Upgrade recommendations for replacing 14" Intex sand filter combo?

[Pappy]

This is what came with the SP1023 - non-G - bulkhead fitting from Amazon, in a sealed Hayward plastic bag: a bulkhead fitting, 1 backing nut, 2 rubber washers and 1 cork washer.

I'm not going to use the cork washer at all. I will use both rubber washers, one inside and the other outside. I don't think the outside will be necessary for sealing, but it will provide a cushion between the vinyl liner and the hard edge of the backing nut. I don't think there would be any advantage to a sandwich washer for me. If one had 2 layers, where the vinyl liner was supported by a metal or fiberglass shell, the sandwich washer might be useful in ensuring water couldn't get BETWEEN the layers.

[PoolDoc]

Pretty sure you received the 'G' model. As best I can tell, it is a superset of the standard model.

I'd bet the brown ring is fiber, not cork, and is intended to allow you to tighten the fitting without twisting the liner. But you can probably accomplish the same thing by spraying a bit of silicone spray (like this: DuPont Teflon Non-Stick Dry-Film Lubricant )

[Pappy]

Pretty sure you received the 'G' model. As best I can tell, it is a superset of the standard model.

I agree that the 'G' model is a superset. I can't say if what I got was the 'G' or not because I don't know for sure what the "sandwich washer" is. I envisioned a grommet-like rubber gasket that was basically a thick washer with a groove cut around the outside perimeter, almost to the inner diameter so the pool wall could be "sandwiched" in the groove.

A little further investigation at InYoPool shows this
as the non-'G' model and this
as the 'G' model.

I'd bet the brown ring is fiber, not cork, and is intended to allow you to tighten the fitting without twisting the liner. But you can probably accomplish the same thing by spraying a bit of silicone spray (like this: DuPont Teflon Non-Stick Dry-Film Lubricant )

The brown ring is definitely NOT real cork, it's a fibrous imitation cork. I was planning on mixing liquid dish soap 50/50 with water and putting a drop or two on both sides of the OUTSIDE rubber washer as a lubricant, rather than using silicone. I hadn't thought that the fiber washer might be intended as a lubricant pad.

[Pappy]

The last of my goodies should come in Saturday or Monday. I suppose I'll start a new thread documenting the conversion from Intex proprietary to standard pipe. I think I'm going to focus on the generic bits - like the timer, GFCI, and pool wall fittings.

[PoolDoc]

Thanks!