Is 30 PSI normal for filter?

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pippo

Active member
Jul 3, 2021
27
florida
People,

I installed a new psi guage and psi on the cartridge filter housing shows 30 psi with pump running. Thing is, the pressure at the inlet pipe on the pool wall barely registers "MINIMUM" level (plunger type plastic guage). Pool Vac doesnt even move. I even shut of the pool floor drain valve, to send more pressure to the feed pipe from the wall to increase pressure. Only thing I can do is spray clean the filter cartridge, and see if it improves the pressure needed to run the vac. Does this make sense? Is 30 psi normal?

Thanks, people.
 
Pip,

I suspect that you have the typical "dinky" Florida filter.

The smaller the filter the more you have to clean it and the higher the filter pressure when dirty.

The key here is.. What was your filter pressure when the filter was just cleaned?

30 lbs. seems very high to me.

When was the last time your cartridge was replaced?

You have a couple of options..

1. Clean the cartridge and see how things work.
2. If still bad, remove the cartridge and see how things work. If then ok, replace the cartridge.
3. The pressure you see at the filter is amount of effort it takes to force water through the filter and back to the pool. So any obstruction after the filter will also increase the filter pressure.. Like a bad valve or clogged SWCG.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
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Jimrahbe said:
Pip,

I suspect that you have the typical "dinky" Florida filter.

The smaller the filter the more you have to clean it and the higher the filter pressure when dirty.

The key here is.. What was your filter pressure when the filter was just cleaned?

30 lbs. seems very high to me.

When was the last time your cartridge was replaced?

You have a couple of options..

1. Clean the cartridge and see how things work.
2. If still bad, remove the cartridge and see how things work. If then ok, replace the cartridge.
3. The pressure you see at the filter is amount of effort it takes to force water through the filter and back to the pool. So any obstruction after the filter will also increase the filter pressure.. Like a bad valve or clogged SWCG.

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Jim! That is a great tip! Time to clean/spray the pleated filter, and then take some readings of psi! (Filter is kinda new- about 5-6 months. The pool service is supposed to clean it once a month, they say).
 
Typical tiny filter.

Is the filter plumbed correctly with the In/Out correct?

Can you pull the cartridge and show what it looks like before and after cleaning?

Do you need that check valve in front of the pump?

See if the valve is clogged.

What pump do you have?

30 psi is way too high.

You really should get a variable speed pump.

PXL_20231212_130259120.jpg
 
Check the top brass nut because that is the most likely failure point.

Once the brass threads get worn down, the lid can pop off with enough force to seriously injure someone.

30 psi of compressed air generates a lot of force that can cause an explosive separation of the top where the top can get enough velocity to cause serious damage.

 
Wow, I never knew that! Glad you were able to pull up my past thread/picture! The cartridge is Hayward C2100 Star-clear plus (does that help identify the housing?). But if this is not the ideal size, why did the vac work great for 2 years (new 2 years ago) until now? Something that happened NOW is not right. (that pump has been there (same style) for 25 years).

But, UPDATE- I followed up on your tips and measures psi without the cartridge inside and got 9-10 psi. Then I washed/sprayed out the pleated filter (what a mess) and installed it and then I get ......9-10 psi! Wow, it needed cleaning! So much for depending on my weekly pool "service". So, now we got the psi's about right, but I then pushed onto the inlet pipe the hand held plastic pressure guage and it reads at Maximum psi. That also has improved.

BUT, geeez, the vac still does not move. I pulled it up close, held under water, observed the shoes and they not rattle/vibrate.wiggle very briskly, more that before when psi was at barely MIN. But when I release it, and it sinks to the pool floor, it does nothing. Doesnt even move, even though pressure is now much higher. Shoes look OK, new rubbers on them, A frame seems ok with no play. Only 2 years old. I am confused.

Thanks.
 

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Pressure at end of hose is ideal- right in the middle of the plunger between the min and the max. The vac dos not move. I feed up the flow with your help, but still, the vac dosnt move. How long do there Hayward vacs last? So many parts, who knows what it needs.......
 
While 30 psi is high and definitely worth bringing down, a common filter max pressure rating is 50 psi. You'll be able to find a manual for yours and check it yourself.

Explosions as in the videos can happen only if the filter is at least partially filled with air. The air stores energy as it compresses to whatever the gauge indicates. The more air and pressure, the more energy. If the vessel comes apart, all that energy is released in an instant. Boom.

Otoh, water doesn't compress, so doesn't store energy in this manner. If a filter full of water comes apart, it just separates a bit and starts gushing like any pipe would. This is why steam boilers and other gas vessels are tested by filling with water or other liquid.

Also, it's a great reason to keep your plumbing in good shape so air in the system is minimized. Finally, whenever the system is shut down for any period, it's why you open the bleed valve at the top of the filter to let all the air out as the pump is restarted.
 
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