New Pool: DE Filter Pressure vs Backwash frequency

[ssml11]

I have a Hayward DE 36 and my new 10k gallon pool was filled exactly one month ago. I haven't done any backwash yet because I was told to backwash only when the filter gauge displays a gain of 10 in pressure.

The pressure gauge has read 3 since the pool was filled, and it has only gone up maybe a hairline in 30 days.

I am currently running my ecostar pump at 1300 rpm for 16 hours a day. If I increase the pump's speed to 1800rpm the pressure goes up to 9, so I know the gauge is working.

The question is, am I ok in not backwashing not even once since pool was filled? At this rate it will take months for gauge to display a gain of 10 in pressure.

 

[duraleigh]

Yes, you are ok (sort of). I assume your pool is clear and doesn't get much debris.

A somewhat better way to test is to test at a higher rpm (enough to get to 10 psi). TFP suggests a backwash at 25% of the clean pressure, so if you now get 10 psi at maybe 1900 rpm, test it at 1900. Then when your psi increases to 12.5 or so (25%) it is time to backwash.

Most pool gauges are pretty inaccurate especially at low, low pressure so the 10 psi will make it easier to judge your 25% increase.

 

[zethacat]

I would use max speed to gauge filter pressure for cleaning purposes.

 

[ssml11]

So you guys think I should pump filter speed up for a couple of weeks and see if it goes up?
Backwashing after 25 percent into? Woao then what's the point of the 10 pressure increase deal?

And yes, pool water is so clean it looks like zephyrhills water.

 

[Richard320]

So you guys think I should pump filter speed up for a couple of weeks and see if it goes up?
Backwashing after 25 percent into? Woao then what's the point of the 10 pressure increase deal?

And yes, pool water is so clean it looks like zephyrhills water.

The 10 psi pressure increase is one of those pool store legends like "3 is the ideal chlorine level" without taking CYA into account.

All you need to do is get a baseline reading at max RPM and then let the thing run at low speed normally. Maybe once a week, take it up to max again and see what the difference is. My DE filter can go months without showing any increase. Once it starts climbing, it tends to climb pretty fast after that.

 

[Geelow]

I backwash open and clean my filters every four months. Then reset it with the correct amount of de

 

[Patrick_B]

I backwash open and clean my filters every four months. Then reset it with the correct amount of de

That's great if it works for you, but this can vary greatly from pool to pool.