Backwash and normla flow Valve STUCK Pentair FNS

[ElGuito]

Hello all, and thanks for accepting me as a member. I have a Pentair FNS Plus 48 filter. The normal flow and backwash valve got stuck mid way. I went to the local pool supply and they showed me how to wiggle and pull the whole valve up and out. Mine must be the one they forgot to lubricate, I unscrewed the cap, wiggled and pulled it up and out about three inches, but it will not wiggle or raise anymore. I would hate to replace the entire assembly. Any tricks or tools to keep pulling the valve assembly up and out? We are at 101 Farenheit here in the OC, so I will wait until later tonight to keep working on it.

Thank You!
Ricardo

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

Try rotating the plunger while pulling gently and steadily. The O-rings can get hung up on the edge of the various pipe openings and sometimes rotating will get them back in place.

 

[ElGuito]

Thank you. I also applied as much teflon lubricant as I could get down the pipe. I can push it down and back up, but at about three inches out it STOPS. Is there a tool out there that may hold the plunger and then against the bottom pipe start expanding upwards? Like the ones we use to hold two pieces of wood together but in reverse?

 

[ElGuito]

BackWash Normal Flow valve STUCK - Conspiracy Theory

Thanks for the membership and suggestions; we rotated, gently and steadily pulled up the plunger on the Normal Flow - Back Wash Plunger. Still stuck at around 3 inches out of the valve pipe. Time for not just 4 hands but tools; we noticed tool bite marks on the edges of the plunge tool, mind you, up until a week or so ago I could use only my right hand to twist up - backwash, twist down and normal flow. And the plunger handle was clean and normal.
This plunger handle is dirty, the label is almost worn out. We were able to pull it out; there are two circles along the column, one of them is cracked and chipped and that's where the O-ring was stuck.
This is not even related to the original "valve stuck"post, it would look like someone took away our good valve assembly and hammered down their defective one, dry as a bone and split o-rings. Dude, you think we can still live in a civilized world where side door and service entrances can be left open.