Mermade 38" x 48" Centre Bottom Outlet, Complete

The Mer-Made 38" × 48" Center Bottom Outlet Complete Vacuum DE Filter Leaf Assembly is a high-capacity commercial drop-in replacement element engineered for large municipal natatoriums, water park wave pools, resort competition facilities, and deep surge-tank vacuum filtration arrays.

This configuration measures 38" wide horizontally along the base by 48" high vertically, placing the effluent discharge drop spud centrally along the 38" bottom horizontal rail. It delivers 25.3 sq. ft. of active filtration surface area per septum, providing high hydraulic throughput while maximizing surface packing density in deep concrete or fiberglass filter vaults.

Technical Specifications & Dimensions

Structural Architecture & Construction Details

• Extended Vertical Drainage Matrix: Heavy-duty, open-profile polypropylene or ABS drainage core engineered to withstand continuous vacuum draw up to 15" Hg without collapsing or pinching over the 4-foot vertical span. The internal rib pathways direct fluid down from the 48" height and inward from the 38" outer edges directly toward the central bottom outlet port.

• Torque-Resistant Perimeter Framing: Heavy-wall extruded rigid CPVC/PVC outer border channels with thermo-welded corner miter joints. Internal corner gussets reinforce the wide 38" base and 48" vertical stiles to resist diagonal racking, twist, and bowing under heavy DE cake loads and pump startup surges.

• Molded Center-Bottom Hub: Heavy Schedule 80 PVC injection-molded spud thermo-welded directly to the center of the 38" bottom rail. Includes an integral locating stop shoulder to set insertion depth into the floor manifold receiver and ensure uniform compression across the sealing gasket.

• Factory-Fitted Septum Jacket: Rot- and chlorine-resistant woven monofilament or multifilament polypropylene fabric bag calibrated for 20–30 micron diatomaceous earth pre-coat retention. Features a reinforced cutout collar centered on the 38" bottom rail and a heavy-duty commercial Velcro hook-and-loop flap across the 38" top rail.

Physical Dimensions & Weight Estimates

• Individual Complete Leaf Net Weight: Approximately 18.5 to 22.0 lbs (8.4 to 10.0 kg).

• Single Boxed Leaf Shipping Weight: Approximately 27.0 to 32.0 lbs (12.2 to 14.5 kg) in heavy-duty corrugated cartons with reinforced edge and corner protectors.

• Commercial Grid Lot (10 to 20 Leaves): Approximately 290 to 490 lbs (131 to 222 kg) freight-strapped to an oversized 42" × 54" wooden skid.

Field Installation & Manifold Seating Guidelines

1. Clean Floor Manifold Receivers: Flush and wire-brush the floor header receiver bushings to remove calcified DE powder, mineral scaling, and grit.

2. Mount Compression Felt: Slide a fresh high-density felt compression collar (Part # FELTCOLLAR) over the center-bottom spud until seated flush against the molded locating shoulder.

3. Engage Manifold: Lower the leaf vertically into the vault, aligning the 38" bottom rail's center spud with the floor receiver socket. Press firmly downward on the upper rail until the felt collar compresses evenly against the header bushing face.

4. Lock Hold-Down System: Position the overhead structural hold-down bar across the 38" top rail, verify uniform leaf-to-leaf spacing across the bank to prevent DE cake bridging over the 48" height, and tighten the hold-down tie rods.