Last summer the forum helped me with a band-aid solution to fix a cracked collar in my pump suction that was preventing me from priming the pump. It was much appreciated. Now I need to actually fix the crack and wanted to see what suggestions the forum has for breaking the solvent weld in the pipe.
I cracked the collar on the union that connects my suction side piping to the pump. The crack can be seen in this photo , at the top of the fitting. I used a hose clamp last year to seal the crack, but it was a bit of a nuisance because it always lost prime when the pump shutoff overnight.
Unfortunately, the pool installer plumbed the system fitting to fitting so I might have to redo all of the suction side piping - & Piping is all 1.5” PVC, installed in 2015.
Before I redo it all, I’d like to try and replace just the one fitting. I’m thinking about cutting the union off as close to the cross joint as possible then try to remove the pipe remaining in the socket. I’ve searched the internet and there seems to be a few options to do this:
Option 1 - Cutting the pipe remaining in the socket into multiple pieces with a small hacksaw and then chiseling it out. – Seems pretty easy to destroy the fitting your trying to keep.
Option 2 – Wiping PVC Primer inside the remaining pipe and lighting it on fire to soften the pipe, then twist out with a pair of needle nose pliers – Seems pretty easy to destroy the fitting your trying to keep.
Option 3 – Heating a 1.5” hole and inserting it into the pipe, allowing the heat to soften the pipe, then twist out with a pair of needle nose pliers
Option 4 – Heat the inside of the pipe with a heat gun to soften the pipe, then twist out with a pair of needle nose pliers
So, I’m leaning towards options 3 or 4 and wanted to know if this was as easy as it seems to be in the youtube videos? Or, is there a better suggestion?
Worse case, I have to replumb the system and do it properly this time. Not the end of the world, just trying to save some time and money.
Thanks for any suggestions.
I cracked the collar on the union that connects my suction side piping to the pump. The crack can be seen in this photo , at the top of the fitting. I used a hose clamp last year to seal the crack, but it was a bit of a nuisance because it always lost prime when the pump shutoff overnight.
Unfortunately, the pool installer plumbed the system fitting to fitting so I might have to redo all of the suction side piping - & Piping is all 1.5” PVC, installed in 2015.
Before I redo it all, I’d like to try and replace just the one fitting. I’m thinking about cutting the union off as close to the cross joint as possible then try to remove the pipe remaining in the socket. I’ve searched the internet and there seems to be a few options to do this:
Option 1 - Cutting the pipe remaining in the socket into multiple pieces with a small hacksaw and then chiseling it out. – Seems pretty easy to destroy the fitting your trying to keep.
Option 2 – Wiping PVC Primer inside the remaining pipe and lighting it on fire to soften the pipe, then twist out with a pair of needle nose pliers – Seems pretty easy to destroy the fitting your trying to keep.
Option 3 – Heating a 1.5” hole and inserting it into the pipe, allowing the heat to soften the pipe, then twist out with a pair of needle nose pliers
Option 4 – Heat the inside of the pipe with a heat gun to soften the pipe, then twist out with a pair of needle nose pliers
So, I’m leaning towards options 3 or 4 and wanted to know if this was as easy as it seems to be in the youtube videos? Or, is there a better suggestion?
Worse case, I have to replumb the system and do it properly this time. Not the end of the world, just trying to save some time and money.
Thanks for any suggestions.
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