Pressure Gauge Plugged with DE

[phonedave]

I have a Haward Perflex EC-40 that came with this house. This is the first year having to witerize this pool.

All season the pressure gage was acting up (you had to tap it to get it to read) so I knew I would be changing it.

I broke down and cleaned out the filter yesterday, and took out the pressure gauge - it is packed solid with DE. Which makes sense - it is tapped directly into the part of the filter that holds the DE. Looking at the parts diagram there is no screen or filter on the gauge, just a direct port into the filter. I know that if the DE is suspended in the pool water - in a fluid state - that the gauge will continue to read pressure. I just assume that every year the gauge has to be cleaned out so that a hardened plug of DE does not form in it.

Has anybody else had issues with DE in the gauge, or am I just over thinking this?

-dave

 

[jblizzle]

Never heard of this. Seems odd that you would get a buildup of DE there if the DE was thoroughly mixed with water when it was introduced.

Wondering if this was some kind of fluke if the previous owners did something odd. Clean it out now, but I have my doubts you will find DE there again.

 

[phonedave]

Never heard of this. Seems odd that you would get a buildup of DE there if the DE was thoroughly mixed with water when it was introduced.

Wondering if this was some kind of fluke if the previous owners did something odd. Clean it out now, but I have my doubts you will find DE there again.

When I bought a new gauge last night, I asked the guy at the pool store about it. His response was: "Yeah, it gets in there. It will work fine, untill there is enough to make it not work. DE and Chlorine is not the best environment for a gauge anyway."

OK basicly, DE happens

I guess it is just something to look at whenever I open the filter up to clean the tubes.

-dave