My pump housing has iron pipe in the inlet/outlet

[sailork]

I've got a pump pad that would make Dr Seuss proud. 2" pvc feeds into 1.5" pvc in more than one location. I've got ancient metal gate valves mated to PVC. I'm going to replumb the whole pad.

The problem is that I've got a brand new motor and impeller (thanks to the homeowners warranty.) But the housing is easily 10 years old if not 20 or more. It's got iron pipe segments screwed into the inlet and outlet that will have to go when I replumb the pad.

Can anybody offer me hope for getting the rusted chunks out of the housing and successfully mating new PVC to the openings? Or should I just buy a new housing before I get started?

It's a PacFab Challenger 1.5hp if that matters.

[Sumo1]

Can you post a photo?
Hal

[sailork]

Sure, I'll have to take one in the morning.

It'll show a 2 inch long peice of 2 inch iron pipe screwed into the inlet and outlet of the housing. The threads are clearly rusted where you can see them, but not more than you'd expect.

The housing has the telltale crystalization that comes with old nylon housings like that.

[waste]

Sailor, I think you'll be pleasantly suprised when you remove the iron pipes. The rust you see is on the exposed threads, the ones that are screwed in to the housing are probably not rusted (if it hasn't leaked, no water ever made it to the threaded in part). I'd still suggest using teflon tape, pipe dope -aka joint sealer (those 2 terms makes it sound like I'm back in high school talking to my 'stoner' friends ) and on the effluent port, I'd put an appropriately sized O-ring.

[sailork]

Thanks Waste, I was hoping you'd reply. When I work up the courage to handle it all at once I'll cross my fingers and hope the pipes come out smoothly. I'm sure somebody here in houston stocks housings for these things if not.

When I put it back together I'm just going to be gluing PVC into the openings correct? Or is there a better way?

[chrisexv6]

The openings might very well be threaded (after all, the iron pipe screws into the intlet, right?), then all you need is the appropriate size PVC male fitting (Im assuming the inlets are female) and some teflon tape.

The iron will probably come out pretty easily too, you could try a band wrench or if you get desparate drill holes thru the pipe and shove a screwdriver thru to give you some torque

I actually had something similar to that setup when we moved into our house........flex PVC pipe to brass gate valve to brass adapter into the pump. Luckily I needed to replace pump and filter so it all got tossed.