Problem with Pentair Pump Volute.

[Mark McLeroy]

Hi All.
I had a small mishap when closing my pool last season. My Pentair Variable Speed pump has a 3rd party vacuum breaker installed on it (I know, but it is required by code here) This device screws into the drain plug on the pump volute. Well, while pulling my garden house I hit the vacuum breaker and the stem broke inside the drain plug threads. I attached the best picture I can take of it.
Any ideas how I can get the remnants of the stem out of the treads without damaging the threads or is a new volute in my future?
Thanks in advance.

Mark.

 

[bradgray]

Hi All.
I had a small mishap when closing my pool last season. My Pentair Variable Speed pump has a 3rd party vacuum breaker installed on it (I know, but it is required by code here) This device screws into the drain plug on the pump volute. Well, while pulling my garden house I hit the vacuum breaker and the stem broke inside the drain plug threads. I attached the best picture I can take of it.
Any ideas how I can get the remnants of the stem out of the treads without damaging the threads or is a new volute in my future?
Thanks in advance.

Mark.

I'd try this:

Carefully cut two small square notches precisely opposite of each other (i.e. 12-o-clock and 6-o-clock) into that black ring/remnant. Make them maybe 1/16-1/8" wide.

Take a pair of needle nose pliers and spread the tips into the notches you just made. Alternatively you could cut a piece of rigid metal or plastic the exact width of the opening and make a tool to stick into the notches. You just want to be able to contact the slots of each side equally and rotate.

Rotate the remnants forward (deeper) rather than backward. It's more likely to move that direction based on some of the damage I'm seeing on the threads. (If there was more of the broen part left, I'd want to come backward because it could help restore the shape of the damaged threads.)

 

[1poolman1]

A flat blade screwdriver can be pushed/wedged into the hole and then unthread the broken part. Saves damage to the threads in the pot. Happens more often than you'd think.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

As the 2 previous posters have mentioned... anything that can be jammed into the opening, and somewhat cut into the sides, should have enough bite to remove the remainder of that piece. Worst case, you might need to get a screw extractor or "easy out" for a larger thread, possibly 1/4" or 3/8" NPT.

https://www.amazon.com/Irwin-Industrial-Tools-53535-Extractor/dp/B00004YOBF/ref=pd_lpo_2?pd_rd_w=mXp9G&content-id=amzn1.sym.116f529c-aa4d-4763-b2b6-4d614ec7dc00&pf_rd_p=116f529c-aa4d-4763-b2b6-4d614ec7dc00&pf_rd_r=9A8NE28YCAC9NQ5W0HJF&pd_rd_wg=BLSx4&pd_rd_r=cdcf9ced-3b9d-4985-a22a-5bf5b20371ea&pd_rd_i=B00004YOBF&psc=1

--Jeff