Description

This is the genuine Sta-Rite 14971-SM10E9, the stainless steel spring from inside a multiport valve. It is a small part with an outsized job.

What it does

A multiport valve works by pressing a rotating key down onto a seat. The spring provides that pressure. When the spring weakens, corrodes or breaks, the key stops sealing and water finds its way between ports, so a filter setting behaves partly like a bypass. The usual complaints are pressure that will not build, water returning to waste, or a valve that leaks past even in a good position.

Where it belongs

Sta-Rite lists this spring for the 2 inch Cristal-Flo top mount valve, model 14971-TM-22-L, and for the 1-1/2 inch and 2 inch side mount valves, models 18202-150 and 18201-0200. Because stainless was chosen for a reason, do not substitute a plated spring from a hardware drawer: it will rust into the valve body and make the next service much harder.