American Multiport Valve

[mellow1]

Anyone out there ever replace the gasket for an American Multiport Valve, used by Pool and Spa? Is it a big hassle, or does it just get pressed into the grooves? Mine is getting worn out, and I have to open the valve and press it back in, its about 7 years old and the rubber isn't smooth anymore, and sticks on the upper plate, then gets dragged out of place.

[Chaichara]

Anyone out there ever replace the gasket for an American Multiport Valve, used by Pool and Spa? Is it a big hassle, or does it just get pressed into the grooves? Mine is getting worn out, and I have to open the valve and press it back in, its about 7 years old and the rubber isn't smooth anymore, and sticks on the upper plate, then gets dragged out of place.

Pool & Spa sell several different brands of filters. Do you mean the actual O-ring inside the MPV , or the one wheer the MPV sits on top of the filter ballon?

In either case, normally a new o-ring is just pressed into the groove, and the parts reassembled and screwed tight.

[mellow1]

Thanks for the reply chaichara. I contacted Pool & Spa to get the gasket for the valve, of course they sent me the wrong one. I now e-mailed a picture of the gasket and the valve, and returned the old one, along with a drawing and the dimensions of the gasket. Yes, it's the one that is pressed inside. The price for this small piece of rubber is 1,800 Baht. I need to replace some other equipment such as the vacum head, the one with the little rollers that slides along the bottom of the pool to suck up the dust and debri. Would you know of a supplier with better prices. Because if a gasket is 1,800 at Pool & Spa, this vacum head will probably need to be financed on a six year payment plan.

[jaideeguy]

You don't say where you are.... if in Chiang Mai, I can tell you several places that have vacum heads in stock. As for the gasket, I had some dealings with 'pool and spa' and the sales person that has always helped me and given me a discount [when asked] was named Opal...speaks excellent English and knows her stuff.

I haven't had any problem with my multiport valve [yet] bought from them, but from your discription, maybe it could be cut yourself out of gasket rubber from an auto parts shop. DIY or 1800THB??

[mellow1]

^ Biggest city to me is Korat. I also spoke with Opal, and yes she is very helpful. It would be no problem carving a gasket out of a piece of rubber, but one side has a center bevel, which skims the bottom of the 5 chamber valve, and my carving skills are limited by this. Shelled out the 1800, but enjoyed it like I would a stick up.

[Chaichara]

^ Biggest city to me is Korat. I also spoke with Opal, and yes she is very helpful. It would be no problem carving a gasket out of a piece of rubber, but one side has a center bevel, which skims the bottom of the 5 chamber valve, and my carving skills are limited by this. Shelled out the 1800, but enjoyed it like I would a stick up.

I've said it many times on this and other forums - if you want a swimming pool, you are going to get stung every inch of the way. Swimming pools are supposed to be for rich people who don't give two hoots about the price they pay for their pools, or for subsequent maintenance and repairs. I fell into a similar trap 20 years ago when I opted to become a dedicated Macintosh computer user. of course, even though prices have now come down and are actually cheaper than PCs on a baht-per-baht comparison, a new battery is for a Mac notebook going to cost 4,500 to replace, and a power transformer 2,800. these two items a guaranteed to fail after 2 years (happend to me to both items last month).; they cost only a few hundred baht each for a generic PC laptop, but Apple knows what the best operating system in the world is is worth, and they screw yoiu on the spares.

Fazit? Don't join the jet set if you cant't afford the fuel.

And yes, Opal is very helpful, but the comminications break down every time she is away at the Emaux HQ in China.

[gilbreth]

Hi, my input - when managed properly, a pool can last for a very long time very economically. With anything though, it requires some prevenative maintenance (unheard of in Thailand).

Most pool equipment in Thailand is imported; therefore, prices are somewhat higher. The industry also needs consolidation, in order to group some decent sized business between 4-5 operators. This might just give enough business to somebody in order to make an investment and set up manufacturing here. Unlikely.

K. Opal is the daughter of the owner of Pool & Spa, a good and very caring company. Yes, she is one of the few that speaks English inside the company. They are working on this.

Gil