Filter Pressure with SWG

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jdomke1

jdomke1

0
Feb 11, 2016
95
Manteca, CA
Drives me nuts that as the filter gradually gets dirty the flow decreases and then the SWG stops working. No way to know other than look over fence at lights or go through diagnostics on indoor panel. It'd be nice to get an alert or warning. Usually the way I notice it's not working is that my water starts getting cloudy. Annoying. I've got a VF pump so I'm trying to save money and keeping the pump running just fast enough to produce chlorine. After a clean filter I start at 2050 and right now I'm up to 2900 just two months since last cleaning.


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Re: SWG not producing chlorine? Help!

bdavis466 said:
Those speeds are awfully high. Are you sure your filter is clean?

With the VF pump, it should automatically compensate for increasing filter restriction and the swg should always run
Click to expand...

When filter is clean the pressure is around 8-10 psi. Right now it's around 15-20. Are you saying 2050 is too fast? That's the lowest I can go and keep the flow light green. Pool gets cloudy, I check the SWG, it's red. I raise the flow, it's green and the pool is clear. Repeat cycle every week until now I'm at 2900. With phosphate levels around 300 I'm pretty sure the phosfree stuff is what's clogging the filter. But that's a different issue.


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jdomke1 said:
Drives me nuts that as the filter gradually gets dirty the flow decreases and then the SWG stops working. No way to know other than look over fence at lights or go through diagnostics on indoor panel. It'd be nice to get an alert or warning. Usually the way I notice it's not working is that my water starts getting cloudy. Annoying. I've got a VF pump so I'm trying to save money and keeping the pump running just fast enough to produce chlorine. After a clean filter I start at 2050 and right now I'm up to 2900 just two months since last cleaning.


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Click to expand...

jd,

I don't know much about System 3 Filters, but the one I saw on-line was only 100 Sq feet. My filter is 520 Sq feet and I have to clean it about twice a year, so if yours is only 100 sq feet, it would make sense it would fill up pretty quickly, especially if you are having an algae issue.

For your "alert" that the IC40's flow is low, I suggest you get ScreenLogic2. It provides a display on your PC that shows alerts such as "no flow" also, pump speed etc, and makes changing % of output a 2 second job.

Jim R.
 
Jimrahbe said:
jd,

I don't know much about System 3 Filters, but the one I saw on-line was only 100 Sq feet. My filter is 520 Sq feet and I have to clean it about twice a year, so if yours is only 100 sq feet, it would make sense it would fill up pretty quickly, especially if you are having an algae issue.

For your "alert" that the IC40's flow is low, I suggest you get ScreenLogic2. It provides a display on your PC that shows alerts such as "no flow" also, pump speed etc, and makes changing % of output a 2 second job.

Jim R.
Click to expand...

I've got screenlogic and alerts are setup. Never get a thing and their support is useless. The system 3 I have is 300 sq ft.


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pooldv said:
The most common reason people's SWGs can't maintain FC is because there is algae in the pool. Click the link, Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to see how to do it. If it fails then you need to SLAM Process. If it passes then you rule out algae consuming the FC as fast as the SWG makes it.
Click to expand...

Is it just me or am I supposed to be seeing something here? All I see is Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. What the heck does that mean?


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Click on the blue text to get a description.

Basically, you check if chlorine drops overnight when the sun isnt affecting it. Only 2 things cause chlorine loss, sunlight and organics. Eliminate the sunlight to check for organics.
 
Two thing cause chlorine to be consumed......oxidizing contaminants in your pool and sunlight. The OCLT removes the sun from the equation. You need to test your chlorine after sunset and before sunrise. A loss of more than 1ppm without sunlight on the pool indicates something in your water causing chlorine loss. In order to do that test you need a FAS-DPD chlorine drop type test allowing you to measure chlorine accurately and not a color matching test.
 
Griswald said:
Click on the blue text to get a description.

Basically, you check if chlorine drops overnight when the sun isnt affecting it. Only 2 things cause chlorine loss, sunlight and organics. Eliminate the sunlight to check for organics.
Click to expand...

There is no blue text. Prob why I can see it. Using a phone app that might not accept links like that.


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In your previous thread, you mentioned that your System3 filter is fairly old. When was the last time the filter elements were changed?

Also, you mention having used a phosphate remover. Which product did you use? Did it have a clarifier in it or did you add a clarifier after adding the phosphate remover? Knowing what chemicals have gone into your system can help diagnose the problem.

At the end of the day, you may need to tear down the System3 and do a TSP/bleach soak to remove any embedded oils and organics and then, possibly an acid clean using dilute MA and water to remove any lime scale that may have built up on them elements. If the elements are old, it may not be worth the time effort trying to rehabilitate them and you should consider buying new ones.
 
I don't recall saying its old. It was installed in 2015 and I have two complete sets of filters. According to pentair these filters have a lifespan of 2-3 years so I've got plenty of time. I did a complete filter cleaning about two months ago where the system was soaked for nearly 16 hours in cleaning solution. What I need to do is buy a 32 gallon plastic trash can so I can soak one while using the other. Such a waste to soak and then throw out the solution every time.


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jdomke1 said:
I don't recall saying its old. It was installed in 2015 and I have two complete sets of filters. According to pentair these filters have a lifespan of 2-3 years so I've got plenty of time. I did a complete filter cleaning about two months ago where the system was soaked for nearly 16 hours in cleaning solution. What I need to do is buy a 32 gallon plastic trash can so I can soak one while using the other. Such a waste to soak and then throw out the solution every time.


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Click to expand...

OK, my fault then. I must have mixed your System3 up with someone else's thread. Many users find them difficult to work with so we get a lot of complaints about their inherent unwieldiness and expensive replacement cost.

Did you add clarifier along with the phosphate remover? Which brands were used? There was also the use of an algaecide, no?
 
So for algaecide that I accidentally put the whole bottle it was Clorox Pool&Spa Algaecide. I also have Doheny's Super Pool Algaecide Plus. The clarifier I used was SeaKlear Natural Clarifier for Pools. The phosphate stuff I use on occasion is SeaKlear Phosphate Remover. The stuff I use weekly is Natural Chemistry Swimming Pool Perfect + Plus PhosFree.


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