Filter pressure decrease by 3 psi

Jump to latest Follow Reply
S

shiyang100

0
Jun 11, 2016
153
Boston, MA
just got back home from work and noticed the pump is quieter than before and I checked the filter pressure which was at 13psi. It was 15-16 yesterday. So there must be something abnormal. I cleaned the pump basket and put the pump back to work. The pressure is now at 15.5 psi. the basket has some pine needles, but I don't think flow was blocked. Is that possible the filter pressure drop is due to the dirt in the pump basket?

Sorry a newbie and have questions almost every day. Thanks
 
Mine does that on occasion.

Sometimes after the pump has been off for awhile it comes back on at a lower pressure, or if some debris is on the main drain or the skimmer basket has stuff in it, it will fluctuate.

I never really thought about it being a problem.
 
That just means your pool has debris in it that gets sucked up on to the main drain covers. Vacuuming can remove it, or brushing can help get it into circulation so that the small stuff gets down thru the skimmer and caught in the skimmer basket.
 
shiyang100 said:
Is that possible the filter pressure drop is due to the dirt in the pump basket?
Click to expand...
Absolutely. Debris in the pump basket restricts flow (higher head loss = lower flow rates) so the when the flow rate decreases, filter pressure decreases. This is how you know you have a clog on the suction side of the pump.
 
Debris can clog the MDs and skimmer too and reduce flow. You mentioned before that the MD clogging. Do you have the skimmer line open or closed? The skimmer line should always be open. Also, make sure the skimmer basket is empty.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Then it could be debris collecting in the impeller. Remove the pump basket and reach inside the impeller inlet and see if you can pull out any debris. Pine needles can easily make it past the baskets.
 
For the past several days, I have been cleaning the pump basket every other day. What I noticed is the filter pressure still went down, but only a little every day maybe 1/2 psi per day. Not much. I used the finger and didn't feel anything blocking the front of impeller. Is this the right way to check impeller blockage? Anything else could cause my problem?

Thanks so much.
 
Yes that is the correct way to check for impeller inlet blockage but does not check for impeller vane blockage. The only way to check that is to pull the motor from the wet end so you can inspect the impeller directly.

But if the pressure is only decreasing by 1/2 PSI, I wouldn't worry about it.
 
Thanks Mas985.

the he pump I have is sta Rite single speed pump. I noticed recently that once the filter pressure is doe even by a couple of psi, the pump makes less noise. This gives me a feeling pump is not running to its max speed. I am worried if this 5 yr old pump is close to the end of life :(

as as I mentioned several weeks ago the PB didn't close my pump lid properly while I was on vacation. So basically the pump was running with air sucked in for about a week. I am not sure if these two are related events.
 
The less noise is probably due to reduced flow rate and as long as it isn't a lot, there isn't much to worry about. Also, if there was something seriously wrong with the pump, it most cases it should shut down on it's own.

So basically the pump was running with air sucked in for about a week.
Click to expand...
Was it still moving water during this time? If it was so bad, the pump was running dry, then that could be an issue.

Also, make sure the pump isn't leaking water anywhere. That can signify trouble.
 
Learned a trick using clothing hanger to clean the impeller on the internet. Tried and couldn't get anything out.

Another interesting thing I also noticed today. When pump was first on, the pressure seems to be normal and the pump noise was fine. After several hours, the filter pressure went down a little, a couple of psi and the pump sound got lower a little bit. Off a while, turn it back on, the pressure went back to normal again. Since the pressure difference is not that huge, I couldn't really tell the difference from the return jet.

I really have no idea where to continue the troubleshooting. :(
 
Have you taken apart the filter yet? There might be something going on in there (e.g. loose or ripped cartridge).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply