My husband and I just fixed up our filter and replaced our above ground pools pump and are really proud we were able to do it. We had to replace a couple of hard plastic fittings one going into the filter , one coming out of the pump + 2 pieces of tiger stength piping and one fitting near the pump which has on on and off so we can stop the flow near the pump if we have to do any repairs. We were told to wrap with teflon tape which we did and we tightened them all well and they are are leaking ever so slightly(but enough that we should do something). We do not want to tightenen anymore as I don,t want to break anything. Is there anything else we could try, should we use some more teflon tape? Is there any other kindof sealant we could use? Also some of the fittings are threaded on the one end but ridged on the other and if we try to remove the fittings and piping,the piping is stuck almost on the ridged end of the fitting you cannot get it off and the fitting if we try to remove it the flexible piping won,t move so we can't continue to turn the fitting to get it out.We even tried to heat it with some warm water which was suggested to us. This is going to make it crazy to try and undo all of this stuff to take the pump in for the winter, there has to be an easier way to undo all of this even at that time. Please if anyone has any suggestions I need as soon as possible as to get these leaks stopped. Sandra Can any of the indoor plumbing products help in this situation? My pool company who installed this pool has been absolutely useless they just want me to book a service call, seem crazy as this really is not a major issue just inconvienient.
help to fix my new leaking fittings please
- Thread starter sandyw
- Start date
Welcome to TFP !
Someone who knows more about this will respond with some ideas I'm sure. You have come to the right place for all your pool needs.
I would suggest using silicone but you need to take the fittings apart to apply it so you get a good seal. Also the pcs must be dry so the silicone can set properly.
Someone who knows more about this will respond with some ideas I'm sure. You have come to the right place for all your pool needs.
I would suggest using silicone but you need to take the fittings apart to apply it so you get a good seal. Also the pcs must be dry so the silicone can set properly.
I am NOT familiar with the equipment you describe however I hate teflon tape and pipe dope. I could never get that stuff to seal properly. I use Permatex #2. It's a great sealant and is removeable. I used it on my Whisperflo pump, Pentair DE filter and Sta-Rite heater. No leaks.
As far as your fittings that don't allow removal, you should get a union and install it between the two fittings. This will allow you to separate the pipe and remove what you need to.
They look like this,
As far as your fittings that don't allow removal, you should get a union and install it between the two fittings. This will allow you to separate the pipe and remove what you need to.
They look like this,
Lots of teflon tape usually works for me....I had that happen to me, what you described about the threaded sections not wanting to come apart. What a pain. If you can just remove sections so that they can breath and air out you don't need to seperate each and every part....I think that's what you meant? 
I've not had very good luck with teflon tape on PVC threads. PTFE paste or Permatex #2 works better. I think installing a couple unions like cruzmisl said would be a good idea for you for winterization too.
Belldiver said:
I am new to this forum and would like to say hello first to everyone.
I have the same problem with leaks after using teflon tape and also a teflon impregnated compound that I got at Lowe's. I still have minor leaks at some threaded fittings. My pool supply store advised me (in fact sold me some today) to use a blue high temp teflon which comes in a spray can. They say that is all they ever use and have no problems with leaks. They say they use it because they don't want to have to go back after a service call at their expense.
Has anyone used this blue silicone?
As far as your advise about the unions, this is good advise. I put unions in all my lines so I could seperately remove the auto chlorinator, cleaner pump and main pool pump. They work great. This keeps you from have to cut your hard piping and then have to repipe the whole system.
Hope to hear from you'all soon. Yeah, I am from North Georgia USA
Tom
This is what I used when I redid my pump house. All threads were done with it. I never had much luck with teflon tape.
I was surprized that Lowes did not have it but Home Depot did. You can also buy it on the internet.
What ever you do, clean the threads on the old fitting real good. After you clean them, inspect them real good to make sure the threads are clean.
Hotrod30 said:
This is what I used when I redid my pump house. All threads were done with it. I never had much luck with teflon tape.
I was surprized that Lowes did not have it but Home Depot did. You can also buy it on the internet.
What ever you do, clean the threads on the old fitting real good. After you clean them, inspect them real good to make sure the threads are clean.
I got some thread sealing compound with teflon from Lowes. It was another brand but looks very simular. It does not dry hard but remains soft. It did not stop ALL my leaks completely.
I have the blue silinone that my pool supply store sold me today but I am holding up on redoing the fittings that are leaking with it until I get a feedback from someone that has used it.
Thanks
Tom
Well, I finally got to use the blue silicone sealant I was talking about and it works wonderfully well. Not a leak. You have to let it set for 24 hours to cure it. It remains rubbery like so it is easily removed if and whenevfer you need to re do a fitting etc.
Tom
Tom
I wonder why schedule 40 PVC piping is used in pool plumbing. If it's buried underground with pressure and possible settling concrete on top of it, doesn't schedule 80 make more sense for long term reliability? I work in the chemical industry and I've only seen sched 80, ever. The only place I've ever seen sched 40 are house drain plumbing systems using gravity, no pressure. Sched 40 is cheap piping and building an IG pool with buried 40 seems foolish and false economy. I've worked on threaded and slip sched 80 PVC and CPVC and can think of only one or two times there was a thread leak problem using teflon tape. I have looked at 40 and 80 in the store and I think there's a big difference in general quality.
SBax said:
We always used schedule 40 underground. Some towns have different codes though. Seems like schedule 80 was always used to go from outside plastic sewer to inside sewer. Probably because of all the old clay and cast iron sheering off at the wall. It would probably be a good idea to use it though. Except that existing pool fittings may not work with it. I cannot remember if the od was the same on the two pipes, alot of times different pipes shared the same od so they were compatable, but not always.
Seems to me that schedule 80 would be somewhat of a overkill. All manuals I have seen call for sch 40. Are there an assortment of fittings available for schedule 80 like they are for 40?
I don't see where schedule 40 or schedule 80 would make any difference in thread leaking as you probably use the same compound to glue both of them alike.
Can't see where the thickness and durability of the pipe would make any difference in a fitting leaking that was not properly applied.
I don't see where schedule 40 or schedule 80 would make any difference in thread leaking as you probably use the same compound to glue both of them alike.
Can't see where the thickness and durability of the pipe would make any difference in a fitting leaking that was not properly applied.
Schedule 80 is overkill for residential pool work. Schedule 40 is generally used. I'm guessing on the exact number but I'm fairly close............ sched 40 is rated @ 120psi @ 140 degrees farenheit......far above the capability of any residential pool pump.
Neither will stand up to the sheer force if your decking decides to settle 8".
Residential plumbing is typically done with an even thinner pvc made for DWV applications (drain, waste, vent) and is perfectly acceptable for that application according to the NC building code and probably most other state codes.
Trying to find Sched80 fittings and pipe would be almost impossible for the average homeowner and quite difficult for most pros.
Neither will stand up to the sheer force if your decking decides to settle 8".
Residential plumbing is typically done with an even thinner pvc made for DWV applications (drain, waste, vent) and is perfectly acceptable for that application according to the NC building code and probably most other state codes.
Trying to find Sched80 fittings and pipe would be almost impossible for the average homeowner and quite difficult for most pros.