This year was supposed to be a great pool year. I replaced my pressure gauge, sand, multiport plunger/gasket, and o-rings at the beginning of the season.
I ran the system for three weeks (never backwashed) and found the pressure would not increase. So, I felt forced to backwash anyway. I don’t want to backwash if I don’t have to in order to retain chemicals/increase filtering ability. I was thinking that maybe my pool was just too clean, if that’s possible. If there was dirt in the pool after a storm I could vacuum while filtering and the filter would catch every piece without returning anything. I checked this using stockings. I checked the function of the new pressure gauge by switching from filter to recirculation or changing inlet or skimmer orientation. All seems well. I get a 3psi change from recirculation to filter. So then I thought my pool was just too clean and I would add D.E. in order to test the pressure and catch very small particles.
I added ½ a cup at a time until I was up to eight cups and still didn’t have a pressure increase!! I immediately pulled the multiport to see what was going on and the top of the sand looked like a mountain range. There were large valleys and peaks. The DE was stuck in the valleys or any level surface.
[attachment=1:sbav76tu]Picture1.jpg[/attachment:sbav76tu]
I backwashed the filter and took it apart. The sand was nice and level.
I rinsed the filter and took it apart. The sand was nice and level.
I filtered for 20 minutes and took it apart. The sand was nice and level.
I added 4cups of DE without a pressure change. Took apart the filter and found the sand was nice and level and was covered in DE.
[attachment=0:sbav76tu]Picture2.jpg[/attachment:sbav76tu]
I let the system run for an hour and also vacuumed some dirt. Took the filter apart and found the sand was level, covered in DE, and the DE was covered in the dirt. But, still no pressure change.
What is going on?? Why won’t the pressure increase? I don’t think it’s channeled because it retains any dirt or DE I put into it. The pressure gauge seems to be working. Where did the mountain range come from? The pool looks better than it ever has. I will take it back apart tomorrow to see if the mountain range develops over time.
Thanks in advance
I ran the system for three weeks (never backwashed) and found the pressure would not increase. So, I felt forced to backwash anyway. I don’t want to backwash if I don’t have to in order to retain chemicals/increase filtering ability. I was thinking that maybe my pool was just too clean, if that’s possible. If there was dirt in the pool after a storm I could vacuum while filtering and the filter would catch every piece without returning anything. I checked this using stockings. I checked the function of the new pressure gauge by switching from filter to recirculation or changing inlet or skimmer orientation. All seems well. I get a 3psi change from recirculation to filter. So then I thought my pool was just too clean and I would add D.E. in order to test the pressure and catch very small particles.
I added ½ a cup at a time until I was up to eight cups and still didn’t have a pressure increase!! I immediately pulled the multiport to see what was going on and the top of the sand looked like a mountain range. There were large valleys and peaks. The DE was stuck in the valleys or any level surface.
[attachment=1:sbav76tu]Picture1.jpg[/attachment:sbav76tu]
I backwashed the filter and took it apart. The sand was nice and level.
I rinsed the filter and took it apart. The sand was nice and level.
I filtered for 20 minutes and took it apart. The sand was nice and level.
I added 4cups of DE without a pressure change. Took apart the filter and found the sand was nice and level and was covered in DE.
[attachment=0:sbav76tu]Picture2.jpg[/attachment:sbav76tu]
I let the system run for an hour and also vacuumed some dirt. Took the filter apart and found the sand was level, covered in DE, and the DE was covered in the dirt. But, still no pressure change.
What is going on?? Why won’t the pressure increase? I don’t think it’s channeled because it retains any dirt or DE I put into it. The pressure gauge seems to be working. Where did the mountain range come from? The pool looks better than it ever has. I will take it back apart tomorrow to see if the mountain range develops over time.
Thanks in advance