intelliChlor Low Flow Light at higher RPM now

[markmac]

What would cause my Intellichlor to suddenly show low flow at the speed I've been using for a while (1,200 rpm). When I installed it, I gradually increased the speed until the light went from red to green and I then added another 50 rpm to just make sure it would remain on.

Last week I pulled the Intellichlor off because I was seeing chunks of Calcium coming out the returns. Sure enough it was full, so I cleaned it suing acid/water. This was the first time I cleaned it since installing it in April. At the end of cleaning with acid, I sprayed the garden hose through to clear out any loose bits.

After I re-installed and turned everything on, I now have to put my RPM's to 1700 before the red low flow light will go out.

I'm not sure it is related or not, but while cleaning the intellichlor, the filter seemed to backwash into the pool if that's possible? There was a lot of "grey dirt" settling to the bottom. I have run the system for a while now with the rpm increased and cleaned the pool and everything works normally, other than the intellichlor needs to be up at 1700 rpm.

Could I have done something to the unit when cleaning it, or running the garden hose through it?
Could the filter need a good cleaning, and possibly be restricting flow?

 

[mas985]

Re: intelliflo Low Flow Light at higher RPM now

Are you talking about the Intellichlor or the Intelliflo? Cleaning the Intellichlor with acid makes sense but cleaning the Intelliflo with acid does not.

Anyway, assuming you are talking about the Intellichlor, then something is creating additional head loss in your plumbing. It sounds like it could be a problem with your filter.

What was the filter pressure and what it is now?

Have you removed the grids to clean and inspect them?

 

[markmac]

Re: intellichlor Low Flow Light at higher RPM now

sorry, Intellichlor. Too early here when I wrote that.

I'll need to check the pressure when I get back. However as I run the pump at a variety of settings its hard to recall what each was before I cleaned the intellichlor. I know at 3,000 rpm I started with 24PSI and it's right around 25PSI now.

I recently installed new Jandy valves and a few of the cuts were the main lines so I could not clean out the little shavings that fell in. I assumed those could be gunking up the filter, but it was just after cleaning the Intellichlor that this flow issue arose.

I've never removed the grids before to clean them. I read the how to on Pool School and it seems pretty straight forward. Should this be the first step since I've never done it, or shoudl I try a backwash first?

 

[mas985]

Yes, I would try a deep cleaning of the grids. Also, after they are clean, inspect them carefully for any damage.

Also, does your multiport valve have a bypass mode? If so, run the filter in bypass and see if the alarm goes away and if the filter pressure drops.

 

[markmac]

I pulled the filter apart and cleaned it. Amazing how much DE and gunk was still in there after I back washed three times.

Once I had it all back together the pressure is at 15PSI with both spa and skimmer (2" and 1.5") open full. With just the spa its at 20PSI.

It definitely improved flow, as the Intellichlor not does not show red for low flow until I get down to 900 RPM. As I stated above, when I installed the intellichlor, I could only get down to 1200.