View Full Version : ASM G6 Cracked! Help pls!
bigfishman
03/07/2006, 07:38 PM
Hi,
I received a used ASM G6 today but when I opened the box, the skimmer body was cracked. The crack is starting from the top and is around 10inch long. Fortunately , the skimmer body is still in piece :p
I would like to know how to fix it or glue it? What kind of glue would work the best?
Any help would be really appreicated!
Pyrrhus
03/07/2006, 08:35 PM
not sure if you would need something different for the extruded acrylic on an ASM, but i would use weld-on 16 for the glue and would drill a small hole at each end of the crack to keep it from spreading.
bigfishman
03/07/2006, 08:54 PM
Thanks.
Can you please tell me more in detail? What is the reason why drill a small hole at each end of the crack to keep it from spreading?
How about using weld on 4? The skimmer body is still in on piece but there are just a big crack on the round surfure.
cja_2000
03/07/2006, 09:06 PM
same thing they do on car windscreens just works? that all i need to know
chadfarmer
03/07/2006, 09:53 PM
you can use weld on 4 for the crack
BeanAnimal
03/07/2006, 10:08 PM
HOLD ON GUYS
FROM MY UNDRSTANDING ASM SKIMMER ARE PVC NOT ACRYLIC!!!!!
Lets get another few things figured out. Weld is a solvent that chemical welds acrylic. If there is a crack, it is unlikely that the weld-on will bond hte crack back togehter There is no "extra" material to take up the space. Weld-ON 16 may do the trick, but again this isnt acrylic, it's PVC.
Epoxy is most likely the best bet. The "hole" at the ends of the crack is to releive the stress and keep the crack from growing. You could also use a long thin piece of PVC (like used to cover couches or store duvets or clothes in and apply it like you would fix an inner tube. Of course you would need to check and make sure that the PVC cement works on the clear plastic you pick.
SO PLEASE CONFRIM THAT THIS IS PVC NOT ACRYLIC!
Also, why can't you return it for a refund or replacment?
hokiefish
03/07/2006, 10:42 PM
I hope the seller told you it was cracked when you bought it. I think epoxy will be your best bet and you may also want to some sort of strap to tie around the cracked portion to releive stress and prevent the crack from spreading.
bigfishman
03/07/2006, 11:14 PM
Thanks all again!
Isn't ASM skimmer an extruded acrylic? Or PVC??
If I am going to use weld on 4, how can I apply it on the crack? Is it a water solvent that can penetrate to the crack?
I've just found that the weldon 4 is thin water solvent and the weldon 16 is thicker. So....which one should I use now?
Any help?
BeanAnimal
03/07/2006, 11:18 PM
Let me repeat my original post in hopes you catch the important points (it seems as though you missed all of them)
Weld-on is for Acrylic. Your skimmer is PVC. So don't use the weld on.
Even if the skimmer was acrylic, Weld-on is a solvent cement. It does not "fill gaps" and therefore will not fix a crack in rigid material very well. For it to work the material has to melt and then be pushed together and held, not something that is going to work on a rigid tube. Even if you were to be able to get it to stick, you would be glueing a fair amount of stress into the skimmer body. The weld-on 16 is a thick material and can be used to create fillets or bridge small gaps. This would be better to use. BUT YOUR SKIMMER IS PVC NOT ACRYLIC, so don't use Weld-On
Bean
bigfishman
03/07/2006, 11:22 PM
But I checked with the website from http://www.globeaqua.com/asm.html
ASM uses a new extremely clear extruded material that is more durable then anything else out there. The material is not as dense as cast acrylic, therefore bonding penetration is much deeper and stronger. ASM cups are one piece, durability is second to none!
It mentions that the skimmer is extruded acrylic.
If it is PVC, do you have any idea how to fix it? What kind of Epoxy (what brand) should I use to fix it?
thanks again!
BeanAnimal
03/07/2006, 11:35 PM
Where does it say it is extruded acrylic? It says it IS NOT CAST ACRYLIC. It also says it is "extruded material", which PVC is.
I have also answered your question in my first post..... but will do so again.
You can use 2 part epoxy to form a bead over the outside of the crack. You can also use a piece of thin clean PVC to form a patch for the inside if you feel the need. This can be glued in place with PVC cement, but will be kind of ugly. You can find PVC metarial if you look around (some shower curtains, food containers, report covers etc). It is getting harder to find, but is still out there.
Try the 2-part epoxy first. leave the inside smooth in case you need to add an interior patch later. You can use any kind of plastic on the outside as a patch. A report cover would work just fine. Cut it to be a 1/8 wider than the crack, put down some epoxy, and press the patch into place and smooth it out. Once it is secure, then epoxy over it (like you were taping drywall). Just make sure the epoxy does not melt the plastic (test it first).
Get your epoxy at HD or LOWES. Clear may be hard to find.
bean
bigfishman
03/07/2006, 11:53 PM
Thanks again.
There are the pics to show all the cracks.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/bigfishman/Picture001.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/bigfishman/Picture005.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/bigfishman/Picture004.jpg
The Top
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/bigfishman/Picture002.jpg
The End
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/bigfishman/Picture003.jpg
Do you think it still can be fixed?
Pyrrhus
03/08/2006, 01:13 AM
I hate to tell you this, but i would call that skimmer a total loss, even if it could be patched, I would never trust it.
Paulairduck
03/08/2006, 01:30 AM
MY dad would have used duct tape, IT FIXES EVERYTHING!!!!
Alll joking aside, get the epoxy and apply it to the outside of the skimmer and use a report cover to give it some support on the outside, and the skimmer should last you a while. I am not going to say this is an ideal, but a temporary fix until you save the money to get yourselve another skimmer!!!!
Heck, if have the pumps, you probably can order a new skimmer body from ASM, but don't quote me on it.
:smokin:
:beer:
bigfishman
03/08/2006, 01:31 AM
Thanks again!
Can you please tell me the exact brand or name of epoxy (or 2 part epoxy) I should use?
dattack
03/08/2006, 02:10 AM
Can't you file a claim from the mail carrier?
And the ASM skimmer body is made of PVC. YOu can buy a 1/16" or 1/8" pvc sheet and boil it and bend to cover the crack. You will have to use PVC cement.
manderx
03/08/2006, 02:49 AM
i wouldn't get too carried away with trying to make a perfect repair. it's not like it's an external skimmer than has to be 100% leakproof. and since it's up at the top, there isn't nearly the pressure on it that there would be if it was at the bottom.
since it's pvc, i'd probably get some pvc glue (which is also a solvent like 4 and 16) and use it. smear some on, and flex the crack gently just a bit to work a little into it. since it's a crack, it doesn't need to fill any gaps, it's already the tighest fit you could ever hope for. worst case you get a little salt creep if it's not a perfect repair. no big deal since ASMs usually get covered in salt creep anyway.
bigfishman
03/08/2006, 02:43 PM
I dont expect to make a perfect repair. As long as I can still use, I will be very happy now.
So, it seems the epoxy is the way to go.......??
Northtampatang
03/08/2006, 06:47 PM
I agree with maderx,
Just put some PVC glue over it. Its a pretty simple fix, its not like its carrying a pressure load.
bigfishman
03/08/2006, 07:14 PM
Thanks again!
I went down to the industrial plastics and paints and then the guy recommended me to use the PVC solvent and then I went to Rona and the guy suggested me to use this:
http://www.plumbingstore.com/compound.html
I bought one and just used it. I am not sure the long term effect now. But at the moment, it seem to hold the crack.
I will wait for 24hours and give it a water bath to try.
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