Am I the only one whose mesh filter socks don't last?

[cr500_af]

I hand wash them, and take care in handling. Even so, I get about four or five cycles out of them before they develop holes... not seams failing, but holes in the mesh. I'm tired of buying them! Am I alone in having this problem?

 

[skriz]

I've had mine for a year. No issues at all. No holes, nada.

Edit: Nevermind. I have felt, not mesh. Moral of the story: get felt!

 

[cr500_af]

Heck, they haven't even all been the same brand.

 

[1percula]

It looks like it. I drop mine in about 2 gallons of water and a cup on bleach for about 3-4 days and they come out looking new. The hand wash is probably the problem. Wait until your wiife leaves the house and run it on the hot cycle and add bleach. Don't leave them in the washer and let her catch you.
Btw mine aren't mesh either.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Tapatalk

 

[cr500_af]

1PERCULA;641738 wrote: It looks like it. I drop mine in about 2 gallons of water and a cup on bleach for about 3-4 days and they come out looking new. The hand wash is probably the problem. Wait until your wiife leaves the house and run it on the hot cycle and add bleach. Don't leave them in the washer and let her catch you.
Btw mine aren't mesh either.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Tapatalk

When I say "hand wash" I mean place in a container of 10% bleach/90% water, leave for a day, and rinse in the sink. I don't see any way I'm being rough on them.

I've tried the felt, but they aren't as easy to get clean IMO and most definitely clog faster. I don't like to change them every two days or so, so I've gravitated toward the mesh. Maybe I'll go kicking and screaming back to the felt for a while and see if I can stand it.

EDIT: I will probably end up with felt later on anyway since SOMEBODY'S company furnishes felt socks with their awesomely sexy custom sumps.

 

[mvm]

cr500_af;641742 wrote:
EDIT: I will probably end up with felt later on anyway since SOMEBODY'S company furnishes felt socks with their awesomely sexy custom sumps.

Not to mention that they are wise enough to have filter socks made that will only fit their sumps perfectly. Geniuses, I tell you.

 

[cr500_af]

MvM;641743 wrote: Not to mention that they are wise enough to have filter socks made that will only fit their sumps perfectly. Geniuses, I tell you.

Somebody told me they were an odd size, but on their site they are listed as 7". Are they not like every other 7" sock?!?

 

[ralph atl]

I buy 4 inch mesh from brs, I have about 5 using only one at a time....I use my kitchen spray hose, spray inside and out...air dry & use the next one....never an issue...no holes. it's the bleach and constant use, imho....best guess?

 

[cr500_af]

Maybe, I typically have three and use one at a time. Change 'em about once a week. I guess I'll try washing without bleach and see if that helps matters.

 

[acroholic]

I have the same two 7" 100 micron mesh socks I have been using for the last year. No issues at all. Did these come from filterbag.com? That is where mine came from.

 

[rbredding]

cr500_af;641746 wrote: Somebody told me they were an odd size, but on their site they are listed as 7". Are they not like every other 7" sock?!?

the difference is in the rim... for it to perfectly seat, you've got to use MRC socks..

 

[jonboyb]

I use felt now but had a couple of 300 micron mesh socks that did develop holes a long time ago. I had asterina stars and limpets in my sump and always saw them crawling around on the sock and assumed they were gnawing holes in them.

Went to felt and haven't looked back. Hard to clean yes....but filtering qualities are unmatched.

 

[cr500_af]

Rbredding;641765 wrote: the difference is in the rim... for it to perfectly seat, you've got to use MRC socks..

:censored:

 

[ichthyoid]

cr500_af;641749 wrote: Maybe, I typically have three and use one at a time. Change 'em about once a week. I guess I'll try washing without bleach and see if that helps matters.

Barry,

Very likely the culprit. Depending on specific polymer, they may be subject to degradation, especially at elevated temps.

You might try hydrogen peroxide as an alternate (no chlorine).

FWIW-Is there any light exposure to the socks? UV can accelerate the degradation via chlorine attack. Flourescents and halides are known sources of UV.

 

[jcook54]

I have several mesh and felt socks and haven't had any issues. They've all been used a few times over the last 3 years and look a little rough but work just fine. I'm with ichthyoid; I think the bleach may contribute to the issue. I run mine through a warm water wash cycle without adding any bleach and they seem to turn out just fine.

 

[smallblock]

I use some from brs and they get bleached maybe once a month. No issues here

 

[acroholic]

I bleach mine about every 2-3 months.