Trouble with unscrewing Big Blue: tricks?

[carlyai]

I need to replace the filter in my Big Blue container.

I'm having trouble unscrewing the bottom container from the top.

I've got the correct spanner, knocked around the thread, and released the pressure with the press button, but I can't budge the thing.

I've resorted to softly hitting the spanner with a hammer, but it still won't budge.

Any tricks on undoing the container?

When I eventually get it to pieces, as well as not overtightening it again, are there any tricks (like putting Vaseline around the thread etc), so I won't have this problem again?

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[sirmud63]

you could try pouring boiling water over it ,may work . on assembly, any kind of lube would work ,so long as it dosnt react to the material .

[carlyai]

you could try pouring boiling water over it ,may work . on assembly, any kind of lube would work ,so long as it dosnt react to the material .

Hi, thanks but won't that make the top part expand, making it harder?

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[sirmud63]

nop , expanding it should loosen it. maybe .  are you sure its right hand thread ?

[CGW]

Have you bled off any trapped pressure? if it is still pressured will be difficult to open! I have a very similar filter and is no problem, they don't need to be made up very tight as have double O ring seal.

[Daffy D]

  As "sirmud63" said pour boiling water on it.

 

Only put the water on the top black part for that to expand and loosen up the joint. You could wrap the top with some cloth to keep the hot water there for bit longer.

 

As mentioned there is (or should be) an "O" ring to make a seal so no need to over tighten the container. Yes putting a dab of Vasaline on the "O" ring and threads will make it easier to undo next time.

 

[petermik]

7 hours ago, Daffy D said:

  Yes putting a dab of Vasaline on the "O" ring and threads will make it easier to undo next time.

 

You can use Vaseline on the threads but NOT on the "O" rings... silicone grease is needed here,bought from most Dive Shops and when you assemble again just hand tight is enough

[carlyai]

nop , expanding it should loosen it. maybe .  are you sure its right hand thread ?

Righty tighty....lefty loose is the way with this one.....using my workplace trainer speak.

When I learned it, it was clockwise or anticlockwise, but that doesn't seem to make sense to the youngens these days. [emoji57]

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[Daffy D]

Just now, petermik said:

You can use Vaseline on the threads but NOT on the "O" rings... silicone grease is needed here,bought from most Dive Shops and when you assemble again just hand tight is enough

 

Opps! Yes I stand corrected you are right 

[carlyai]

Better do not use vaseline. Many o-rings can not stand this.
 
You can try to use WD40 for opening, but afterwards clean the o-ring very well. It still can be ruined.
When I have this problem i ask a helper to hold the tubes, and hit gentle with a hammer on the spanner. Using the same hammer on the top of the blue part may help.
 
Mostly this problem is caused by overtighting the thing. When mount it tighten it only by hand. When it leaks then, release the water-pressure and tighten just a bit more. Try again, till it stops leaking.
 
Good luck!
 
Arjen.
 

Thanks Arjen.

I was going to try the hitting and holding next, but may use the boiling water then the hit and hold.

Thanks for the rescrewing. Don't want to overtighten it again.

I have a smaller big blue in the place in Pattaya, and once I remove the pressure there are no problems unscrewing the thing.

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[cornishcarlos]

The push button is an air purge for when refilling, not a pressure release.

Are you 100% sure you are turning it the right way ? Unless the threads were crossed on assembly (hard to do as they are wide threads) there should be no problem in un-screwing.

[sirmud63]

5 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

The push button is an air purge for when refilling, not a pressure release.

Are you 100% sure you are turning it the right way ? Unless the threads were crossed on assembly (hard to do as they are wide threads) there should be no problem in screwing.

yes . have to think in rerverse when its upside down .also clean and closly inspect the o ring seals for any signs of dammage or pitting . this may have been the reason its been over tightend the last time .

Edited November 22, 2016 by sirmud63

[sipi]

1 hour ago, carlyai said:

 

Righty tighty....lefty loose is the way with this one.....using my workplace trainer speak.

When I learned it, it was clockwise or anticlockwise, but that doesn't seem to make sense to the youngens these days.

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When you say "righty tighty lefty loosy" are you talking about looking down ie from the top? That is where you are going wrong. You need to go clockwise looking from the top with your spanner on the cartridge holder. Spit on the o-ring and do it up hand tight only. Maybe a very slight nip if it is still leaking. And as said before make sure it is unpressurised (water supply/ pump off. A tap on inside to release the pressure).

 

 

 

 

[rijb]

Google 'water filter wrench'.

[sipi]

20 minutes ago, rijb said:

Google 'water filter wrench'.

 

It is sitting on top of the water filter.

 

 

 

 

 

[rijb]

5 minutes ago, sipi said:

 

It is sitting on top of the water filter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My bad.  Maybe this will help.

 

 

[carlyai]

Thanks for the video.

I am pretty sure I've overtightened it, as the one before in Pattaya leaked and I had to tighten it more.

Now I know about finger tight, o ring inspection and silicon grease.

Thanks all very much.

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[carlyai]

The press button may be a purge for air, but it also seemed to relieve the pressure when I had to unscrew the one in Pattaya.

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[impulse]

Vaseline (petrolatum) works fine on neoprene, nitrile and viton o-rings.  Dollars to donuts the o-rings in question are neoprene or nitrile because they're the cheapest, and work fine.

 

http://www.spaenaur.com/pdf/sectionJ/J97.pdf

 

Edit:  Dive shops sell silicon lubricant because you're sealing the air you'll be breathing.

 

To get the connection loose, I'd suggest spraying WD-40 and giving it an hour or so to permeate the threads.  You need a penetrating lubricant- nothing with a high viscosity.  

 

Then make sure you're turning in the correct direction because unscrewing the lower part will confuse most of us who remember left loose- right tight.  Looking down from the top, you'll actually be turning it to the right- because you're turning the bottom part.  The top part will be turning to the left relative to the piece you're actually working on.

Edited November 22, 2016 by impulse

[carlyai]

There's two arrows on the Big Blue spanner, one says tighten the other says loosen.





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[petermik]

10 hours ago, carlyai said:

There's two arrows on the Big Blue spanner, one says tighten the other says loosen.





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Make sure you hold it the right way up then.......

[carlyai]

Make sure you hold it the right way up then.......

The arrows are on both sides of the spanner . [emoji39]

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[carlyai]

Right....with a bit more persuasion, it's unscrewed.

Now, next question:the filter is a post filter. Do you replace filters at regular intervals, or look at them and judge if they need replacing or not?

I've taken some pix of the new and old filters. While there is a difference in coloration in the old filter, would you change it?







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[Gary A]

If you have a really difficult time getting the filter apart, buy a strap wrench, they are commonly sold at auto supply stores for removing oil filters. You will want the one with a cloth strap rather than the metal strap. Put the strap as high on the bowl as possible. Besides giving you a lot of leverage, the grip will actually compress the plastic and it will then loosen without a lot of effort. And yes, I have had that problem.

[Crossy]

3 hours ago, Arjen said:

No replace neccessary yet.

When they are dark yellow, or brown, or if the pressure after the filter drops, it is time to replace.

Arjen.

 

Yup ^^^, ours are usually the colour of stewed tea before they need changing.

 

[carlyai]

If you have a really difficult time getting the filter apart, buy a strap wrench, they are commonly sold at auto supply stores for removing oil filters. You will want the one with a cloth strap rather than the metal strap. Put the strap as high on the bowl as possible. Besides giving you a lot of leverage, the grip will actually compress the plastic and it will then loosen without a lot of effort. And yes, I have had that problem.

I forgot about that. Have one already (somewhere) for getting the lids of jars.

Thanks for the reminder. [emoji4]

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[kannot]

car  oil  filter strap/chain  wrench? oops  missed  latest  posts  already  mentioned

Edited November 24, 2016 by kannot