Is BRS trolling us?

[DmitryB]

I was on my way home when one of my coworkers called to say "I did it!"

For one, I can't understand why this happened to you.
I've opened more than just a few of the BRS cannisters.
From the mini, to the 10" and the jumbo and while they were mostly tight, none were this impossible to open.

I'm curious how and what your co-worker had to do to get it opened.

He put the canister in a vice!

And now it's open I know what the small plastic piece flying around inside was. Do I need this? Can I glue it back in? Throw it out? Or request a new one from BRS?

 

[mmorrison55]

If it were me and you were not in a hurry, I’d get brs to replace it.

 

[mfinn]

If it were me and you were not in a hurry, I’d get brs to replace it.

I'm kind of thinking the same thing.
THere is no telling if the seal/lid was damaged because of the force someone used to put the lid on.
Plus there part thats not attached.

 

[KrisReef]

He put the canister in a vice!

And now it's open I know what the small plastic piece flying around inside was. Do I need this? Can I glue it back in? Throw it out? Or request a new one from BRS?

From my perspective (way out here in space) I think that’s possibly a location tab that is supposed to guide end hold(or support) the filtration cartridge in place . During assembly of the cartridge + canister lid it should slide around the top of the cartridge to align it with the water channels built into the lid.

Probably not super critical since there are more than 3, but it’s broken and unless you bought a discounted second item I would have a discussion with BRS customer support and point them to this thread. I think they will appreciate the feedback and the civil dialogue that we have been having, some of it at the expense of their reputation, and pretty good fun if they still have a sense of humor about the situation?

We need to provide guidance to the suppliers and shippers who support this hobby!

Tip your lids, gents.

 

[DmitryB]

He put the canister in a vice!

And now it's open I know what the small plastic piece flying around inside was. Do I need this? Can I glue it back in? Throw it out? Or request a new one from BRS?

From my perspective (way out here in space) I think that’s possibly a location tab that is supposed to guide end hold(or support) the filtration cartridge in place . During assembly of the cartridge + canister lid it should slide around the top of the cartridge to align it with the water channels built into the lid.

Probably not super critical since there are more than 3, but it’s broken and unless you bought a discounted second item I would have a discussion with BRS customer support and point them to this thread. I think they will appreciate the feedback and the civil dialogue that we have been having, some of it at the expense of their reputation, and pretty good fun if they still have a sense of humor about the situation?

We need to provide guidance to the suppliers and shippers who support this hobby!

Tip your lids, gents.

I did send them an email asking if they had any advice and they did not respond.

I did request a replacement. That thing is supposed to hold the cartridge in place. And this is the air dryer for an Ozone machine so perhaps not that crucial, but it should not have any parts broken. I kind of hope they just send me the lid!

 

[UncommonSense]

I did send them an email asking if they had any advice and they did not respond.

I did request a replacement. That thing is supposed to hold the cartridge in place. And this is the air dryer for an Ozone machine so perhaps not that crucial, but it should not have any parts broken. I kind of hope they just send me the lid!

If you end up getting a runaround regarding a housing replacement, or if they tell you to keep the existing filter housing when they ship a replacement: it looks suspiciously like ABS plastic, or similar… that locating tab can almost certainly be solvent welded back in place!

 

[DmitryB]

If you end up getting a runaround regarding a housing replacement, or if they tell you to keep the existing filter housing when they ship a replacement: it looks suspiciously like ABS plastic, or similar… that locating tab can almost certainly be solvent welded back in place!

BRS suggested I use PVC cement stuff to attach it and they'd give me $50 store credit. Or they can send me a new one. I opted for the credit and reattached it myself. My first time using this Oatey stuff, very exciting!

 

[KrisReef]

Caution: Solvents should be used in a well ventilated outdoor area or under a fume hood.

Be safe!

Score 50!

 

[DmitryB]

Caution: Solvents should be used in a well ventilated outdoor area or under a fume hood.

Be safe!

Score 50!

 

[DmitryB]

OK LOL when I said this was my first time working with primer and cement - yeah, it's been 48 hrs since I glued the piece back on and just now I was able to remove it with no effort by hand. So what did I do wrong? I put on the primer and then dabbed the cement. This is obviously more complicated than that??

 

[KrisReef]

OK LOL when I said this was my first time working with primer and cement - yeah, it's been 48 hrs since I glued the piece back on and just now I was able to remove it with no effort by hand. So what did I do wrong? I put on the primer and then dabbed the cement. This is obviously more complicated than that??

That isn't PVC< so the solvent didn't melt & bind it.

Someone else thought it was ABS, but from the image I am not certain what it is. Take it to the hardware store, try all the solvents until you get one that melts the plastic. That's the one you want, if it's possible?

 

[DmitryB]

Just checked the BRS email and they said:

The housing is ABS plastic, and PVC primer and cement work very well for this type of repair. I would allow the repair to cure for a full 24 hours before putting the air dryer into service.

 

[KrisReef]

The other question, is can you use the filter without all these tabs? Put it together and shake it like a, (use your imagination) and if you hear rattling (don't put the extra piece in for this test) then you need to fix it. If it's seating well enough, it may be optional, again there is more than 3 tabs....

 

[KrisReef]

Just checked the BRS email and they said:

No, you cannot use standard PVC glue on ABS pipe. [1, 2]

Why It Fails

• • Different chemicals: PVC and ABS are different types of plastic.
  • No chemical weld: Standard PVC glue uses solvents designed only to melt and fuse PVC. It will not properly melt ABS.
  • Weak joints: Joints made this way do not form a solid weld. They are unreliable, prone to leaks, and can pull apart over time. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

The Right Way to Connect ABS and PVC

• • Transition cement: If you must connect an ABS pipe to a PVC fitting, you must use a special green ABS-to-PVC transition cement.
  • No primer on ABS: Do not use purple primer on the ABS side of the joint, as primer can weaken ABS plastic.
  • Mechanical couplings: Many plumbers prefer using a rubber Fernco coupling with metal clamps to join ABS and PVC safely and meet local building codes. [1, 2, 3]

 

[KrisReef]

No, you cannot use standard PVC glue on ABS pipe. [1, 2]

Why It Fails

• • Different chemicals: PVC and ABS are different types of plastic.
  • No chemical weld: Standard PVC glue uses solvents designed only to melt and fuse PVC. It will not properly melt ABS.
  • Weak joints: Joints made this way do not form a solid weld. They are unreliable, prone to leaks, and can pull apart over time. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

The Right Way to Connect ABS and PVC

• • Transition cement: If you must connect an ABS pipe to a PVC fitting, you must use a special green ABS-to-PVC transition cement.
  • No primer on ABS: Do not use purple primer on the ABS side of the joint, as primer can weaken ABS plastic.
  • Mechanical couplings: Many plumbers prefer using a rubber Fernco coupling with metal clamps to join ABS and PVC safely and meet local building codes. [1, 2, 3]

but wait:

Yes, specific solvent cements and certain adhesives work very well on ABS plastic, but standard household glues do not.

Best Options for ABS

• • ABS Solvent Cement: This is the gold standard for plumbing and structural ABS. It chemically melts (welds) the surfaces together on a molecular level to form one continuous, solid piece of plastic. [1]
  • Acetone or MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone): Pure liquid solvents can be brushed onto ABS joints to weld them together. You can also dissolve scrap ABS plastic in acetone to create a custom ABS "slurry" or filler paste. [1, 2, 3]
  • Epoxy and Cyanoacrylate (Super Glue): These will stick to ABS for light-duty fixes, but they only create a surface bond rather than a chemical weld. They can turn brittle and snap under impact or vibration. [1]

What to Avoid

 

[KrisReef]

In a former life I was a free lance gynocologist and a back alley Plastic Surgeon.

 

[DmitryB]

Ok I put the filter in there, closed it (not too tight!!), and shook it. Nothing rattling. So this may be fine without it. It's just air going through it and it's not as if it's gonna blow through it like a tornado.

 

[exnisstech]

In my mind it has to have half with no tab to be able to move. I'd roll with it.

 

[DmitryB]

In my mind it has to have half with no tab to be able to move. I'd roll with it.

Yeah, I'm gonna go with it and hope nothing blows up.