Hayward S200 Seems to Be Leaking

[geno1005]

When I started up my pool this summer I have water coming from under my 14 year old Hayward filter. I have inspected the seam and all the pipes and the cap on the drain valve and I don’t think the leak is anywhere above or outside the surface of the filter.

Is there a likely easy to identify potential source of a leak at the bottom if I empty the sand? The side mounted valve is hard to operate so I suspect it will need to be replaced soon anyway.

Looks like I could have a new one with a new valve delivered by Wednesday. At 14 Years am I likely better off to replace it or is the life of a filter a lot longer than that?

Thanks for the guidance.

Geno.

 

[Texas Splash]

Gene, very hard for us to diagnose, but this was a terrible winter and hard freezes hit areas much harder than before. We've seen numerous filter problems already. Did you drain/winterize your filter last winter? In any case, if it ends-up being the shell of the filter, a replacement would be next. There's no need to take a chance on a pressurized vessel rupturing. But watch that drain valve closely. Others have expressed concerns about a leak up underneath that drain. Hopefully you'll get lucky and find the leak at a location where two parts meet to save the filter. Let us know how it turns out or if you have any other questions.

 

[geno1005]

Thanks for the help. I did winterize the system, including unscrewing the drain cap at the base of the filter so unless some water got trapped down there somehow, it should have been empty.

Today I shut the pump off long enough for the area to dry all around it and confirmed 100% that the water is coming from beneath the filter, so at least we've eliminated anything else. It's either a problem with the drain or a crack somewhere beneath where the metal 'stand' (for lack of a better word), covers the tank. Is there any other sort of seal down there that can leak?

Final question...the filter doesn't leak except under pressure, so when I dig all the sand out down to the bottom, I won't have any way to put the tank, or any of the connections under pressure to duplicate the situation under which it leaks? I guess if there's an obvious crack then that's the problem, but how will I be able to diagnose leaks with the drain that only happen when it's running?

Thanks again...everyone here is so helpful!

 

[Texas Splash]

Is there any other sort of seal down there that can leak?

Not that I'm aware of I'm afraid.

I won't have any way to put the tank, or any of the connections under pressure to duplicate the situation under which it leaks?

I hate to say it, but I really think you already answered that question. The fact it leaks when under pressure tells us the suspect area may be tiny, but that force pushes the water out. Our pool filters become quite a pressurized vessel, which is why we caution owners to never attempt a repair on one as well. My guess is there's a small defect underneath, perhaps some water settled and expanded over the winter, and the filter will have to be replaced. If it's a tiny drip, you might get away with it for a while, but we wouldn't want it to rupture while you're away and have the entire system run dry of water. Then you'd have more problems.