Spectra 150 Charcoal Filter Leaking

[Mirage Gecko]

Fitted a new filter today screwed it up turned on the power and water poured out around the housing.Put the old filter back in same problem.Pulled it all out checked for cracks etc found nothing so put back together with lubricant on new O rings and another filter still leaks ..a lot.
Decided to put back together without the filter cartridge and it is now sealing.
Is it possible that the cartridge stops the clear male housing from sealing with the black female part?
I feel I am tightening it enough but maybe not.
Any suggestions please.
Chris

[Hudson Force]

When I was searching for a picture of this product I noticed that the item was described as included a filter element and a housing. Is it possible that the element was not rotated to a lower seating point within the housing? Another thought would be to attach the housing without the element and see if the leak persists. Is it true that there is a outer housing with a removeable interior element?

[belizesailor]

Yes, the filter set up is similar to most household style filters: housing w a removable element. Sounds like filter element was just not seated properly. Some makes include a plastic spacer that may not be needed for your housing. Most housing have a small raised area inside the base. Make sure the filter is sitting over that.

I've had similar problems getting filters seated properly before. A couple of careful attempts is usually all that's required.

DO NOT over tighten. If the filter is just misaligned this will just crush the filter element and allow water to flow past it. And potentially damage the housing.

[Mirage Gecko]

OK thanks for the replies.Yes it is a housing and removable cartridge.For now I have removed the cartridge and all is good no leaks so I am thinking maybe the washer on top of the cartridge is causing the problem although I did try a number of times making sure the cartridge was aligned correctly .In a marina for a few days soon so will take a loser look
Thanks
Chris

[HG02]

Originally Posted by Mirage Gecko

OK thanks for the replies.Yes it is a housing and removable cartridge.For now I have removed the cartridge and all is good no leaks so I am thinking maybe the washer on top of the cartridge is causing the problem although I did try a number of times making sure the cartridge was aligned correctly .In a marina for a few days soon so will take a loser look
Thanks
Chris

You may have already looked. some times an o ring or filter seal can stay on the filter housing and not the filter when removing the filter and adding the new filter you end up with two o rings or seals see it happen on engine oil filters some time

[belizesailor]

Remember not to run a freshwater flush with the charcoal filter element removed. Any chlorine in your freshwater can damage the membrane.

[Mirage Gecko]

This is becoming puzzling.I have had this boat for about 9 months and never touched or ran the water maker.
When I commissioned it last week I changed the filters and O rings.The boat came with a stock of filters but two brands of the charcoal one being the same as originally installed when I bought the boat.Up until this point it has never leaked a drop.I have tried both brands of filter and they both leak and I am certain there is no old rings or washers in place.I tried a new filter today same result so took the top washer out and screwed it back up and no leaks.
It seems as though when both the washers are in place it prevents the clear part of the filter from forming a perfect seal for the o ring between the housing and the screw in clear .
Softer washers or shorter filters???
Chris

[colemj]

If these are common household filters, they are standardized nominal sizes so I doubt you will find a size shorter by just the amount you need.

I have found some with harder washers on them that do create some issue with sealing and requires tightening more than usual, but not like you are experiencing.

I have also had many that did not have washers by design, so any washer in the system would cause a problem. Are you removing a washer from the actual filter itself, or one in the housing?

Mark

[belizesailor]

9 months+ w no use...not good. Was it pickled?

[Mirage Gecko]

Yes it was pickled and when not leaking was producing sweet water.
The filter as fitted when I got it had washers top and bottom.The filters I fitted also had washers top and bottom so washers on filter only.The washers differ in hardness and thickness between the brands I have available to me and have already tried swapping them.Today maybe try to make one of the washers thinner.
I have pulled the unit out of its cupboard and can now see that with both washers fitted the screw in clear does not seat in as far to the housing with both washers as opposed to none or one.
Chris

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Mirage Gecko

...
I have pulled the unit out of its cupboard and can now see that with both washers fitted the screw in clear does not seat in as far to the housing with both washers as opposed to none or one.
Chris

Sounds like a likely cause, o-ring probably not sealing due to filter + spacers being too long. Do you have the old filter to compare too?

Maybe try w just one washer, but make sure the filter is seating properly.

[Tellie]

I've seen this problem before. The advice to remove one of the black O-ring seals from the filter is the answer. For some reason even with the same manufacturers these filters themselves can be just a slight bit longer from batch to batch. Even removing one of the O-rings these filters will still seal enough.

[Mirage Gecko]

Thanks everyone problem solved.
I performed surgery ,with one of those 25cent sharp disposable blades from the cheapie shop and virtually halved the depth of one of the washers .
Interestingly I have approximately 20 filters in stock on board and measured half of them to the best of my ability with available tools and found variances
of up to 3 mm on the cartridges and at least 1 mm on the washers.
Chris

[colemj]

Yes, that is about what I have found with them. However, that difference has always been easily accommodated with our filter housings without needing to make any changes to the filter.

Mark`12