Tool for drain plug on Pentair Cartridge Filter?

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B

Bvacchiano

Silver Supporter
Apr 6, 2018
423
Sugar Land, Texas
Do they make a special tool for opening this plug (other than pair of pliers)? What a pain. Mine is tough to get to based off how they ran the piping and where they positioned the drain plug in relation to that. With a pair of pliers a complete nightmare. When I clean the filter I typically just shop vac out everything at the bottom and don’t mess with this pain in the rear drain plug but since I needed to drain everything quick due to the freeze I unscrewed it. Getting back on was a pain as well. I’m thinking at this point unless it’s another apocalypse down here that plug is NEVER coming off again.
 
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B,

I assume you have a CCP style filter...

I could not agree more about the position of the drain plug, but no special tool is needed.. It simply takes a 7/8" box end wrench... Or it was before you used your pliers.. :mrgreen:

It is the same size as the band clamp, but no way is there enough room for a ratchet wrench. It should not be tight, so even an open end wrench should work.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
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C.Johnson said:
I will add that a dual size ratcheting wrench such as the one below is perfect for Pentair/Sta-Rite FNS+, Clean and Clear Plus, and Quad DE filters.

It has both 3/4 for the band clamp nut, and 7/8 for the drain plug.

Amazon.com: Cal Hawk Tools BEWR67 3/4" x 7/8" Dual Spud Ratchet: Home Improvement

Amazon.com: Cal Hawk Tools BEWR67 3/4" x 7/8" Dual Spud Ratchet: Home Improvement
www.amazon.com
Click to expand...

The band clamp nut is 3/4"? Everything I've seen / read says it's 7/8".

*EDIT - I just looked it up in the Pentair manual...... the clamp nut is 7/8".

1614288752929.png
 
@C.Johnson

I ordered the wrench you suggested and while it will work great for the band clamp, it is useless for the drain plug.. It will not fit between the drain plug and the equipment pad..

The idea of a ratcheting box end wrench would work, but that is not the style of the wrench you suggested.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
nikolausp said:
The band clamp nut is 3/4"? Everything I've seen / read says it's 7/8".

*EDIT - I just looked it up in the Pentair manual...... the clamp nut is 7/8".

View attachment 177127
Click to expand...
That would explain why the socket I keep on my filter wrench is 7/8" :p

The Hayward filters use a 3/4" nut, I guess I had a brain fart!

Jimrahbe said:
@C.Johnson

I ordered the wrench you suggested and while it will work great for the band clamp, it is useless for the drain plug.. It will not fit between the drain plug and the equipment pad..

The idea of a ratcheting box end wrench would work, but that is not the style of the wrench you suggested.

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...

Hi Jim,

Double brain fart I guess; I didn't realize that wrench was a socket design that stuck out vertically like that; I use a wrench very similar, but it's low profile like the ratcheting wrenches you are talking about.

I feel awful that I pointed you to the wrong wrench.
 
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I have a grand plan to convert that plug to a hose bib, or some other type of valve. Quick turn, quick drain. I also want to be able to connect a hose or pipe and route that nasty water somewhere besides on top of my pad and into surrounding hardscape.

It's on the list. I'll post it if I can figure it out. It's low priority, though, because I only clean my filter once a year. I had this same conversation here a while back. This is all we came up with so far:

hose bib in cap.jpg

There might have to be an elbow involved.

BTW, the nature of an o-ring is to expand under pressure. The seal increases as pressure does (to a point). So you really don't have to tighten that plug very much. The rule'o'thumb for most o-ring'ed fittings is hand-tight, with maybe just an extra tiny snug with a wrench. Over-tightening can actually compromise the seal.
 
Hi,
I saw a nice solution (with a list of used parts) from user Jmastron

Replacing Pentair CCP drain port with a valve and hose attachment

I thought this might be of interest to some people -- I have a Pentair CCP420 filter on a concrete pad with the pumps, and opening the drain makes a big mess everywhere, so I wanted the ability to connect a hose to a better location when cleaning the filter or draining excess water from the...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
When I will have time I try to install it on my filter.

Regards,
Bojan
 
Muvisan said:
Hi,
I saw a nice solution (with a list of used parts) from user Jmastron

Replacing Pentair CCP drain port with a valve and hose attachment

I thought this might be of interest to some people -- I have a Pentair CCP420 filter on a concrete pad with the pumps, and opening the drain makes a big mess everywhere, so I wanted the ability to connect a hose to a better location when cleaning the filter or draining excess water from the...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
When I will have time I try to install it on my filter.

Regards,
Bojan
Click to expand...
Yep, that's it! Though my attorney will be contacting this @jmastron person for stealing my idea. It doesn't matter that I stole it from someone else!! 🤪

We had debated how to make the limited headroom work. I figured on an elbow. I would have gone with a reducer with threads on the outside and slip on the inside, so that I could thread it in first, then just glue the elbow into place (one less set of threads to leak, too). I think I would go with a brass ball valve, for longevity. I like the hose connector. I might also devise some sort of support, so that if it got stepped on it wouldn't snap off in the wrong place.

We also didn't figure out the o-ring problem. That's not an NPT type thread, in needs an o-ring, so I'm not sure how that's going to work. I'll have to read that whole thread, as it does make mention of the issue.

It's getting to be filter cleaning time (every spring), so maybe I'll get this going this year, now that I'm re-inspired.
 

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... and remember that the plug is upside down! So when viewed from above you'll loosen it by turning CLOCKWISE. The plastic plug isn't very strong and will easily strip its threads or break if you absent-mindedly try to turn it counter-clockwise. Also, don't lose its O-ring.
 
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So I have a much easier solution for everybody. Get the other plug with the notch. They're both 1.5 inch.

Screenshot_20230310_144403_Chrome.jpg

My Sta-rite has 2 and both of my plugs have the notch. I use the bar of a #2 screwdriver for leverage and they come off / go back on like butter.

This is the front plug but it works below just the same. A quick and easy T handle.

20230310_153230.jpg
 
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