Leaking chlorinator in a new pool, suggestions?

[Mom2Czars]

Our pool (24' round 52" wall) was built back in April. Due to lots of fun times with electricians and builders, our electrical was finished only just yesterday. So we excitedly hooked up the pump...and then had to figure out how to work the breakers on the electic panel. OK, try number two, the pump works like a champ, but there's water pouring out all along the assembly.

The tubing goes from the skimmer basket (ball valve)-->chlorinator --> Nature2 --> DE filter-->pump -->back to pool. The water is practically gushing out the cap of the chlorinator and the Nature2. Tightening the cap on the Nature2 helped but we haven't been able to figure out how to tighten the chlorinator sufficiently.

Anyhow..having read the forum here for a few weeks, I'm definitely going BBB and I'd just as soon have the chlorinator and the Nature2 off the system. Is there a fitting that would allow us to just detach them and connect the two hoses? I'm not sure the hose that comes from the skimmer will reach.

This morning I sealed the chlorinator cap with silicon so I could at least run the pump on low.

[matt4x4]

Chlorinator caps are a real PIA, my recommendation - remove it, and while you're at it teh N2 system as well, keep it simple, the N2 is designed to remove 100 dollars a year form your wallet, it certainly does not return that in chlorine savings or anything else for that matter - speaking from experience here.
Anybody want a N2 system - got one real cheap for sale.
As for the chlorinator, handy for when you go on vacation, however, a PIA the rest of the year, and it'll make you late for vacation trying to open it up to stock it with pucks.
Get a chlorine puck floatie to cover the vacation weeks and you'll be all set.

[denanbob]

I am definitely new to pools, but is your pump supposed to be the last thing before your return??? My setup goes 1.) skimmer 2). pump 3.) filter 4.) automatic chlorinator 5). return to pool. I thought the water went through the pump before hitting the filter. Maybe someone can help clarify this for us. As for your original question, we had water leaking out the top of our chlorinator too, but DH just super tightened the cap and it seems to be better. I don't even know what a Nature 2 is so I can't help ya there! Good luck!

[matt4x4]

yes, your chlorinator is supposed to be last, otherwise higher concentrations of chlorine are needlessly wreaking havoc on your equipment.

[Mom2Czars]

So what about people who put pucks into the skimmer basket? The chlorine would still be going all through the system.

Sure enough, I had typed the order backwards. It is: Pump>Filter>Nature2>Chlorinator>Return. I definitely want to get the chlorinator and the Nature2 out of there (I never even put the cartridge into it), but how can I hook up the two hoses? Is there an adapter for that I can buy?

[matt4x4]

there is a male to male straight through connector, but for what it's worth, go buy the right length of tigerflex to replace the entire run between filter and return - less likelyhood of leaks etc. with less connections along the way.

And those who put pucks in the skimmer, it's ok on most vinyl lined AG pools since they do not have many metal parts exposed in the plumbing, with other pool types you can cause real damage.
i STILL WOULDN'T DO IT TOO OFTERN SINCE THE CHLORINE WILL BREAK DOWN THE SKIMMER PLASTIC, LINER (sorry - caps lock) and other parts prematurely as well, it just takes longer to kill plastic and vinyl with chlorine than metal.

[gpshemi]

My family's two pools (one AG, one IG) have always just put the 3" tablets in the skimmer. They've done it for years with appearently no ill effects. How much is a new skimmer basket anyway? Or a whole new skimmer for that matter? $50 for the whole thing maybe? They've never lost a pump or filter from it. Those pools were up for 10-15 years I bet.

Isn't this just a bunch of horse hockey so they can sell inline chlorinators?

gpshemi

[matt4x4]

Well, a chlorinator does allow you to control the speed at which you are introducing the chlorine, the skimmer isn't controllable.
We don't use tabs, we do BBB, so I cannot tell you from experience what can happen, but I've heard from others with pools that chlorine does in fact make the skimmer and basket brittle, a brittle part can still work, it all depends on how well you take care of stuff and how much abuse it sees, another problem with the puck in the skimmer is once the system is shut off, the puck keeps melting and you end up with a high concentration of Chlorine in that spot, so your liner is also affected in that area, it will become brittle early and could become a potential problem spot.
I'm not saying you can't do it, i'm recommending on using a 10 dollar floatie to save your 50 dollar skimmer, maybe the skimmer will last 15 years, maybe 25, but maybe it COULD have lasted 50 - i'll get back to you on how my pools doing in 30 or so years through taking care of it.
And i still advise against chlorinators or even the use of pucks unless it's needed.

[Mom2Czars]

there is a male to male straight through connector, but for what it's worth, go buy the right length of tigerflex to replace the entire run between filter and return - less likelyhood of leaks etc. with less connections along the way.

I guess I'm off to the pool store later. I'll certainly look into just swapping the hose out for the proper size, but probably not til the fall now, since we only just got the water level up, etc. If I can get those two useless attachments off for now I'll be happy.

[gpshemi]

I have a floaty currently. However, my problem is the tablets are soooo hard they don't disolve fast enough to keep the chlorine up in the pool. So I'll end up shocking it more then I need to. You need more of a flow over them is all. Maybe the little 1" tablets in it would work better then the 3" tablets. Not sure.

gpshemi

[matt4x4]

MOM2.... do you have shutoffs?
If you do, you can exchange that hose out in about 10 minutes without any water loss, if you don't, it's still possible by blocking the round hole in the skimmer using a rag and you can shove a rag into the eyelet to block the return too.
Even puttin in those male-male connectors will create a huge spill all over you and surrounding area unles you block the holes.
If your filter has an off setting, you could use that instead of blocking the skimmer - the eyelet blocking is still req'd.
Guess what I'm saying is you have to block the water anyway you look at it!

gpshemi - how about a few floaties? Or possibly - look at the different ones available, some may have a better flow through design than others. Smaller pucks may help as you suggested...
Personally I just use the pucks when on vacation, since i shock the day I leave, I've never run low on chlorine but have never been gone more than a week.

[Mom2Czars]

I better go grab some rags, we're going to try to get this done tonight.;)

[waste]

Mom2, rags are ok but plugs work better and you'll want them for when you winterize # 9 or 10 expandable (black rubber with a bolt and tightening wing nut) plugs do very nicely for 1 1/2" pipes. As Matt said, you can do it without loosing any water if the lines are plugged off.
GPS, have you tried tethering the floater right in front of a return to speed up the pucks disolving?

[gpshemi]

Mom2, rags are ok but plugs work better and ....

GPS, have you tried tethering the floater right in front of a return to speed up the pucks disolving?


but plugs? :eek:

I haven't tried to tie the floaty in front of the return. Last night I tested, then ran the filter for a while with the 3" tab in the skimmer, and tested it again after a few hours. Oddly, I think it went up some. I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I guess in for a penny, in for a pound at this point, and I'll prolly just follow the advice and put in an inline, but I really have to wonder if it's 75% hype since I've never seen any real costly damage.

gpshemi

[matt4x4]

OUCH, that could really get someone into hot water!
Thanks for the chuckle!
gpshemi, why don't you use bleach and only use pucks when away? it's WAY cheaper, easier, more controllable, and you don't get the issue of raising your stabilizer continually - that in itself can become a maintenance problem since too high of a stabilizer content makes your chlorine ineffective and you have to raise your Chlorine levels just to keep algae out. The only way to lower stabilizer is to dump some water and replace with new - depending on how high your stabilizer count is, this can mean a lot of water.
Using bleach is your best alternative and you do not need a chlorinator.
I just removed my bypass chlorinator since i haven't used it in years and the little tubes seem to need replacing often, then there's the issue with the taps into your lines, seals drying etc..... I just ripped it out, replaced the lines since they had tap holes drilled into them and all is well now!
On my AG pool, I have drop in steps (blowmolded) these types of steps can get notorious for algae buildup within them because the water has a hard time circulating through them, so I use the steps as my puck holder, I place a puck inside the stairs every couple of weeks it in turn keeps the chlorine level up inside the stairs eliminating any possible algae from forming.

[gpshemi]

You have a bypass chlorinator. Not an inline then. I'd go with an inline.
Less hoses and junk to worry about. In the steps is an original idea.
I have steps too, but no where in them to put tablets. Guess I could tie them to a post and put them in some stockings. We'll see.

Hey maybe a piece of 4" pvc glued inline with a cleanout cap on top. Hmmmm....

[matt4x4]

gpshemi - is your pool an IG or AG, if you have steps, can you get behind them (underneath) that's where I have access holes to slip them in, it's got all sorts of nooks in there that i can place a puck centrally up high and another lower down - really and endless amount of choices.
I did state the my chlorinator was a bypass.

Mom2... sorry about hijacking your post!
Were you able to remove it?

[gpshemi]

Yeah we did sorta hijack this didn't we. Sorry about that.

My steps don't really have any holes in them that would get any kind of flow to them. That won't really work for me. The weight is a big triangler pc that's fill with sand and capped from one end. No where there either. I could hang something from it though. I'll figure something out.

gpshemi

[matt4x4]

Sounds like my steps - the triangle slides in up top first then drops into a hole in the bottom and just hangs there.
The holes in the back is where I stick the pucks in - you may want to do that just to keep algae at bay - my first year went well without it, but in the second year, i was continually getting algae just past the steps (direction of flow), and I finally looked inside and it was greener than green in there - threw a couple of pucks in and stuck the hose in 3 days later to get rid of the dead stuff - problem gone.

By the way, ever time someone uses the stairs, your Chlorine will disperse out of the stairs some - especially when the kids are jumping and goofing off from teh steps.

[gpshemi]

Yup. Those are the steps. There's a set of holes towards the bottom.
That wouldn't get much flow thru though to keep the chlorine up. Might keep algae out of the steps though. I'll remember that.

One thing to question though. If the chlorine attacks the skimmer and makes it brittle, won't it do the same to the steps. I'd rather have a brittle $50 skimmer, then brittle $400 steps.

gpshemi

[matt4x4]

I don't know about your steps, but mine are rotomolded Polyethylene which is highly resistant to attacks from chlorine, however, I can't say the same for a plastic skimmer which oxydizes, dries and disintegrates after long term exposure to higher concentrations of chlorine.
There are many different types of plastics, all have different properties and react differently with chemicals.

[gpshemi]

I'm a design engineer for injection molding.
I've recall hearing about plastics at some point....

I think we have the same steps. They're Royal by Lumi-O right?

Well in any event I need something with more flow I think. Maybe it's just the warm weather too though. We'll see.

gpshemi

[matt4x4]

Yup, same steps - there really is NO water exchange that happens with them, so keeping it chlorinated in there is definitely key.

[Mom2Czars]

Since the rags worked so well, we just decided to take the chlorinator and the Nature2 out of the mix entirely. It's not terrific, but the hoses we have do reach well enough for this season as is. Only took about...10 minutes. :D Thanks!

[matt4x4]

Glad that worked well for you, 2 items for the garage sale!!!