A couple of years ago we changed something on our pool system that required the pool company to re-plumb most of the PVC pipes. This is always annoying as they basically rip out everything and start over, because PVC connections are not undo-able. Once you put the solvent on the fittings and stick them together, no man shall set them asunder. Now one valve in this system does nothing. I suppose one could open it and pump water out of the pool, but after only six inches, the level goes below the outflow point. And before that happens, the pump starts sucking partial gulps of air and the pump gets very upset. So here was a valve that I never use, that was permanently turned “on”, that replaced a perfectly good valve, that I didn’t want and that cost about $100 to install. And it dripped.
I pointed this out and didn’t get far. It was a small drip. A year passed and I asked a pool guy about it and he said put some lube on the soft seal inside. So one day I did that and maybe the drip slowed and maybe it didn’t. I did notice a small nick in the seal; I put extra lube in that spot. I put a bucket under the drip. Time passed. The bucket filled, and seemed to need emptying more often. I didn’t want to go further because I was sure the solution that would be proposed would involve ripping out multiple fittings and an new valve. Pools things always cost more than regular things, you know.
This year I had emptied the bucket too many times, and was ready to try a new tack. I went to the store to see if I could replace just the bit with the seal on it. Well, they don’t sell parts. No, they didn’t have a bin outside full of old valves they had ripped out. They didn’t even have the same valve in stock. However, they did have a two port valve which purportedly had the same bit inside it. I pointed out that this was their fault and the guy asked if I wanted it for free, with a bit of a sneer that implied pigs would fly first, and here I forgot all I’d learned in negotiations 101, and said of course not, but I’d like a discount. So the senior guy tells the younger one to take off 20%, effectively leaving no opening. So about $60. But I did establish that I could bring it back if it didn’t work.
My first attempt to install it failed because I was trying to install the valve stem and the top cover as one, and the cover was designed to allow the valve to close only one position, and I needed to close either A or B. After sleeping on the problem, I realized I could remove the valve stem from the cover and fit it in the old cover. Yeah! It fit. Boo! It still leaked.So I took it back. And considered the problem.
If a new valve seal didn’t fix the problem, the issue must be in the valve body. But what could go wrong with the body? I don’t remember why I was looking at a photo I had taken of the inside of the valve body, but I remember playing with the image and then all of a sudden I saw what might be the issue. It was like a crime show where the detective says “Zoom in… there! Can you enhance that part?” and there, caught in a reflection on the chrome is a perfect picture of the murderer with a smoking gun. In my case it was an image of dried PVC solvent, which had run inside the valve body and hardened into a small blob, which spoiled the perfect seal.
A few minutes with a penknife and three grades of fine sandpaper and the blob was removed and the face of the valve re-polished. The valve stopped dripping and the bucket remained dry.
Hot damn, I love finding a solution that none of the experts had even considered! Especially when it costs nothing!
