High pressure with vacuuming

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J

Jssjames78

0
Jan 17, 2014
12
Apple Valley, Ca
Hello all,

My family and I moved into this house almost two years ago in July, making this upcoming season our third summer here. The pool and filter setup was all in place when we bought the house, so some details are still a mystery. While caring for the pool has been a struggle, I've learned a lot thanks to good friends and my local pool store. Over the time though one problem has managed to confound me to this day.
After a short period of running our automatic pool cleaner (Zodiac MX8) the filter pressure is pushing towards 30 psi. I can clean the cartridges, start it back up with the vacuum running, and within 30-40 minutes the pressure is back up again. Now if the pool is relatively clean, or just has light debris (leaves, etc) I'll get more time out of it, but if it's sand/dust that's blown in (which happens quite a bit in the desert) I only get the 30 minutes. I do not have a dedicated suction line for the vacuum, nor do I have any valves to adjust suction/flow so when the pressure goes up the vacuum stops dead.
I've tried numerous times soaking the cartridges in dish soap overnight (found that tip on here, thank you!) but that only seems to help for a few days. I'm down to two possible conclusions...either the cartridges aren't really meant to handle the dust and dirt and the constant cleanings are just something I'll have to deal with, or I need new cartridges. Neither of these is a very pleasant idea. So my question would be, are either of my conclusions correct, or am I way out in left field? I apologize for the extended post, just trying to include as much detail as I can. Thanks in advance for any help!
 
Welcome to TFP!!

I think the filter is doing what they are designed to do, trap dirt. As you have discovered, the more dirt the quicker the cartridges get "full".
I will leave it to someone who has DE cartridges to comment on the possibility that they need replacing.
 
:wave: Welcome to TFP!!!

One question. Assuming your signature is correct, are you adding DE after you clean the filters every time? You make no mention of DE and that could be your problem.
 
How about a set of test results? Do you know if your chlorine consumption has risen recently as water temp increases? It is possible that you have a low level of algae in the pool that is reproducing enough to clog the filter but not enough to turn the pool green. This happens more often if CYA is high and FC levels maintained are marginally low. Per this chart, Chlorine CYA Chart.

And welcome to TFP! :)
 
Jblizzle, I was told that this particular cartridge filter was designed to run with and without DE, so I've only been adding DE to aid water clarity. I was worried if I added the DE and still had to clean the filter often the cost could add up quick.

Pooldv, I don't have a recent set of test results available, but I'll get some posted as soon as I can.

And thanks for the welcome everyone!
 
jblizzle said:
I would check with the manufacturer because I have not heard that about a DE filter.
Click to expand...

The Quad D.E.® Filter Installation and User’s Guide has the following requirement:

Your filter requires diatomaceous earth (D.E. or diatomite) for proper filtration and operation. Your filter
elements must be precoated with this material in order to protect their surfaces and provide the most efficient
filtering action. Refer to Table 2 for the proper quantity to use with your filter. We recommend the use of D.E.
which is sold and labeled for use with swimming pools and spas.
Click to expand...

I just worked with your description of the filter, so please verify that what I found is your model.
 
Jss,

Welcome to the forum. :wave: I think when you test your water, you will find that the chlorine has been or is inadequate and algae is plugging your filter.

It is a VERY common mistake to blame a filter for what turns out to be a water quality issue.
 

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Fantastic article, told me some things I'm thankfully doing right, and some I'm not. It seems using the Muriatic Acid on the filters is an often debated topic. I definitely need to install a backwash soon!

Has anyone ever seen a tool that can reach down inside the cartridges to blast them off from the inside? I might have to make one....
 
I was talking to a friend about that recently. He let his dry out once and tried to blow them off with an air compressor, which blew stuff everywhere. Too bad I wasn't there to video that! Something to seal the top and bottom and then pressurize it with air or water from the inside out.
 
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