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
30 guides
October 29, 2026 · Repair & service · 12 min read
When to Replace a Pool Heater Heat Exchanger, the Header, or the Whole Heater
A wet heater is three different repairs wearing the same symptom. Here is how to tell a gasket from a cracked header from a finished tube bundle, why the exchanger failed in the first place, and the point at which a new heater is the cheaper answer.
October 27, 2026 · Repair & service · 11 min read
Pentair Hi-Flow Multiport Valve Rebuild: The 1½-Inch Valve on Sand Dollar SD35 / SD40 / SD60 and the 2-Inch Valve on Triton II, FNS Plus and Quad DE
Pentair's Hi-Flow six-way valves come in two sizes with different internals. Here is how to tell which one you have, what each leak points to, the full parts stack for a rebuild, and where the gasket is bonded to the diverter.
October 22, 2026 · Repair & service · 14 min read
Pentair Clean & Clear, Clean & Clear Plus and Quad D.E. Cartridges: Clean or Replace, and How to Identify the Right Element by Length and End Cap
A cartridge that has stopped holding pressure is either dirty or finished, and the two look alike from the outside. Here is how to tell, and how to match Pentair's single-cartridge, four-cartridge and DE-cartridge filters to the right element by length.
October 20, 2026 · Repair & service · 12 min read
Jacuzzi Magnum / Magnum Force / Magnum Plus Pump Rebuild: Seal, Impeller, Diffuser and Basket
The Magnum family is still on thousands of pads and still very rebuildable. Here is the teardown in the order the pump comes apart, the seal-housing and impeller choices by horsepower, and the 2003 basket split that catches people out.
October 15, 2026 · Repair & service · 13 min read
Teledyne Laars Lite2 / LT / LX / LXi: Servicing a 20-Year-Old Heater — Headers, Vents, Blowers and What Is OEM-Only
Four generations of Laars heaters are still on pads across the country. Here is how to tell them apart, decide whether one is worth saving, and which water-side, vent and blower parts keep it running — and which ones must come from the equipment brand.
October 13, 2026 · Repair & service · 13 min read
Maytronics Dolphin M200 / M400 / Nautilus Not Climbing or Stopping: Tracks, Brushes, Impeller and the Motor Unit
A Dolphin that will not climb, stops after a few minutes or drives in circles is telling you which of four systems has worn. Here is the order to check them in, what worn looks like, and which parts fix it.
October 8, 2026 · Repair & service · 13 min read
Jacuzzi Earthworks EW DE Filter: Grids by Model, the Dial Valve and the Tank O-Ring — and Why CFR and Laser Parts Won't Fit
The Earthworks EW75–EW150 is the Jacuzzi DE filter still on thousands of pads. Here is how to read DE in the pool, match the mixed-width grid set to your model, service the bottom dial valve, and tell an EW apart from the CFR cartridge and Laser sand filters that share its parts listings.
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 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 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 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 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.