PSI rises shortly after cleaning

[robmaxfli]

I have a ClearFlo 48 sq. ft. DE Filter on a 13000 gallon in ground pool. I am pretty good about keeping the DE grids cleaned and have replaced several of them due to age, holes.
Here is what I notice: If I neglect the pool for a while and there is a layer of dirt on the pool floor, I then stir up the water and begin to filter it. Even if I have broken down the filter completely and am starting with fresh DE, I notice that my PSI will go from 10 to 30 PSI in a day or 2. And then I will have to immediatly backwash again.
Is this normal? I would think that that the filter would have more longevity than this after a refresh.
thanks

 

[JasonLion]

It might be time to clean the grids by soaking in TSP/automatic dish detergent overnight, either that or pollen season is on overdrive in your area.

 

[robmaxfli]

thanks...I have also noticed that if the pSI hits 30, I can turn it off - wait overnight - turn it back on and the pressure is now back at 8psi - for a few hours anyway...

 

[robmaxfli]

Just an update: Last night I took the DE grid assembly out - hosed it off real well - grids look good visually - none of them holding any water. I reinstall - add DE - 6PSI on the gauge. I let it run overnight and wake up to 30psi and my filter cover looks like its going to explode. My water is dirty but not that dirty.
I have noticed this before with the pressure going up really fast. The only other clue that I can think of is that my DE filter does not sit completely straight up (on the pad). It is slightly tilted to one side- not sure is this would cause this.
Any other suggestions?

 

[duraleigh]

Do you have a set of current test results? It is not uncommon for a filter to be filtering things you cannot see. Test results may help us.

What does your water look like?

If your went from 6psi (btw, that's unusually low) to 30 psi, something is being caught by your filter.....exactly whats supposed to happen.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Tilting slightly shouldn't be a problem. There is another thread here about a DE filter and the guy wound up taking it apart and cleaning it really well because they were having the same problem. I don't know where you live but every evening when I get home my cover is yellow from all the pollen. That'll clog a filter in a hurry.

 

[robmaxfli]

I don't have a current test yet. I am located in Dallas, Tx. so yes the green stuff is in the air but I have always noticed this problem . If my PSI is at 30 when I turn it off, shouldn't it remain at or around that level when I turn it back on? Do I need to keep backwashing/add DE until its clear?
Here's a couple of pics after filtering overnight..

 

[Johnny B]

. If my PSI is at 30 when I turn it off, shouldn't it remain at or around that level when I turn it back on?

I would think so but these other guys will help you get to the bottom of this.

Just want to add: nylon stocking in the skimmer basket ("skimmer sock") catches lots before the filter.

 

[carolina pool]

As long as you have live algea in the pool you won't be able to get a good feel for what is happening in your filter. I would reccommend putting your filter on recirculate and adding enough chlorine to kill the algea before trying to filter it out. Once the algea is dead you will have much better luck removing it without clogging the DE cake and have a better understanding of your grid condition. At this point if the PSI rises more than 10 in a 24 hour period after a recoat you should remove the grids and clean them per instructions in the manual or a link on this website.

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

Take the pool sweep out. Shock to kill, wait over night, vacuum to waste and brush the walls.

Scott

 

[robmaxfli]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I wish that I could vacuum to waste but my plumbing doesn't have such a valve/option to do this. It goes straight from the skimmer to the filter. I wouldn't mind changing that so that I could vacuum to waste. I sure hate running all that junk through the filter - my PSI goes up in record time when doing it that way.
What is involved in getting it plumbed for a vacuum to waste scenario?

 

[duraleigh]

Rob, you desperately need to shock the pool. YOur filter is plugging up because you are loading it up with algae. If you will kill the algae by properly shocking the pool (it is a process that will take a while and you can learn about it in Pool School), your pool will be crystal clear and you can go weeks in between backwashes. I also suggest reading the ABC's of Pool water chemistry in Pool School.

Your DE filter is not the problem. Improper pool chemistry is your issue.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I agree with Duraleigh - your water may look clear- but based on the photo you clearly need to shock.

Follow the steps in "How to Shock your pool" (this will NOT be an overnight process). You will need your own test kit to take control of your pool situation.

Renovxpt has a great suggestion, set it to recirculate while shocking.

Brush the walls as often as you can while the pool is at shock level.

Once the pool is free of live organics, you can look into the filter issue to see if there is something else going on (I doubt it). But if this (water chemistry) condition has been ongoing then you can't narrow it down to a simple filter problem.

Do you have a manual vac hose/head combo? Or is the one in the photo your only vac?

 

[zea3]

Some of the DE will release from the grids and fall to the bottom of the filter when it is turned off for several hours. As the filter runs, the loose DE redistributes on the grids and when it is dirty, the pressure rises quickly. I know from experience that a cloudy pool such as yours will dirty up a DE filter fairly quickly. When I was clearing up my "bass pond" last year I had to change the DE a several times a week until it was all clear.