How do I loosen the water strainer?

[Cool Hand Luke]

Thank you guys! I ordered the strap wrench, as recommended above. I'll try to tighten a little first then loosen it. I did it with my hands but again... no luck.

The wrench should be here Thursday and I'll go to the boat on Friday. I'll keep you guys posted

Thank you!!

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

... I made my own from some wood scraps...

Brilliant!

[Thumbs Up]

Lube the big o ring with a little bit of silicon grease before reinstalling. It takes slow steady pressure to get these off. Beating on it wont help. Warm water helps. I like the wrench, I might make one myself.

[Toys_with_time]

Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke

My water strainer is impossible to loosen with bare hands. I think I screwed in on too tight last Winter. Any thoughts or recommendations?

Attachment 184717

Attachment 184718

Thank you!

I made up a tool out of timber which sat on top with blocks to sit against the cross on the lid. It was designed to be driven with a socket wrench but that part ripped out of the timber so need to modify it as think it will work. Then used a strap wrench and cracked the lid. Maybe we are overtightening them in the first place - they have a neoprene seal so might try just a light turn and see if it leaks. I Vaseline the lid before putting it on but still seized.

TwT

[onavegador]

where is a special plastic key available from Vetus to loosen. See linkl. Otherwise I find the solution with the oil filter key as from Gord May should work fine. Do not use spanners or pliers as the head of the seawater strainer breaks easily. And following the user manual tight the cap only by hand without using a tool.
Good luck

https://www.svb.de/de/vetus-schluessel-fuer-filter.html

[sand6000]

It is a Vetus and they are pigs when it comes to getting the lid unscrewed. Removing the whole unit I found the best option and take it to a workshop if you can. I smeared the rubber O ring and it made no difference.

[hpeer]

Frankly it’s a poor design. As demonstrated by so many folks having an issue with it.

It would be best to replace it with something less prone to failure. I should take my own medicine on this.

[mannix2]

https://www.vetus-shop.com/filter-li...es-p-3252.html
May be available elsewhere.

[HopCar]

Onavegador and mannix2 that looks like just the thing. I couldn’t find it on the US Vetus web site but I bet you could make one pretty easy. A piece of 1/2” ply, a drill and a jig saw and you could carve one out in a few minutes.

[Bruce K]

I would not use a strap wrench, because it compresses the circular part of the lid and causes binding on the thread. I have two of these Vetus strainers, initially i simply cut out the a cross to match the lid from a bit of plywood, then loosened. The secret is not to do up tightly!!!!!!! just contact O ring then a slight nip up only 5 to 10 degrees of rotation, still seals well because of thick cross section of the o ring, you should be easily able to undo by hand if done up correctly.

[Colin Oslo]

If you get your hands on a thin (approx 5mm) rubber/latex mat that will cover the lid, this will improve your gripping ( works very well on jam yard that are impossible to open - cannot see why it shouldn't work here too). Good luck with the Strap Wrench too!.

[blueazimuth]

The lid is designed to be hand removed. Like an oil filter, removal is more difficult than screw on. You have a common problem because the mounted position is awkward. Judicious use of 2 close coupled strap wrenchs, in situ, should do the job, and easily, but it looks as if you cannot get the wrenches into correct position.
Take it off, or risk damage.
Do not use a Groco tool, let alone a pipe wrench.

The odds are high that if you lay it down on a bench, the lid will come right off by hand. If not, 2 strap wrenches should work, before or after inverting lid in pan of hot water.

Do NOT put it in a vice.

Before re-fitting, buy the correct tool, or design and make your own, The one that Noelex 77 made looks excellent. If you don’t, expect trouble the next time.

Why do lids and filters jam? Friction from the gasket, which makes the lid fluid tight, and / or different coefficient of expansion. Before refitting, coat the gasket with a little engine oil.

[noelex 77]

For anyone interested in making their own there are alternative designs that would work just as well, but I thought some more photos of my effort may help.

It is just a round disc of ply with four triangular blocks attached to the underside to match the raised cross in the centre of the filter lid. Very simple. You could alternatively use a router to form the grooves out of a thicker timber disc. A wooden handle provides some leverage.

The hole in the centre is for a mounting bracket (not shown) which attaches the wrench to the wall of the workshop with a wing nut. This keeps it out of the way, but makes sure I can find it in a hurry.

[HopCar]

Noelex77, very nice.

[yachtski]

The safest thing going is probably that fashion to fit cap tool I would say that should work fine if you're worried about being off center you can make it with the handle lower.. I use a pair of 16 and 1/2 inch channel locks they open big enough to grab a cross the four ends.. I don't squeeze very hard as not to break the plastic. But I can use it for a lot of other things as well.