Need a water filter wrench

[vavet]

We’ve got a big water filter under the house. Water comes from a well, into the pressure tank in the crawl space, then tees off into either the outdoor spigots or the interior house use. Th interior house use water goes through this filter.

i want to replace the element inside. I can’t get the housing off. I had an old, cheap, HF strap wrench that broke Trying to remove it.
so do I buy a better quality strap wrench that I can have today or a dedicated filter wrench I can have from Amazon in a few days?
the filter element is a AP810. From what I am finding, this is an ap801 housing and there is a dedicated wrench that engages with the splines on the outside of the housing. seems like that would be better. I could try 3d printing it, but im not optimistic it would hold up to the torque required. Some of the wrenches I see on Amazon are plastic. Some are metal. None are terribly expensive.

there is no ID on the housing, the fingers are in the picture to show scale.

 

[Muzzy]

I have a similar GE filter setup that I use the plastic wrench that came with it to change, it seems to work well.
I find the housing very difficult to remove if I don't relieve the pressure first.

 

[doctordirt]

The key is to remove pressure first

 

[mike93lx]

If you can't get it off with a strap wrench, 3d printing one will be a massive waste of time.

I'd buy the metal one

 

[Kenskip1]

I used a oil filter wrench.

 

[larry4406]

The key is to remove pressure first

Op

I’m sure you know this, but make sure you have shutoff the valves before and after the unit which it should have. Then press the red button at the top to relieve the canister pressure. Only then try to remove the canister.

I’m surprised the strap wrench did not work. I’ve used both hands to undo mine when I could not find the plastic splined wrench.

 

[vavet]

Op

I’m sure you know this, but make sure you have shutoff the valves before and after the unit which it should have. Then press the red button at the top to relieve the canister pressure. Only then try to remove the canister.

I’m surprised the strap wrench did not work. I’ve used both hands to undo mine when I could not find the plastic splined wrench.

Thank you for the vote of confidence, but You might be giving me too much credit, because I didn’t know that before I started.
once I started and realized what that red button was, I did shut off the incoming valve and called my wife from the crawlspace and asked her to open the faucet on the bathtub. I then closed the outgoing valve and pressed that red button and got a dribble of water out. Even with all that done, I could not budge the housing.

 

[larry4406]

Any chance you can place one or more flat bars of steel in the female spline and loop your strap wrench around then to gain some positive engagement with the canister?

 

[yatg]

why struggle? order one.

Amazon.com : water filter wrench

 

[cvairwerks]

#2 Metal Filter Housing Wrench for Aqua-Pure™ AP801/B & AP802/B Systems

The #2 Metal filter wrench for Aqua-Pure AP800 Series Water Filtration Systems including the AP801B, AP801T, AP802B, AP802T, and the discontinued AP801 & AP802, as well as their compatible APWC801, APWC802 and the Purwater FHOBB (FHOBB-01-S & FHOBB2-15-S) whole house water filtration...

www.aquapurefilters.com

BTW... order a few of the o'rings for the housing too. Hit them with a little glycerin before install will help too.

 

[JradM]

I've always done mine by hand - and I'm not claiming super-strength. However, if I found it stuck I would just go grab my Channellock oil filter pliers.

However, in your circumstances I might just order the proper tool and leave it attached or near to the filter for the future.

 

[Black300zx]

Order the splined wrench. My plastic one works fine, even when the filter was good-and-stuck the first time I changed it after I moved into my house. I'm pretty sure I've seen the wrenches in the water filter section of Home Depot as well.

 

[Bockscar]

When I change mine I shut off the pump and the drain the water

 

[vavet]

I got the metal wrench and o rings and attacked it this morning. There was no filter in the housing. Another case of the builder, construction project manager, and tradesperson failing. I’m at a point when I find this type of thing, I’m not surprised anymore. I’m disappointed, but not surprised.
it now has a filter and a glycerin lubricated o-ring.