We have a well. Between the pressure tank and the water treatment tank is a silt filter. It is about 8 inches long, 2 inches in diameter, and holds a 1 1/2 inch filter cartidge, using 100 mesh nylon as the filter. It is getting clogged up. Generally when this happens I turn off the water, bang it a few times to loosen the silt, turn on the water and it is good for another month. Now the mesh is partially clogged with tiny silt bits and I want to replace it. I have the correct replacement cartridge, but cannot get the plastic container loose. I am fearful to try to hard, but the sucker just won’t turn. First I tried counter-clockwise, then clockwise (just in case) but it will not move. Are there any tricks to try, or perhaps some type of wrench I can purchase along the lines of an oil filter wrench? I have done this before myself, and don’t really want to pay for a plumber to come in.
IANAP but I do have a well with a big blue filter next to the pressure tank. I always turn off the well and run some water to release pressure on the filter housing. I also have one of these to help with loosening of the housing. Googling “filter housing wrench” may give you some ideas. Does the housing have ridges running down the length of it? If it does, that’s what the wrenches grab on to. If that sort of wrench does help, never use it to tighten, only loosen.
Definitely keep trying counter-clockwise (lefty-loosey righty-tighty.) If it’s the kind of filter I’m familiar with, the top is the threaded part and it hangs down from the fixture, right? Make sure that you keep that in mind when twisting it – you want to go counter-clockwise from the bottom perspective.
That said, those things can be a real bitch. A water filter wrench may be required.
We use centrifugal filters in some industrial applications. Are those available for well users? It’d keep some of the stuff from clogging your filter in the first place, perhaps.
You might try warming it with a hair dryer but be careful not to distort the plastic parts with too much heat.
That’s what I came here to say. If you are standing over the top of the filter, you turn it clockwise, which is counter clockwise from the bottom.
Did you happen to use a wrench to put it on? I’ve installed and serviced many of these the wrench is only for loosening never for tightening. sometimes they can get very stuck. You can try tricks like heat and such I’ve had 2 that would not come apart that unplumbed and replaced. If you haven’t done so already you need to release any pressure inside it. Some of the older ones do not have a button on top for doing so. In which case you might shut off the main and run a faucet.
Yes, I did try counter clockwise as viewed from below.
The very first time it was replaced a plumber did it. He was here for something else and I asked him about it. He had a hard time getting it off, but finally did. When he put it back he did not tighten it as much. When I last replaced it I was careful to tighten it exactly the same amount as he had, based on the position of the lever used to drain it. The drain wrench looks the the way to go. I will try a plumbing store, and if they don’t have it buy it online via the link Friedo left me. The clear plastic housing of the filter is a smooth cylinder.
You may have the same problem as I once did, that being an undisturbed filter housing wishes to be undisturbed. After venting pressure, I thought pipes would break before the &%$#@&! thing would let go. Before reassembling, I wiped the gasket faces with glycerine.
My friend had this problem. We attacked it with both our combined efforts. It wouldn’t budge. Found out you MUST MUST MUST release the pressure to it. Came right off after that. You might have to release the pressure from both sides, which would mean cutting off the inlet pressure and then open a sink valve to release exit pressure. I think he ended up adding relief valve to the assembly.
Vaseline will also work.
Before trying I shut off both the inlet and outlet water valves, and then used the lever to empty the filter itself. When I was trying the thing was filled with air. Since it is in the basement, I guess I should leave one of the upstairs taps running, otherwise the pipes will drain for awhile, and become filled with air. Or is what I have done enough to relieve the pressure?
If the only way to relieve pressure on the outlet is to open an upstairs valve then you will get air in the system. If pressure is the cause of your problem then I would but a relief valve followed by a shutoff valve coming off the outlet. You probably already have a shutoff valve. This way you can close off the shutoff valve and relieve the pressure directly in front of the filter without draining your pipes and getting air into them.
---->(inlet shutoff valve)—>(filter)—>(inline faucet)—>(outlet shutoff valve)
You can put the faucet on either side of the filter between 2 shutoff valves as long as you have a shutoff valve on both sides. Does that make sense?
After rereading this, it sounds like you have a cutoff valve on both sides of the filter PLUS a drain in your filter? If this is the case then you are releasing the pressure on the filter. The problem is not pressure. My friend’s system did not have a relieve valve in the filter.