Leaky Filter? Get a New O-Ring for Big Blue Water Filter Today!

So, I got this Big Blue water filter, you know, the big boy, and it started leaking. Not cool, right? It was just a tiny leak at first, I tightened it by hand, and it seemed to slow down to a drip, I was like, “Okay, maybe that’s it.” But nope, it kept dripping.

I grabbed my wrench and gave it another 1/8 of a turn, but it just got worse. I was getting frustrated at this point. I even replaced the o-ring with a brand new one, thinking that was the culprit. I mean, I thought that was a normal fix to do. No change there either.

Then my neighbor, who’s kind of a DIY guy, suggested I go to the hardware store to find a replacement o-ring. He said the original white ring looked fine, which I confirmed when I took it out, but he insisted that a new o-ring and some grease might do the trick. He mentioned something about “danco silicon grease.” I didn’t know what that was, but I trusted the old guy.

Finding the Right O-Ring

Off to the hardware store I went. After rummaging through a bunch of o-rings, I finally found one that looked like it would fit. It was labeled “151122 O-Ring for Big Blue Style Water Filter Housings” and also said “Compatible with Pentair Pentek Big Blue Water Filters OEM Size ORing Buna-N.” I wasn’t sure what all that meant, but it had “Big Blue” on it, so I figured it was the right one.

While I was there, I also picked up some silicon grease, just like my neighbor suggested. I ended up getting the Danco brand, as I recall. It was a small tube, and I hoped it was the right stuff. I really didn’t want to make another trip to the store.

Putting It All Together

Back home, I took apart the filter housing again. I cleaned everything up real good, making sure there was no dirt or gunk around where the o-ring sits. I applied a thin layer of that silicon grease to the new o-ring, which was a bit messy but kind of satisfying.

I carefully placed the new, greased-up o-ring into the groove on the filter housing. I made sure it was seated properly and evenly. Then, I put the whole thing back together, tightening it by hand first and then giving it a little extra nudge with the wrench.

Fingers Crossed

I turned the water back on, holding my breath. I watched that filter housing like a hawk. And guess what? No leaks! Not even a single drip. I was so relieved. That little o-ring and some grease saved the day. Who knew such a small thing could make such a big difference?

• First I screwed it by hand, then it began to leak as a small stream.
• Then I used a wrench to tighten it by about 1/8 turn, the leak becomes a drip.
• I changed a new o-ring but it did not work.
• I took it to a hardware store and found the o-ring labeled “151122 O-Ring for Big Blue Style Water Filter Housings”, and also the grease.
• I applied the grease to the new o-ring and placed it into the groove on the filter housing.
• I turned the water back and it did not leak!

So, if you ever have a leaky Big Blue filter, don’t panic. Just remember this story. Get yourself the right o-ring, some silicon grease, and you might be able to fix it yourself. It’s a good feeling to solve a problem like that, you know? Plus, it beats calling a plumber for a simple drip.