Faux pas ordering pool pump & pool filter o-rings by trade size! :)

Jun 11, 2013 7 Replies

A funny thing happened when the "carefully chosen" o-rings arrived. They are all the wrong size!



My wife smiled, gently chiding me, a bit incredulously ... "After all that work, you ordered the wrong ones?"



Yup. Mea culpa. They're *all* the wrong size! Apparently, I didn't double check the numbers!



It (apparently) turns out that the "O-number" system I've been cross referencing is a proprietary standard, used *only* by the Alladin company.

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So, for example, a Sta-Rite pump basket lid O-ring U9-375 cross references to an Alladin O-12, which is not even close to the AS568 O-Ring size O-12.



An O-12 actually is this (much smaller) AS568 o-ring: O-12 nominal CS=1/16" ID=3/8" OD=1/2" actual ID=.364±.005" CS=.070±.003"



While, measurements of "my" pump basket lid O-ring show it's closer to: O-439 nominal CS=1/4" ID=6-1/2" OD=7" actual ID=6.475±.040" CS=.275±.006"



Even I had to laugh at myself, thinking: Here's a classic case of what happens when you accept the numbers at face value (and don't double check all sizes with actual measurements!).



New mantra: Check thrice; order once!



In summary, it seems that one company, Alladin, dominates replacement o-rings for pools, and that company uses a proprietary (unpublished?) o-dash numbering system that mimics the standard o-dash numbering system in both look and feel - yet the two numbering systems are (apparently) wholly unrelated! (AFAICT)



Given that, I'll need to measure all my old (worn) o-rings, in order to cross reference to the "real" AS568 o-ring O-dash size.



Serves me right for taking things at face value! :)



QUESTION: What's the best tool to *measure* o-rings (enough to match to charts)?

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That is why the cross reference list is so valuable.

I could have charged $10+ a copy for the cross reference list I had from Harley parts to the industry part. (and a few parts that were actually better than the one Harley used)

The rice burner crowd was right about one thing, Harleys were "tractor parts" but the good side of that was, if you broke down in Fumbuck Arkansas, you could get what you needed at a feed store.

Well, to be fair, the pump kit doesn't include all the o-rings (e.g., the GO-KIT38 doesn't have the two drain plug o-rings).

And, the filter kit includes too many o-rings! :)

Besides, a kit wouldn't be any fun!

Indeed!

I see now how valuable it would be to have a cross reference of all of a car or bike's o-rings to trade sizes!

All we'd need to do is *measure* the pristine o-rings and then cross reference them to the standard sizes.

But, what's the "trick" to measuring them accurately?

The cross section is "squishy"; and the inner diameter variable (unless you can measure the mating groove).

Is the only trick to measure "gently"?

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Careful there Mr O, bobby g is going to take you to task for not being user friendly.

Btw: huckleberries don't come to mind,but dingleberries do,

Hi Oren,

I'm simply past due for basic maintenance (mainly due to my prior complete ignorance of what o-rings even existed, and of how to source them).

By way of worst example ...

Here's a picture of the fourth (currently unused) pump seal plate with the diffuser o-ring pulled off the diffuser:

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Here's what I know about that particular o-ring:

Sta-Rite Max-e-glas II pump Diffuser O-ring:

  • Sta-Rite PN U9-374, AS568 O-333, Alladin O-83
  • Material: Buna-N, 70 Duro, black
  • Cross references: 351021164, STA1018557, U9-374, U9374
  • Nominal CS=3/16" ID=2-1/2" OD=2-7/8"
  • Actual CS=0.210±.005" 2.475±.020"

- 18¢ each @

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- 18¢ each @

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- 29¢ each @

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- $1.30 each @

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- $4 each @

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=.070±.003"

Did you "study" any of the o-ring references I posted?

Consider going back to work....

in your current "retired" state you might be able to negatively effect GDP all by yourself.

Have you considered the amount of extra work all your inquires impose on mfrs, distributors & supply houses?

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