30 PSI pump pressure...is this normal??

[AB]

Hi, I have been a member for about 1.5 years here and running into a strange situation with the pool pump. I usually have to open the filter and take out the 4-cartridge filter and hose it down every 6 months or so, when the pressure gets up to around 30 psi. Then afterwards it goes down to around 14-17 psi.

I noticed recently the pressure had gotten up to 30 psi again, so I took the filter out, cleaned it and ran the pump without the filter cartridge in it for 30-40 min to clean out anything that might have been blocking it. Pressure went down to 15 psi, then I put the filter cartridge back in, pressure was still 15 psi, everything seemed good.

That was one week ago. I checked again today, and the pressure was back up to 30 psi! This is a first. I can do the same thing again but now I am worried I will have to clean the filter every week? This can't be normal...
My pool measurements are within normal range except CYA is high, around 125. I have been waiting to drain the pool water until it got colder.

Could high CYA cause the filter to block/jam more frequently, or is this just coincidental?

Any reason why the psi would get back up to 30 so quickly? Is it ok to let it keep running at 30 PSI, or is this going to blow the pump?

Thanks again, Aaron

 

[JohnT]

Are you cartridges getting old? Any water issues? Have you cleaned the cartridges with acid per the manufacturer's instructions?

 

[duraleigh]

The filter is doing exactly what it is supposed to do....catching particulate in your water and trapping it. You probably have an algae bloom pending or some other stuff in your pool (even though you can't see it).

Can you post a complete set of test results?

 

[jblizzle]

Also, seems like you are waiting way too long to clean the filter. We generally recommend cleaning when the pressure goes up 20-25%. So that would would be around 19psi not 30.

Although for now I think John is right. Likely they have scaled up and clogged and need a good thorough soaking and cleaning.

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[duraleigh]

Likely they have scaled up and clogged

Perhaps, but scale not being cleaned out would result in the psi not returning to normal after being cleaned. Test results will help us all get a better picture.

 

[AB]

Hello, here are my readings:

CH 240
TA 120
CYA 130? Way below the minimum 100 mark
PH 7.8
Chlorine 0
(I just put in 5 pucks into the feeder last night. I had been having problems with chlorine levels off the chart (eg orange instead of a yellow color on the tester) so lowered the chlorine.

Thanks for helping me. If I have an algae bloom starting, is the best first step to shock the pool? Have not had one before so appreciate your advice...Aaron

 

[jblizzle]

The CYA test is more logarithmic. If it is below the 100, the CYA could be 200 or 300. You can use half pool and half tap water to start the test and then double the reading to get a little better idea.

First step with high CYA is a lot of water replacement to lower the CYA. And then you must stop using the tablets which are adding the CYA.

Dave makes a good point about the scaling. Maybe it is more likely that algae is clogging them up.

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[AB]

Hi, thanks for the tip on cutting the CYA test with water. Using it, I tested the CYA level and it is between 150 - 160.

When I put this into the pool calculator it said I need to replace 73% of my water (10,000 gallon pool) with new water. Wow!
Just to confirm, is draining the pool the first thing I should start off with? Or does it make sense to shock the pool first...
Thanks, Aaron

 

[duraleigh]

Drain it first. Shocking the pool properly with your CYA that astronomical will take more chlorine than they currently manufacture
!!

Spend some time reading "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School. It is important to understand the FC/CYA relationship before your drain or shock.

Then, read "How to Shock Your Pool". It will give you some insight into the correct procedure. Letting your FC go to zero, regardless of CYA, is a sure invitation for algae.

Yours is a common issue for folks who overuse pucks. Stop their use for now. Ask lots of questions and we will all guide you through the process.

 

[AB]

Dave, others, thanks for your help. Dumb question...is there an article on how to drain your pool?
A quick googling tells me not to use the backflush valve as it can ruin your pump, instead rent a wet vac from HDepot? Maybe I have overlooked that topic here.
Thanks again...
If I stop using pucks, what is the best "set it and forget it" method...do they make pucks that don't raise the cya level? Or is liquid bleach the only alternative.

 

[jblizzle]

If you can isolate the floor drain, you can use the pool pump to go to waste. Faster to rent or buy a cheap sump pump.

The pool can be trouble free, but they are never maintenance free. There are no tablets/powders that do not add undesirable things to the pool ... either stabilizer or calcium. Liquid chlorine is the simple solution, but requires daily additions. A SWG will produce the FC for you, but there is an upfront cost and then you have to really watch the pH from rising.

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[Bama Rambler]

A quick googling tells me not to use the backflush valve as it can ruin your pump...

Since you have a cartridge filter I doubt that you have a backwash valve. But if you did, using it to drain the pool wouldn't ruin your pump. You could rig up a way to divert the discharge of the pump and use the MD as JB suggested but as he also stated, it's probably easier to just rent a sump pump.