Is there a pump fitting adapter to stop this inlet leak?

[rock]

There is no doubt my filter & cleaner pool pumps are both leaking copiously at the inlet as shown below (mostly when the pumps are off):

They've been leaking from this very same spot for years:

The problem is that the plumbing is pressed fitting to fitting, with 7 Jandy valves all pressed together, within a foot with nary a pipe in between:

Up until now, I've been trying the "miracle in a tube" solution - but it's really not working to plug and glue and stop up the leak.

QUESTION:
Q: Is there a magic fitting that I can slip into the inlet that will allow me to fix this incessant leak without having to replace either the pumps or the Jandy valves?

 

[jblizzle]

Probably not, unfortunately. There is likely a coupling that is screwed into the pump ... it is that threaded connection that is leaking. If there was room for a union fitting, then you could cut, clean and re-screw in a fitting and add the union.

It is really quite annoying how tight pool installer seems to want to put all the fittings, valves and equipment, that make a simple job into something much larger and expensive.

The only option I can think of (and not good because it will restrict your flow) would be to cut right between the fittings and then try to unscrew the fitting into the pump and fix it. Then using a "fitting saver" or something (can not recall the name) that would glue to the inside of the pipe to re-attach to the valves. Problem is, no way to see if your threaded fitting is leaking until you re-connect and at that point if it leaks, you are out of options.

 

[jblizzle]

OR.

Cut between the fittings and then bore out the pipe that is the fitting on the valve side. Get a new threaded fitting to put in the pump and then you can use a new piece of pipe to reattach ... maybe make it longer and add a union fitting. Of course you would have to change the pump outlet pipe as well.

 

[linen]

This might be a crazy idea...but could you remove the output pipe (one has a union in the picture) and disconnect the electrical connection and bonding wire, then unscrew the pump, by rotating the whole pump (if it has enough clearance between it and the pump next to it)....I did it once with a smaller agp pump....yeah it's crazy...then (if it's the threads that are leaking), pipe joint sealant and teflon tape to seal?

 

[rock]

There is likely a coupling that is screwed into the pump ... it is that threaded connection that is leaking.

It would be helpful if I could figure out what that inlet fitting looked like.
About a year ago I had replaced the outlet fitting due to a cracked Jandy valve.
Do you think the inlet is the same fitting as this outlet was?

If there was room for a union fitting, then you could cut, clean and re-screw in a fitting and add the union.

As can be seen in the photo below, that's exactly what I did for the outlet side of the cleaner pump.
The problem is I can't figure out where I can put a union without having to replace all 7 Jandy valves?

It is really quite annoying how tight pool installer seems to want to put all the fittings

I agree. They had plenty of physical space as can be seen by this photo I just took for you:

try to unscrew the fitting into the pump and fix it. Then using a "fitting saver"

I'm pretty much out of options so that's the kind of solution I'm looking for.
Googling images for "fitting saver Sta-Rite Max-e-Glas", I find things looking like this picture below.
Is that what you mean by a fitting saver?

bore out the pipe that is the fitting on the valve side.

Hmmm... I'm not sure what you mean but ideas are good to explore!
Googling, I find this PDF which seems to have boring tools.
Do you suggest I buy one of those boring tools?

maybe make it longer and add a union fitting. Of course you would have to change the pump outlet pipe as well.

I'm not sure of the mechanics you suggest - so I'll have to analyze further as it sounds enticing.
As for adding another union - I'd be glad to do that as I would love to move the pumps back a foot or two!

unscrew the pump, by rotating the whole pump (if it has enough clearance between it and the pump next to it)

That's an interesting idea that I had never thought of!
Looking at the picture below, there just might be enough room to spin the entire pump!

 

[jblizzle]

I am not sure of the right terminology, but I have seen mention a tool/method to bore out the old pipe from within a fitting ... actually try searching for "fitting saver tool" ... and then you can just use solvent to put a new pipe into the old fitting. Then move the pumps just like the 2 yellow arrows show. Then screw a new fitting into the pump inlet (should look the same as the outlet) and put a new pipe into that fitting and add a union between the 2 new pipes.

I think this seems like the best option. If you can unscrew the pump like linen suggested, I would then use a new female fitting on the old male fitting and add a union and move the pumps back as well using a new male fitting into the pump.

 

[linen]

jbliz, you beat me too it...I agree if spinning the pump works, then once off, you could add a fitting to the threaded fitting then a union and do jbliz's idea of moving the pump back as you yellow arrows show.

 

[rock]

move the pumps back as well using a new male fitting into the pump.

I thank you very much for your helpful advice.
Given those suggestions, I'm convinced that I will move the pumps back.
Assuming the outlet pipes aren't the problem - I'll concentrate on figuring out how best to separate the inlets.

Looking more closely today - do I see evidence of a prior "repair" (before my time) in the filter pump?
Here is a shrunken picture showing the (repaired?) inlet of the filter pump (left) along with the cleaner pump crazy 90° series of elbows (right):

But here is the original full-size picture which can be zoomed into:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/127 ... 767438.jpg

 

[keene3b07]

My suggestion would be to cut off right at the inlet portion of the jandy valves. Then slide a 2.5 in coupler around the outside of the jandy valve, and reduce it back down to 2 in and into the pump. On the valve that has the elbows going into the pump, definitely move the pump back, your setup makes that pretty easy. Also you should probably switch the 2 90s to 2 45s. Using pipe extenders like the others suggested will work but it looks terrible and probably reduces the flow

 

[keene3b07]

A couple other things...unless i am missing something i don't see how you plan on moving the filter pump back, it looks like there is maybe an inch of space to do that, unless you want to move the filter back too. And is that a conditioner feeder that i see?

 

[jblizzle]

I agree the pipe extenders are a bad idea and not what I was suggesting after the first post.

But, you make a great point on using the 2.5" coupler on the outside of the Jandy valve. Not sure why I did not think of that

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short

 

[keene3b07]

sorry i skimmed through too quick and didn't see the other ideas. If you decide that you want to unscrew the pump from the adapter and re-tape the adapter, you should definitely remove the motor from the pump housing before you try to do that. However in my opinion it will be easier and you will get better results by re doing the plumbing from the valve.

 

[rock]

My suggestion would be to cut off right at the inlet portion of the jandy valves.

I think that's what I'll do.

Is this the suggested place to cut for the straight shot into the filter pump inlet?

Note: Here is that photograph in much larger format in case we want to zoom in.

And, is this the suggested place to cut for the elbowed shot into the cleaner pump?

Note: Here is that photograph in much larger format in case we want to zoom in.

I don't see how you plan on moving the filter pump back, it looks like there is maybe an inch of space to do that, unless you want to move the filter back too.

Hmmm... I'm not sure what you see that I don't see; but I have absolutely no desire to move the filter!
In this photo I marked a magenta "X box" to show where I would want to move the filter pump:

Note: Here is that photograph in much larger format in case we want to zoom in.

And is that a conditioner feeder that i see?

I don't know what it is, really, but, it might not matter 'cuz it's empty inside.
It looks like something I don't understand called an "ionization filter" or something like that (I can snap photos tomorrow in the daylight if necessary).
But, I wasn't planning on touching it as it's in the (bottom) outlet line from the filter; so I would hope to just leave it in place.

you make a great point on using the 2.5" coupler on the outside of the Jandy valve.

It's midnight right now so I can't tell yet whether the straight sleeve on the filter pump goes inside or outside the Jandy valve until tomorrow; but, looking at the pictures above, the elbows on the cleaner pump do seem to go inside the Jandy valve; so an outside fitting would save the Jandy valve!

 

[rock]

Looking closer at the straight run into the filter pump, I'm trying to decide whether to cut flush with the Jandy valve or cut nearly flush with the pool pump.

To make the decision, I'm trying to figure out whether that straight run into the filter pump is a sleeve-on-top-of-a-pipe, or merely a pipe.
I had always thought it was a sleeve simply because there is a huge circumferential gash at the centerpoint, which is so deep that it seems to me that a pipe would have burst long ago.

Does the depth of this gash indicate to you that this is really a sleeve over a pipe?

 

[Bama Rambler]

It's actually a threaded adapter over the pipe. But, it doesn't matter in your case because whether it's a coupling or an adaptor it's the same thing, something glued over the pipe.

 

[rock]

It's actually a threaded adapter over the pipe.

Interesting! I had thought it was only an external sleeve - but - there's no reason for a sleeve - so you're almost certainly correct.

Is this what that straight section is composed of?

1. Out of the Jandy valve is a glued coupling
2. Then there is a short length of pipe which goes an inch or so inside that coupling
3. Then there is the threaded coupling you speak of, which goes over #2 and is threaded into the filter pump

 

[jblizzle]

It looks to me like there is a 2" coupling that is up against the valve. There would be a 2" pipe in the Jandy and in that coupler. Then it looks like the coupler had been cut shorter and a pipe is inside of it and then inside the 2" MIPT x slip adapter that enters the pump.

Now whether the coupler was cut before the pipe was glued in, or if it was cut at a later date for some kind of repair (maybe with some insert into the pipe?) we can not tell.

You can cut it in the middle if you want, but the 2" coupler is not designed for a 2.5" coupler to fit over it like the valve body is.

Ultimately, I think you will be best off to cut right at the valve exit and using a 2.5" coupler and a 2.5/2" reducer with new 2" pipe.

 

[rock]

It looks to me like there is a 2" coupling that is up against the valve. There would be a 2" pipe in the Jandy and in that coupler. Then it looks like the coupler had been cut shorter and a pipe is inside of it and then inside the 2" MIPT x slip adapter that enters the pump.

Unfortunately, forum rules are such that we're not allowed to annotate any text onto graphics so it's really hard to describe what you said above in the drawing below because I can't label anything.

However, trying my best to understand what you're saying ...

Is this what you think I have as the straight shot going from the Jandy valve on the left to the filter pump on the right?

 

[jblizzle]

Sort of. I think.

Valve : 2" pipe in valve and in 2" coupler (can not see the pipe) : 2" coupler (appears cut): 2" pipe in coupler and threaded adapter (can not see the pipe) : 2" slip/MIPT threaded adapter : pump

What I think you should do:

Valve: 2.5" coupler over valve : 2.5" / 2" reducer into coupler : 2" pipe : 2" union : 2" pipe : 2" slip/MIPT threaded adapter : pump

 

[keene3b07]

you can cut at the 2 in coupler if you think it would be easier and then you can slide a 2 in fitting extender over the coupler and go from there. I think you should cut at the jandy valve and use a 2.5 in coupling though because it will give you a little more space. If you want to move the pump back where you are talking about, you are going to have to re do the plumbing from the discharge to the inlet of the filter which seems unnecessary.