I have a Maax whirlpool tub. It is new, but no warranty, so I'm
trying to fix it myself. When I fill the tub, the union on top of the
pump leaks. This connection is hand tightened. I have removed the O-
ring several times and replaced it. I have added vaseline to the O-
ring. I have loosened the pump from it's mounts to ensure the piping
can be made up square. Nothing works. It leaks every time. The O-
ring seems fine. The mating surface seems fine. Everything seems to
go together as it should.

Does anyone have any idea as to what else I can try? I'm getting
desparate. I'm thinking of trying to find a thicker o-ring. Or
perhaps putting some gasket material from the automotive industry on
the mating surface where the o-ring makes up.

There is another union on the suction side of the pump, and I have no
problems with it. I can't see any difference between the two
unions.

Help please!

Chris

"axle" wrote in message
...
I have a Maax whirlpool tub. It is new, but no warranty, so I'm
trying to fix it myself. When I fill the tub, the union on top of the
pump leaks. This connection is hand tightened. I have removed the O-
ring several times and replaced it. I have added vaseline to the O-
ring. I have loosened the pump from it's mounts to ensure the piping
can be made up square. Nothing works. It leaks every time. The O-
ring seems fine. The mating surface seems fine. Everything seems to
go together as it should.

Does anyone have any idea as to what else I can try? I'm getting
desparate. I'm thinking of trying to find a thicker o-ring. Or
perhaps putting some gasket material from the automotive industry on
the mating surface where the o-ring makes up.

There is another union on the suction side of the pump, and I have no
problems with it. I can't see any difference between the two
unions.

Help please!

Chris

Don't feel bad, a leak in the tub isn't bad. Just wait till someone ****es
in your sink.

On Mar 20, 6:39*am, wrote:
On Mar 20, 8:14*am, wrote:





On Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:46:01 -0700 (PDT), axle
wrote:

I have a Maax whirlpool tub. *It is new, but no warranty, so I'm
trying to fix it myself. *When I fill the tub, the union on top of the
pump leaks. *This connection is hand tightened. *I have removed the O-
ring several times and replaced it. *I have added vaseline to the O-
ring. *I have loosened the pump from it's mounts to ensure the piping
can be made up square. *Nothing works. *It leaks every time. *The O-
ring seems fine. *The mating surface seems fine. *Everything seems to
go together as it should.

Does anyone have any idea as to what else I can try? *I'm getting
desparate. *I'm thinking of trying to find a thicker o-ring. *Or
perhaps putting some gasket material from the automotive industry on
the mating surface where the o-ring makes up.

There is another union on the suction side of the pump, and I have no
problems with it. *I can't see any difference between the two
unions.

Help please!

Chris

Figure out what ther defect is. Are all the mating pieces perfectly
round? Hold up something you know is round against them and check. Is
there an undetected crack? They can be almost invisible unless you
look very carefully under strong light. Any imperfections in the
mating surfaces? A little indentation is all it takes.

If practical, just replace the involved parts.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Making sure the pump is loosened up enough to move was an excellent
idea. *I'd make sure it can move easily. * Of course, it may later
start to leak when you bolt the pump down so you might have to shim.

Next thing I'd try is to use a pair of pliars to tighten the union
more than hand tight. * Normally you only want it about hand tight,
but in your case I would definitely go beyond hand tight, just don't
over do it.

Since this spa has no warranty, is it possible it has unknown origin
and the O ring might be the wrong one?

Also, as others have suggested, if you can just replace the union,
that is another solution.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I found the problem - there is a hair line crack. Thus, I need to
replace the union. Thank you to everyone for the ideas. This one had
me stumped. We tried different o-rings. Fatter ones. We even cut a
gasket using gasket material. It was when we noticed that the gasket
was only wet on the inside edges and not on the outside edges that we
new the water wasn't leaking at this point. That is when we started
looking for cracks. The "nut" covers the crack, so it is not visible
from the outside. But if you stand on your head with a flash light,
you can see inside far enough to see the crack.

Thank you,
Chris

On Mar 20, 5:46*pm, axle wrote:
On Mar 20, 6:39*am, wrote:





On Mar 20, 8:14*am, wrote:

On Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:46:01 -0700 (PDT), axle
wrote:

I have a Maax whirlpool tub. *It is new, but no warranty, so I'm
trying to fix it myself. *When I fill the tub, the union on top of the
pump leaks. *This connection is hand tightened. *I have removed the O-
ring several times and replaced it. *I have added vaseline to the O-
ring. *I have loosened the pump from it's mounts to ensure the piping
can be made up square. *Nothing works. *It leaks every time. *The O-
ring seems fine. *The mating surface seems fine. *Everything seems to
go together as it should.

Does anyone have any idea as to what else I can try? *I'm getting
desparate. *I'm thinking of trying to find a thicker o-ring. *Or
perhaps putting some gasket material from the automotive industry on
the mating surface where the o-ring makes up.

There is another union on the suction side of the pump, and I have no
problems with it. *I can't see any difference between the two
unions.

Help please!

Chris

Figure out what ther defect is. Are all the mating pieces perfectly
round? Hold up something you know is round against them and check. Is
there an undetected crack? They can be almost invisible unless you
look very carefully under strong light. Any imperfections in the
mating surfaces? A little indentation is all it takes.

If practical, just replace the involved parts.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Making sure the pump is loosened up enough to move was an excellent
idea. *I'd make sure it can move easily. * Of course, it may later
start to leak when you bolt the pump down so you might have to shim.

Next thing I'd try is to use a pair of pliars to tighten the union
more than hand tight. * Normally you only want it about hand tight,
but in your case I would definitely go beyond hand tight, just don't
over do it.

Since this spa has no warranty, is it possible it has unknown origin
and the O ring might be the wrong one?

Also, as others have suggested, if you can just replace the union,
that is another solution.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I found the problem - there is a hair line crack. *Thus, I need to
replace the union. *Thank you to everyone for the ideas. *This one had
me stumped. *We tried different o-rings. *Fatter ones. *We even cut a
gasket using gasket material. *It was when we noticed that the gasket
was only wet on the inside edges and not on the outside edges that we
new the water wasn't leaking at this point. That is when we started
looking for cracks. *The "nut" covers the crack, so it is not visible
from the outside. *But if you stand on your head with a flash light,
you can see inside far enough to see the crack.

Thank you,
Chris- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Good to know that the problem is solved, assuming you can get a
replacement part.