Cartridge Filter / QuadDE

[nupoolsoon]

If you remember, our QuadDE filter was installed incorrectly which blew all of the cartridges inside it. They replaced it under warranty with a bigger QuadDE100. I am still not getting a comfy cozy feeling that our filter is working properly. I know we have had a very dry summer (lack of serious rainfall) and with the pavers installed it kicked up ALOT of dust. However, in my other post about the sand for btwn the pavers, I am telling you the bottom of the pool was covered.

Guess what...the needle on the pressure gauge has not moved 1mm. I know it is an oversized filter for our pool which means less cleaning, but not 1mm??? Now we typically do not get alot of debris around our pool and we do have skimmer socks as well, but shouldn't the needle have moved at all??

Our pool builder never showed us how to properly inspect or clean our filter either. All we really want to look at is the cartridge side of the unit. Can someone explain (or link) detailed instruction on how to check the cartridge side? We really want to inspect this tomorrow morning.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[JasonLion]

That is a large well designed filter. What you describe is actually fairly common.

As long as the water is clear and the pressure gauge goes to zero when the pump is off and goes to non-zero when the pump is on, you are fine.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

We have an oversized filter too, and our pressure gauge doesn't budge. I know it isn't broke, it just doesn't tell me when it needs cleaning. My calendar or my heater tell me when the filter needs cleaning.

 

[nupoolsoon]

Thanks for the reassurance.

So should we be cleaning it even if the gauge says it is not needed?

Frustratedpoolmom
How often do you clean your oversized filter?

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Every 4-6 weeks, or if my heater won't come on. The heater has a very sensitive pressure switch, and if it won't kick in it's usually because the filter is dirty. Hose off the filter, voila, heater works. PSI gauge hasn't budged. I know the gauge works because I have a 4-way valve for my bottom drain system, and depending on how I have the valve set, my pressures read differently, also, I have a 2 speed pump, and the pressure changes when on high. So I'm certain the gauge works. So basically, I run my filter on low 24/7 and the gauge is always at 3-4. Never moves on that setting. Every month or 6 weeks (if I forget) I'll take it apart and hose it off. 7 seasons this far....

 

[duraleigh]

You are catching the dirt with the skimmer socks...pre-filtering the water.

You may not have to clean your cartridges all summer as long as you don't mind cleaning the skimmer socks.

 

[stever]

We have a new pool with a DE Quad 100 filter. It's about 4 weeks in operation. After 4 weeks, the pool company breaks the filter doen and cleans it to get the plaster dust out and to show the new owner how this is done.

The pressure had not risen and beyond 10 psi or so -- the same as it always was.

When we opened the filter up, the grids were gooey, but the surprise was that the bottom 9 inches or so was filled (packed) with DE/dird/plaster dust. It smelled pretty bad also -- like decomposing seaweed at the beach.

Seems that the filtered particulate would drop off of the grids when the pump turns off and stay there, building up. The bottom of the filter looks pretty free of turbulance that would pick all of this up again. Sounds good -- filter and dump into the bottom to keep the filtersd ready to filter some more. If the pump/filter is run 7/24 it may not get this chance and plug up pretty fast -- jsut an idea. But is the DE trapped at the bottom where it cannot re-coat the grids (I read somewhere the grids were slick enough to dump the DE when the pump turns off and re-coat the next time -- like a 'bump').

The filter cleansed quite easily -- took 30 minutes or less to completely break it down and clean it out. First the pressure was relieved and the top was taken off. Then the top manifolt is removed, the 4 grids and the bottom manifold. That's all the parts. As gooey as the grids were, they cleaned quite easily with a hose and looked brand new. We puzzled a bit about how to clean the goop at the bottom. We could have taken out the plug at the bottom and hosed it out, but decided to unscrew the intake/return and lift the filter bottom out to be hosed out elsewhere. Cleaned easily and reassembled well.

I was told that the filter should not get that dirty again -- after the plaster sust was all gone. With all of the filtered stuff at the bottom I can see why the pressure never goes up.

Hope my little review helps!

Steve