# Repairing a pool filter?



## Melissa (Apr 15, 2002)

For some reason our pool's sand filter has developed a crack. A brand new one is not in our budget! We have been watching for a used one and asking everyone we have ever known who had a pool and has taken it down. 

Does anyone have any ideas about repairing cracks in plastic? Brady wondered if any kind of glue or caulking would work? I had thought about lining the inside with some sort of heavy plastic and gluing it down, or using a small torch to heat it up and kind of "weld" it back together. The kids really want their pool! The crack is in the bottom and it holds sand which is wet and heavy.


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## watcher (Sep 4, 2006)

It all depends but I'd say the odds of being able to fix it with a torch are right around nil. I'd try emptying the filter and covering the cracked area, and then some, with JB Weld. If the crack is gaping I'd screw/bolt/rivet a plate to hold it then JB Weld the entire thing.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

A pool store will have a double stick of clay-like epoxy that is used for repairs. You cut off equal portions and mix them, then apply. However... if it is the slick type of plastic, that might not work. You could drill holes on either side of the crack, use a section of inner tube and or silicone caulk as a seal, and bolt it between a solid patch and the broken plastic. Should last through the summer at least.


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## KimE (Apr 22, 2007)

I don't know if this will work for you, but we swear by Marine Goop! I've used it to repair huge cracks in the horse tanks, buckets and a couple years ago, we were filling the tank in the RV and the automatic thingy didn't stop the water like it normally did. NExt thing we knew is we had water running out the bottom of the camper! The tank let go at the seam and we were panicing a bit when some guy from another site stopped by to offer his help and then came back with the Goop. Sealed that thing and have used it many many times since.


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## Hears The Water (Aug 2, 2002)

The guy up at the lawnmower repair place recomended to John to use Gorillia Glue for the plastic lawn mower gas tank. I don't know if that would work for you or not. HTH
God bless you and yours
Deb


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

When I divorced my ex let the pool filter freeze before I got possession of it and I repaired it by using fiberglass cloth and resin. Easy fix and was permanent.

While the resin has quite an odor it is easy to apply, just messy. I highly recommend wearing some sort of gloves. 

Yep, a fiberglass kit from an auto parts store is what you need. Should be had for less than $10 and you'll have material left over to use on another project.


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## Wis Bang (Feb 20, 2009)

Bondo sells the 'glass patch kits. Sportsmen's Goop is the same stuff as Marine Goop and it is in the camping section and is usually cheaper that the stuff in the Marine store,

J B Weld is good stuff too.

Professionals use 'kelly grout' a grey can of epoxy that you add a small can of hardner to make it set up. It's the grey goop they use to cement the aluminum lane markers down on the highway. Sticks anything together. I asked why a contractor was using it to secure mounting bolts instead of cementing them in when he poured the concrete pad and he said the Kelly Grout was stronger than the concrete and stronger than the bolts...


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## Scott in Florida Panhandl (May 10, 2002)

Melissa,

I went through this a few years back with mine. I had no luck with anything, including fiberglass patch,epoxy and fiberglass cloth,etc. The problem is that the filter swells slightly when under preasure. If you can patch from both the inside and outside it may work, but from the outside it's pretty futile. The idea of drilling some holes and applying some sort of patch and epoxy may work.If you could do it from both sides even better.

Good luck, I finally had to spend $$$$:grump:

Scott


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## Stephen in SOKY (Jun 6, 2006)

If there are any independent pool installers in the area they almost always have good used sand filters available. I'm lucky enough to have one in the area & have bought used from him before. If worse comes to worse, Doheny had the best price I found last year when I had to replace both pump & filter.


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## Farmerwilly2 (Oct 14, 2006)

What brand is it? I've got the body of a filter (round ball looking thing) sitting in back of the house from a pool I took down last year. I don't know the make off hand, but could check tomorrow before I leave for work. You're welcome to it if it will work for ya.


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## Lizza (Nov 30, 2005)

My husband is a swimming pool contractor and he said, sorry, you can't fix a crack in your sand filter, it's basically junk. He said you can try to call around to swimming pool contractors and service people to see if they have an old one out back. You can also of course try craigslist. 

He did say though that if it split at the seam to call the manufacturer. Complain and tell them your product failed, he said they should not split at seams and would probably send you a new one. Don't know if that applies to your crack but thought I'd throw it out there just in case.


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

Is the filter plastic or is it fiberglass ?
If its fiberglass you can repair it if its plastic you out of luck.
if its fiber glass first drill a small hole at the end of each crack to keep it from cracking further.
the sand and clean around the crack at least 6 " in all directions.
go to the auto patrs store and get a foberglass repair kit with woven glass matting
you will want enough to put three layers over the crack.
mix your resin paint the crack area apply the mat then saturate the mat 
be sure that patch extending well beyond the crack squeagy off excess. sand lightly and repeat for at least three layers of mat.
being that it will be polyester resin when finished you will need to paint over the patch with an opaque paint to keep the sun from degrading it .


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## Melissa (Apr 15, 2002)

After we started looking it over yesterday we realized the damage was more extensive than we originally thought, the entire side has hairline cracks, almost like the plastic has lost it's flexibility, it seems very dry and brittle. As we looked it over we saw more and more hairline cracks. I think it is pretty much shot.


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