. You mentioned the poles not going into each other but the very first picture looks like the male pole rusted and broke off inside the female pole. I wonder if you have a ground issue on your equipment making this corrode quickly.

To get by for this year I would find some metal or PVC tube to either go inside or outside of both pieces and drill holes through each piece so they stay together. If you find the right inside diameter PVC pipe you may be able to cut it in half lengthwise, lay each half over the bad spot then run bolts though the whole thing.

 

[kristyj077]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

The posts seem to be pretty sturdy. The pool doesn't move unless I jerk it myself, even if someone was to lean against the pool it won't move. The poles are just ugly to me.

I took a look at the kee klamps and they look like they might would work. At least for the one post and to joint that has already came apart but for the other ones, unless these kee klamps can be put on these posts without having to take the pool down and do it, then I won't bother to get them cause it will just be hectic having to drain the pool and get those posts undone from the t joints, last time we took the pool down we had a hard time getting the post and t joing disconnected from each other. I am also wondering if these kee klamps have a big enough hole to go thru the posts. They aren't cheap and it would be a lot of money spent on them for every post. But if it would work for the posts that are only breaking then it's worth it. I just hope they fit.

 

[kristyj077]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

Yes that is correct Mike. It's a disaster for sure. Makes me sad and no, sadly intex won't do a thing! I am very mad that they won't. What kind of ground issue would cause this?

It will probably last until the end of summer by finding some solution, but next summer. Another pool and gonna have it better protected from rust. This will not be happening again.

So you have a least one broken all the way through and another that looks cracked two thirds of the way? That's a disaster waiting to happen. Pitiful for a pool on it's second year. Have you asked Intex about it? I'd start there. You mentioned the poles not going into each other but the very first picture looks like the male pole rusted and broke off inside the female pole. I wonder if you have a ground issue on your equipment making this corrode quickly.

To get by for this year I would find some metal or PVC tube to either go inside or outside of both pieces and drill holes through each piece so they stay together. If you find the right inside diameter PVC pipe you may be able to cut it in half lengthwise, lay each half over the bad spot then run bolts though the whole thing.

 

[MikeInNH]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Attached is my thought using the right size PVC to fit tightly over the metal tube. Seeing they use plastic fasteners to keep this thing together it must not have too much stress on those points. The picture shows a piece you can buy at home depot cut in halves. If you could slide it over without cutting it it would be stronger. Use non corrosive nuts and bolts like galvanized or the more expensive stainless steel to attach it to the Intex poles (bolts are on the picture in gray). As for the ground thing, I've read that having a bad ground on your equipment can make things corrode quicker because of a constant but low flow of current on the pool.
http://www.homedepot.com/Plumbing-Pipes ... reId=10051

Sorry about the ghetto picture. :lol:

 

[techguy]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

You might be able to use hole clamps. They have them at HD also, in plumbing.

 

[bg458]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

There is suppose to be a little see through rubber piece the goes between the top rail and the pins when putting together. Those pieces stop water from getting inside the frame and rusting from the inside out.

 

[bigdav160]

Re: Intex metal frame pool rusting t joints, legs. Need advi

Chlorine is the culprit. Difficult to stop.

That's why I store my chlorine in it's own plastic deck box away from everything.