Guides & cross-reference notes
How these parts actually fail, and what replaces them.
Fitment guides, cross-reference charts and repair notes for Hayward, Pentair, Jandy, Sta-Rite and Zodiac equipment — written by the people who mould the parts, not by a copywriter.
- 01 · Worn lid O-ringCause: Dry run · Result: Leak
- 02 · Cracked lidCause: Over-tightening · Result: Cracks / leaks
- 03 · Impeller wearCause: Cavitation · Result: Low flow
- 61Technical guides
- 30Repair & service
- 31Sourcing & trade
- FactoryWritten by makers
61 guides
October 6, 2026 · Repair & service · 12 min read
Pool Pump Shaft Seal Size Guide: PS-201 / PS-1000 / PS-3868 Families and Which Pumps Use Them
Almost every residential pool pump takes one of a handful of seal families. Here is how the PS-201, PS-1000, PS-200 and PS-3890 families differ by shaft size, which pumps each fits, what the salt-and-ozone versions change, and how to read the number off the old seal.
October 5, 2026 · Sourcing & trade · 5 min read
Certifications Buyers Ask About: What Applies to Pool Parts and What Does Not
Most certification questions in this trade are answered with a certificate that does not cover the thing being asked about. Here is what each one actually means.
October 2, 2026 · Sourcing & trade · 5 min read
Packaging for Aftermarket Pool Parts: Box, Bag, Label, Barcode and Instruction Sheet
Packaging decides your freight cost, your damage rate and whether a part can be sold online. It is worth more attention than it usually gets.
October 1, 2026 · Repair & service · 13 min read
Which Hayward DE Grid Do I Need? Identifying Pro-Grid and Micro-Clear Grids by Filter Model, Plus Perflex Elements
DE powder in the pool means a grid, a manifold or a seal has failed. Here is how to tell which, how to match the grid set to the filter by model number and grid height, and what to replace alongside it.
September 30, 2026 · Sourcing & trade · 5 min read
Tooling Costs, Mould Ownership and Who Keeps the Mould When You Leave
Paying for a mould does not automatically mean you own it, and owning it does not always mean you can move it. Settle both before the steel is cut.
September 29, 2026 · Repair & service · 13 min read
Raypak R185 / R265 / R335 / R405 Millivolt Heater: Pilot, Burner Tray, Header and Heat Exchanger Service
The standing-pilot Raypaks from the RP2100 era are still on thousands of pads. Here is the order to work a no-heat call, how to read soot, rust and a weeping header, and which parts are aftermarket work versus OEM-only.
September 28, 2026 · Sourcing & trade · 5 min read
Building a Cross-Reference Database for Your Own Catalogue
The mapping from OEM numbers to your SKUs is the asset that outlives every supplier relationship. Here is how to build one that does not quietly fill with errors.
September 25, 2026 · Sourcing & trade · 5 min read
From OEM Sample to First-Article Inspection: How Dimensional Verification Works
The chain from an original part to a production run has five links. Knowing which one your supplier is weakest at tells you where the returns will come from.
September 24, 2026 · Repair & service · 15 min read
Zodiac Baracuda G3 / G4 / G2 Stops or Crawls: Diaphragm, Foot Pad, Hose Weight — and Which Diaphragm You Have
A Baracuda that quits, crawls or circles has only a handful of possible causes, and they sort themselves in a fixed order. Here is that order, what a worn diaphragm and foot pad look like, how hose length and weight placement change behaviour, and which cassette parts fit which generation.
September 23, 2026 · Sourcing & trade · 5 min read
US Import Basics for Pool Parts: HTS Codes, Duties and Documentation
Classification is the decision that sets your duty rate, and it is yours to make as importer of record — not your supplier's. Here is the framework.
September 22, 2026 · Repair & service · 13 min read
Jandy Stealth (SHPF / SHPM / PHPF) Pump Rebuild: Shaft Seal, Impeller, Diffuser and the Kit vs Piecemeal Call
A Stealth that drips at the backplate, growls or has lost flow comes apart in a fixed order. Here is that order, the seal-size trap that catches half of first-time rebuilds, and when the impeller-and-diffuser kit beats buying parts one at a time.
September 21, 2026 · Sourcing & trade · 5 min read
Building a Private-Label Pool Parts Line From Zero: A 90-Day Plan
Ninety days is enough to go from nothing to first stock on the shelf, if the sequence is right. Most of the delay in a failed launch is doing things in the wrong order.