Mr. Muriaticacid said:

If you go with cartridge filter you’ll likely want 2 sets. That way when one set gets dirty you can just pop a new set in while the first set are soaking in trisodium phosphate

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With a large filter that only needs 1 deep cleaning a year, it won't take out critical pool time that the pool is off for a day in the late fall.

I'm usually a 'have a spare of XYZ' guy, but I worry about critters finding this one.

Why would you disconnect the UV? It helps the SWG, and doesn't harm anything.

Thank GOODNESS the pic is showing you taking a ...... shower.

HermanTX said:

A DE is a good filter. It just may take more time. Are you running your pump 24/7? Are you keeping your chloinre FC at SLAM level?
Remember, when backwashing a DE filter, only add back 80% of the recommended DE. If you have been adding more, you may need to break down the filter completely and clean the grids and add the proper amount of DE.

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Yes, my filter has been running 24/7 for about a week now. Still cloudy to the point I can't see the bottom. Next steps will be me to break down the filter and clean I think...it just has never taken this long to clear up. Have been trying to keep the DE to 80% levels, not over filling....

proavia said:

pH test is invalid when FC is > 10.
How did you get a CH of 156 from your new test kit? Or was that a typo?

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Not a typo. Just followed the TF100Pro testing process. I can check again later today.

So i cleaned the steps and ladder Saturday morning and put them back in the pool. Checked FC at 9PM Sunday night and it was at 13 and CC was .5. Monday morning at 5:30 FC was 12 and CC was .5. Water has been looming clear for a while so I think my SLAM is complete. I'll let my FC drop below 10 (shouldn't take more than a day based on what I've been losing when it's sunny) and check and dial in my CYA and Ph. Then will be the process of dialing in my SWG percentage.

Laughing at the pic, not your predicament. Sorry to hear it. 2 houses ago we had root problems that caused quite a mess.

JodieM said:

Our manufacturer and installer warned us not to fully drain for winter or it would void our warranty. I put mine into economy mode and keep chlorine tabs floating through the winter and adjust TA and PH as needed when I can get to it in the snow drifts. We don’t use it in the winter.

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Thanks - I notice you have a SWG and a pool. Was your wintering strategy for that setup or a hot tub?

They are proposing filters with a design flow rate less than what you currently have.

JPMorgan said:

Since the filters themselves are quite old and the fiberglass is known to warp and leak, the best solution is to completely replace the filters at this time and eliminate possibilities for future needed repairs.

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Does nothing to address your flow rate concern. As a matter of fact the proposed filters may make your problem worse as the design flow rate is less than your current filters. Are the tanks leaking now? I’ve seen plenty of 20 year old fiberglass tanks that work just fine. Why not install unions (if not there currently) as a precaution to make future repairs faster and easier when needed.

JPMorgan said:

The multiport valves are completely compromised as they will drain the pool without ball valve in discharge line shut.

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While this may be an issue and should be addressed, repairing will do little to improve your flow rate concern.

JPMorgan said:

• The plumbing configuration is not hydraulicly efficient as the system is bushed down from 3” to 2” pipe before the system splits off the two filters.

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Increasing pipe size to 3” may increase your flow rate. What size pipe is on the suction side of the pump coming from your pool to the pump?

JPMorgan said:

No bypass for the heater.

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The heat exchanger is a huge bottleneck to flow. I’d install a bypass with a metering valve that allows you to send just enough water to the heater to allow it to operate properly, while allowing the majority of the water to return to the pool without passing through the heat exchanger and impeding flow.

Hopefully @mas985 and @JamesW can chime in on best places to look for you to increase your flow to the mandated flow rate.

JPMorgan said:

Been over 2 months since I completed paint job. Have not seen any clouding in pool thus far and do not get any residue on hands and feet from sides/ bottom of pool. Seems to be holding up well so far. Following TFP guidelines for water chemistry, the pool has been looking great all season!

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How is it holding up 4 years later?

JoyfulNoise said:

I love you moisture-dwellers … the very thought of discharging 200+ gallons of water per day sends shivers up this desert rat’s spine At nearly $12/kGal water rates, I’d have stroke looking at that monthly water bill

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I love YOU moisture-dwellers. $50/kgal here.

JPMorgan said:

Will post some pics along with proposed solutions.

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Based on if the filters are in parallel or in series may change the proper backwash procedure.
Post those pics from a few different angles so we can see everything.

You would likely be better served by installing a heater bypass.
With the heater bypassed, you should be able to run the pump at a lower RPM and still move the same amount of water and satisfy the SWG flow switch at that lower RPM as well.

Is the SWG wired so that is does not receive power when the pump is off?

Update your signature with SWG info and test kit info.

pH test is invalid when FC is > 10.
How did you get a CH of 156 from your new test kit? Or was that a typo?

JamesW said:

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Oops, corrected--thanks.

A SWG will not cause cause damage to a heater, so no check valve is necessary. Instruction manuals will often refer to check valves being required for chlorinators. The type of chlorinators referred to are trichlor tablet chlorinators which can create a very acidic mix that can damage heater components. That's not something to worry about with a SWG.

ol_whistle_britches said:

The TR-140 filter comes in residential and commercial models. The commercial models come in a 2” glued fitting and a 3” flanged fitting model. 3” PVC has a cross section that is 2.25 times the size of 2”, so if you have 3” running to 2 x 2” filters you have a restriction by default before you ever get “inside” the filter. Bypassing the filter (the recirculate position) at the multiport valve won’t eliminate that because the valve itself becomes the restriction.

I believe the pump specs a 2.5” inlet on it, which means running 2” PVC (or even 2.5” in this case) from the pump to the filter bank could also increase the head and slow the flow down. Your vendor likely would have already discovered this instead of trying to sell you a new filter.

How is the flow rate being measured and how often?

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The vendor mentions the 3" pipe bushed down to 2" as being "hydraulic inefficient." This seems to be the same as what you are saying is a likely cause of the restricted flow. Flow rate is measured daily. The flow meter is a FlowVis flow meter installed in pipe between pump and filter.

Make you life simple...
Use PoolMath and CSI.
Dont use the Taylor water wheel or LSI.

Why do you want to increase the CH?
What is the pH, TA and CH of your fill water?

For a while I had the pump returns going to the spa only and I noticed the same thing. pH was low 6's and I had these white flakes everywhere in the spa. This happened after had let the pool water go up to 200+TA. Hopefully that won't happen if I keep CSI slightly negative.

Any air in the system will exit thru the returns - whether those are in-wall returns or the IFCS popups.

I am not familiar with solar panel setups and how they may affect the IFCS. I do know they are supposed to drain when the solar valve closes or the pump shuts off. The VRV is what allows the panels to drain by allowing air to enter the panels when the panels are no longer under water pressure.

I wonder if - when the IFCS water distribution valve cycles thru zones - the pressure/flow to the panels is insufficient and the VRV opens (allowing air in) for a short time. I'm basing this on the pressure change you are seeing at the IFCS water valve.

Does your pool have separate returns you can switch to to see if the issues goes away while using regular returns?
If no separate returns, can you run in spa mode with the solar active?

What RPM is the pump running at when you notice the issue?