Water Flow Stopping Mystery

[joshearl]

I'm bringing my pool back from a swamp, as I have before (with help from this forum) and having a strange issue that has never happened. After two days of running my filter the water has gotten nearly clear, but returns are only flowing for about an hour then they slowly slow down to an eventual stopping of the flow. When the pool is running well and the returns are flowing the PSI is about 20, it increases to about 30 as the water stops flowing.

As far as trouble shooting, I've done about everything: cleared out all lines with a hose blower (both directions from inside the filter, and from each skimmer), checked both of the skimmers (no leaves or any debris), checked the impeller in the small skimmer (no debris as well), opened up the filter and the grids are clean, removed the filter from the tank and theres nothing in there either.

The only thing that seems to reset things is to backwash for a short amount of time, say less than a minute. Then everything runs great for an hour and it does it again. This has lead to almost all the DE being backwashed out which would make me think should allow for even more flow, not less!

Anything I may be missing here? I'm at a loss and wasted a lot of chlorine not realizing the returns weren't even flowing.

If any pictures or anything might help I would be more than happy to snap some.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

You need the DE to coat the grids. Are you adding DE back after you backwash? If not, your grids are probably clogged, and you should soak them and reassemble and recoat with DE. Instructions in your owners manual or Here:http://www.troublefreepool.com/use-and-care-for-de-filters-t4086.html

Edit: The grids can look clean but actually be clogged... just an FYI.

 

[joshearl]

Thanks for the direction you pointed me. I think the last algea outbreak over the winter is probably clogging up my grids. Gonna follow the instructions and clean it up. Will post results after

 

[joshearl]

So I followed the instructions and soaked my grids. I ran it for a night then backwashed as per the instructions and everything appeared to be running great, perfect pressure and everything. A day later the pool is running at high PSI again, (bouncing between 27-30) and the returns aren't flowing as well as they should. I'm tempted to do another backwash but feel that there may be another problem. There is practically no debris in the pool, neither skimmer is blocked up. The Grids are brand new, no tears or anything, any suggestions as to why the pressure is building up again?

 

[jblizzle]

Be more specific about your pressure readings.

Is your water clear or green? If green they will clog very quickly. We recommend backwashing when the pressure rises 20-25% of the clean pressure.

 

[Richard320]

Check thjis thread and especially the solution extremely-high-water-pressure-t58047.html

 

[joshearl]

Be more specific about your pressure readings.

Is your water clear or green? If green they will clog very quickly. We recommend backwashing when the pressure rises 20-25% of the clean pressure.

water is nearly clear, it's still a bit cloudy coming from being green. It has been this color for 2 days now though. The pressure gauge is literally bouncing between 27-30.

 

[jblizzle]

What was it when it was clean? Although it should not be continually fluctuating? How fast is it doing that?

 

[joshearl]

it usually runs clean at 20. 15 after a backwash pre DE. It stopped bouncing it had never done that before.

 

[griffths]

It sounds to me like your filter is simply clogging up. I have a sand filter that I add DE to and if there is much of anything in the water, it doesn't take very long before the pressure is way high and the flow is almost nothing. Once I backwash all of the junk out, everything is back to normal. I don't have a cover and have to backwash every few hours in the spring while I am opening the pool due to all of the junk that gets stirred up.

Regards,

Jay