This page explains what you need to do to lubricate a standard valve.To maintain the life of a standard pool diverter valve, you should lubricate the square seal at least twice a year. In addition you should remove the valve assembly and lubricate the 3 o-rings inside the valve at least once a year. To avoid valve maintenance you have the option of replacing these standard valves with Jandy Neverlube valves. These valves have teflon surfaces that do not need to be lubricated.
1. Some values, like the popular Jandy valve, have grease ports at the base of the valve to facillate lubrication of the square seal. If your valve does not have a grease port, you will have to disassemble the valve to lubricate it. Go to step 11.
2. Turn off your pool pump.
3. Relieve the pressure in the lines by turning the relief valve on top of your filter counter-clockwise. You should see the pressure reading on the filter pressure gauge go to 0.
4. Note operational position of Valve Handle for future reference. Rotate the Valve Handle so that the word "OFF" on the handle is pointing to the grease port.
5. Unscrew the Grease Cap counter-clockwise and remove it from the Grease Port.
6. Fill the cap 2/3 full with valve lubrication.
7. Replace the cap and slowly turn it clockwise all the way until all of the value lubrication has been forced into the valve.
8. Rotate the Valve Handle from side to side to spread the valve lubrication across the face of the Square Seal.
9. Return the Valve Handle back to its original position - noted above. The picture shows the typical operational position for pipes going from the skimmers and main drain to the pool pump - all ports are open.
10. Check to make sure the pump basket is full of water, restart the pool pump, and close the relief valve on the filter when water starts to spray out of the valve.
11. As stated above, you should lubricate the Square Seal twice a year through the Grease Port. The internal O-rings should be lubricated once an year and to do this, you will have to disassemble the valve.
12. Before you start to disassemble the valve, you must turn off the pool pump and open the filter relief valve to relieve the pressure.
13. Note operational position of Valve Handle for future reference. Rotate the Valve Handle so that the "OFF" word lines up with the Grease Port, halfway between the two upper ports. This will make it easier to pull the Valve Assembly.
14. Remove all 8 screws on the top of the Valve Cover.
15. Grab the Valve Handle and with a gentle rocking motion pull the Valve Assembly out of the Valve Body.
16. Unscrew and remove the Lock Knob on the top of the Valve Assembly.
17. Lift the Valve Handle off of the Assembly Shaft.
18. Pull the Assembly Shaft Unit out ot the Valve Cover.
19. Check the 3 O-rings for tears and wear. Put a thin coat of lubricant on the O-rings.
20. Insert the Assembly Shaft Unit back into the Valve Cover.
21. Before replacing the Valve Handle onto the Assembly Staft, make sure it is positioned correctly. There are four slots on the shaft. One slot is narrower than the other three. Make sure the narrow tab on the Valve Handle lines up with the narrow slot in the shaft. Picture at right shows slots on the shaft. Next picture shows the tabs on the Valve Handle.
22. Replace the Valve Handle onto the Assembly Staft.
23. Screw on the Locking Knob. Before you tighten rotate the Valve Handle so that the "OFF" label is positioned away from the "INLET" label on the Valve Cover. If the "OFF" label on Valve Handle is positioned on the "INLET" side, it will be operating on the wrong side of the shut off stops and you will only be able to shut off the inlet port.
24. Insert the Valve Assembly into the Valve Body. Make sure that the "INLET" label lines up with the exit port (e.g. the pipe going to the pool pump).
25. Insert and hand tighten the 8 Valve Cover screws.
26. Rotate the Valve Handle to its operational position noted above.
27. Check to make sure the pump basket is full of water, restart the pool pump, and close the relief valve on the filter when water starts to spray out of the valve.
If you have any other questions about pool and spa products please do let us know - we are here to help!