PVC prep

Jump to latest Follow Reply
tcat

tcat

Silver Supporter
May 30, 2012
1,782
Austin, TX
Pool Size
17000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
CircuPool Edge-40
I will be replumbing for a new cartridge filter and moving my SWG soon and have a few questions.

1. Best way to saw a square end on existing pipes? (Hacksaw?)
2. How to remove white paint? Is 180g sandpaper fine enough?
3. Can fitting be dry fit and come apart? (I have a couple 45's that could be tricky)
4. How long to set before use?
 
tcat said:
1. Best way to saw a square end on existing pipes? (Hacksaw?)
Click to expand...
Chop saw or this:

Loading…

www.lowes.com
tcat said:
2. How to remove white paint? Is 180g sandpaper fine enough?
Click to expand...
Probably fine.
tcat said:
3. Can fitting be dry fit and come apart? (I have a couple 45's that could be tricky)
Click to expand...
Not a full fit, it will stick. Typical depth is 1.25" on Sched. 40.
tcat said:
4. How long to set before use?
Click to expand...
See the section on "Glues":

PVC Repair - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
  • Like
Reactions: tcat
tcat said:
I will be replumbing for a new cartridge filter and moving my SWG soon and have a few questions.

1. Best way to saw a square end on existing pipes? (Hacksaw?)
2. How to remove white paint? Is 180g sandpaper fine enough?
3. Can fitting be dry fit and come apart? (I have a couple 45's that could be tricky)
4. How long to set before use?
Click to expand...
Electric Miter saw is the best option for #1. They make plastic jigs for doing it manually though.
 
PoolStored said:
Chop saw or this:

Loading…

www.lowes.com

Probably fine.

Not a full fit, it will stick. Typical depth is 1.25" on Sched. 40.

See the section on "Glues":

PVC Repair - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
Click to expand...
I have one of those chop saws. I'm a little afraid with 18 year old pipes in Texas that might crack the PVC, then I'm screwed (trying to save 2 Jandy valves, and pipes into the ground). I plan on using it on new cuts. Love the ss clamp idea, I happen to have a bunch of those.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jsygrls
Turning the miter saw blade backwards works best for PVC. A circular saw with a backwards blade would open it up at the equipment pad, to then be able to cut the new pieces with the miter saw.

Sharpie cut lines at the equipment pad with a hose clamp, tape or string, then remove and use the sharpie line as a guide with the circular saw. I'd drop the the saw onto the line versus pushing across it. Then trim the other side if needed.

My second choice would be PVC cutters. I use them all the time for irrigation and do OK making mostly square cuts but it's not automatic.
 
Newdude said:
Turning the miter saw blade backwards works best for PVC. A circular saw with a backwards blade would open it up at the equipment pad, to then be able to cut the new pieces with the miter saw.

Sharpie cut lines at the equipment pad with a hose clamp, tape or string, then remove and use the sharpie line as a guide with the circular saw. I'd drop the the saw onto the line versus pushing across it. Then trim the other side if needed.

My second choice would be PVC cutters. I use them all the time for irrigation and do OK making mostly square cuts but it's not automatic.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Not all easy to get at with anything other than a hack saw. I think a hose clamp (or 2) should get it very close. Easy to sand/file to the clamp if there's a slight "lump". The most time consuming part is sanding off the paint. Both Jandys are moving. Correcting several "issues". Is it ok to leave 1.25" on all (even though some of the fittings are 1.4"?)

Pulled the trigger on Pentair Clean & Clear cartridge today, I heard they're raising prices due to tariffs (thought they were made USA, I guess nothing is anymore).
1000009099.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Newdude

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Is there a quick way to determine if you've sanded all the white paint off white PVC? Don't want to want too much, or not enough.
 
With the amount of plastic chips and dust I wore, inhaled and brought into my house when doing mine, I became a big fan of hand pvc cutters.

My m18 handheld bandsaw wasn't terrible but Dang that chop saw was messy.

As far as fitting dry and pulling apart, I got a few stuck and used a heat gun on the female end to make it easier.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Newdude
PVC is an interference fit, which is what helps it bond so well when the cement melts it. So no, you cant fully dry fit parts into each other. You can for angle and orientation, but not for length. I measure the distance between the end of each fitting, then add the length that the pipe would go inside each fitting, usually 1.5" deep for a 2" PVC fitting. A cheap vernier caliper helps here. If you are careful with a sawzall, getting a square cut is not hard. A chop saw is better, but messy and cumbersome to move around. If you cut two large V's in a 5 gallon bucket, you can kind of use it as a cutting stand for the pipe. The large copper style cutter above is pretty neat, but not sure I want to spend 40 bucks on something I would hardly ever use when I already have a battery sawzall. I guess it depends on your skill level and available tools.

Make sure to bevel the hard edge of the pipe OD with a file or similar. As far as paint I dont see any paint? A rough sanding is ok, then use two coats of primer to soften everything up on old pipe. I like clear primer because it looks nicer and christys red hot glue. Give it 20-30 min unless its cold out, then give longer to cure.

Those Jandy valves and other fittings can be reused if you're careful. The valves are pricey and reusing fittings will minimize the amount of cutting and rework. I had no luck with drilled socket savers, as they all made the hole too big for me in varying degrees. I did have luck with heating a hole saw like in the below video. This trick saved me from having to dig up pipe to replace my while suction manifold when installing a new pump. A cheap amazon 2" hole saw fit perfectly inside 2" sch 40 pipe, and I used a 1-7/8" hole saw for some sch 80 pipe. Heated the saw for one minute with a plumbing torch, then left it inside the pipe for 90 seconds or so. Once I peeled it away a little with a screwdriver, I was able to just roll the pipe out with needle nose pliers.

 
  • Like
Reactions: tcat
Most of the Jandy ports I can save with a coupler, or 2.5" to 2" reducer. But I may try the heat thing with one I need to use the reducer on.

Most of the pipe is painted with white paint. At least 6 stubs need to be sanded to remove the paint. Even if there's a bit left, I'm guessing the primer will dissolve it all together.

Any loose pieces I cut can easily be squared up. Using the hose clamp idea on the pipes coming out of the ground should give me a square cut with a hack saw (don't have a sawzall). How big a bevel? I normally just round the edge a bit with sandpaper.
 
Rounding the edge with sandpaper is good enough. You just need to knock that sharp edge off. I would sand all the paint off that you can. Primer and glue should take care of whatever little bit is left behind. If possible, spin the pipe in the fitting 1/4 a turn or so when glueing.

If you are going to use a socket saver or the heat trick, practice once or twice on scrap first.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tcat
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply