American Plumber defect

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Has any heard of any problems with the American Plumber WC34-PR whole house water filter. I have had my threads break and blow off three times now on the clear plastic housing. I have checked the top black section over and over and can't find any problems. My well water comes in real cold but I am assuming not cold enough to cause a problem. For some reason it just blows off and flodds out the basement . On the box it says "not performance tested or certified by NSF" which is probably the problem to some degree. The system was fine from 1998 to 2007. Just recently they started to blow off. Any ideas or suggestions . I'm waiting to replace the whol system as soon as I get around to it.

[Andy CWS]

There can be something said about NSF testing and certification. What is your water pressure range? Where exactly is the water filter located: in relation to other pieces of equipment, pressure tank, softener, etc.?

What micron rating is the filter and what condition are they in when they are used? Rusty, muddy, grey,...? Have you used any lubricants on the threads?

I am guessing it is a 10" filter housing, is that right?

Andy Christensen, CWS

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Most of the facts!!

Water pressure range is Low limit of 30 PSI and high limit 54 PSI.
The filter is approximately 4' past the pressure tank.
there is no other equipment within 20' of the filter.
The filter is fairly clean at time of breakage.
You are correct with the 10".

Now it's get interesting. I started to you Chapstick Ultra as the lubricant because it was right there when I did it and I was just plain lazy. I have listed the ingredients for this chapstick Ultra as per their website. You have to let me know if this could possibly be it.

Active ingredients
Octinoxate 7.5%
Octisalate 5%
Octocrylene 7%
Oxybenzone 5% Sunscreens
White petrolatum 30%

Inactive ingredients
aloe barbadensis leaf extract, alumina, arachidyl propionate, artificial flavor, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), cetyl alcohol, colloidal silicon dioxide, copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax, ethylhexyl palmitate, isopropyl lanolate, isopropyl myristate, lanolin, medium chain triglycerides, methylparaben, mineral oil, octyldodecanol, oleyl alcohol, paraffin, phenyl trimethicone, polyhydroxystearic acid, propylparaben, saccharin, silica, titanium dioxide, vitamin E acetate, white wax.

I'm still at a loss here, but the question about the lubricant was interesting.

[Andy CWS]

Uhmm! Interesting, indeed.

I never use ChapStick on my filters or silicon on my lips...well not yet, anyway.

I don't really see why that, though, would cause your filter to blow apart. Your pressure is not too much for most (all NSF approved) filters. But it does sound like the micron rating my be too 'small'. If you are using a one- or five-micron filter with high flow rate demands, it may be putting too much pressure on the housing. Don't go below 20 microns.

Don't use any petroleum products as a lubricant. Use only recommended silicon solutions as these won't affect O-ring integrity.

You may want to replace the whole filter housing with a "big-blue" filter with a pleated sediment filter. Big blue is the generic name for filter housings that take 4.5" filter (either 10" or 20" in length); typically blue but sometime whit or other colors. This way you solve your problem and get better flow rate and long filter life.

Andy Christensen, CWS

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Had to be the Chapstick

The more I research it the more it keeps going back to the Chapstick. I have since replaced it with a GE without the chapstick. I've also learned that there is no reason to lubricate plastic threads anyway.

Thanks for all your help