So I'm just getting started with pool ownership and doing a lot of learning thanks to this site, but I've not found much on DE Separator tanks. We just recently bought a house that has an IG pool (20k gal), DE filter, Polaris w/booster, and a nameless stainless steel tank that I've just recently learned was a separator tank.
Are these just not used very often nowadays? A pool repair service tech said he usually takes more of them out than he puts in. I can't find much on the 'net or in this forum on them other than your basic installation and user manuals for the usual manufacturers (Hayward, Pentair, etc). Being on well water I'm pretty interested in learning more, so I don't have to lose water each time I backwash. One thing the manuals I have read from the 'net don't tell you is what to expect when running backwash through them... i.e. what kind of noises are produced, what to watch out for, etc. It definitely looks to operate under pressure... but is that air pressure with just a little water moving through it, or does the whole tank fill with water as it moves through?
Also the previous owner didn't seem to use it as all the valves and such were set (when I took over maintenance) to bypass it and go straight out the the blue waste hose instead. I'm still too chicken to change that when backwashing. It seems to be in good condition, no rips in the bag on the inside and there's a little bit of DE left from the last time the tank was used... is there something I should be checking out before attempting to use it though?
Are these just not used very often nowadays? A pool repair service tech said he usually takes more of them out than he puts in. I can't find much on the 'net or in this forum on them other than your basic installation and user manuals for the usual manufacturers (Hayward, Pentair, etc). Being on well water I'm pretty interested in learning more, so I don't have to lose water each time I backwash. One thing the manuals I have read from the 'net don't tell you is what to expect when running backwash through them... i.e. what kind of noises are produced, what to watch out for, etc. It definitely looks to operate under pressure... but is that air pressure with just a little water moving through it, or does the whole tank fill with water as it moves through?
Also the previous owner didn't seem to use it as all the valves and such were set (when I took over maintenance) to bypass it and go straight out the the blue waste hose instead. I'm still too chicken to change that when backwashing. It seems to be in good condition, no rips in the bag on the inside and there's a little bit of DE left from the last time the tank was used... is there something I should be checking out before attempting to use it though?
