pin hole leak in SS filter housing

[Johnny B]

I noticed a single pinhole leak in the upper half of my stainless steel DE filter housing. Not much at the the start then all but absent (but not quite) in a day once the DE fills it .
1- Is this a sign that I need to be seriously considering a new housing? I don’t want to be scrambling to try & figure out last minute waht I need to buy.
2- I’ll definitely go with a plastic housing next time, right?
3- I’ve read to get an oversized filter, is 48SF oversized for my situation?
4- I’ve been reading the forum re the different between DE vs. cartridge & can’t make up my mind (if indeed I need to be getting a new one soon) so I’ll keep reading, but any comments along these lines are welcomed. My issue/complaint now: it isn’t easy to
- remove the can’s drain plug with a monkey wrench
- remove the grid assembly
-hose it off 15-20 min
- reinstall grids
- lube huge o-ring if needed
- reattach drain plug
-reattach that huge ring tapping all the while to secure the upper & lower pieces
-add the new DE
- sit around & look for leaks, tighten more if needed but don’t over-tighten
- it’s every bit of a 60 minutes job. I don’t consider myself ”handy” (plumbing electrical etc) but I am fit & don’t mind hard labor so I don’t want to sound lazy & I can do this the rest of my life, but if the cartridge is FAR less easy I’d like to know that. If the filter was more accessible it wouldn’t be so difficult; can some plumbing be done to move it to a more accessible location? I see why people backwash instead.
- are the new plastic housings easier?

Thanks

 

[reindeerboy]

My 2 cents is to use a sand filter. Might take a bit longer, but to maintain it is very simple. We have a 500 pound Hayward 310s filter. I have a 16000 gallon pool so going to an oversized model is best in my opinion.

Everyone here will have an opinion based on their experiences, but I am sure one of the "experts" here will give some pros and cons for you to help in your decision makeing.

Good luck!

 

[HarryH3]

Where is the leak? At a seam? Middle of an expanse of steel? Near a fitting?

If the steel isn't corroding away, then you just need to fix the leak. Find a welding shop that has a TIG welder and knows how to weld stainless steel. They should be able to weld the hole closed for $25 or so. MUCH cheaper than buying a new filter system.

Backwashing our DE filter takes perhaps 15 minutes. I only open the tank and give it a really good cleaning about once per year, just after pollen season ends. Pre-BBB I had to backwash every 2-4 weeks in the summer. Since adding borates to the pool I can go 2-3 months in the summer between backwashes and 4 months or more during the cooler part of the year.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I'm preferential to my cartridge filter, but that's all I've ever known. It seems to me sand can present it's own problems, especially when trying to clear up an algae bloom, seems like it takes a week to clear up the final cloudy stage...

I clean my cart by hosing it off with a garden hose, takes about 30 minutes in all to open up, clean it, reassamble. A periodic soaking in a cleaning solution is recommended too, but I've only done that once, last fall when I closed the pool. I'm on my second cart, this is my 8th pool season, the first one lasted 5 years, probably because I never did the "good" method of cleaning it!

There's no backwashing, it's very simple and straightforward. After everything I've read on here, I just wouldn't want any other kind.

 

[257WbyMag]

Adding on to what frustratedpoolmom posted, I also have a cartridge filter system. True, there is no backwashing involved with a cartridge filter. The downside to this, if there is one, would be that you can run the risk of having certain things accumulate in your water over time if you aren't careful such as CYA and calcium. My setup does allow you to send water to waste, but not all cartridge setups are like this.

I do like cartridge filters because they seem quick and relatively simple to deal with. It's also nice to be able to keep a spare set of cartridges on hand for a quick swap out while taking the dirty ones out, letting them soak a bit, and you get to them when you get to them. If taken care of, the cartridges will last many years. As for the DE and sand filter systems, once you take the lid off, you seem to be fairly committed to finishing the job whatever that may entail.

Most seem to think that the DE units give you the best water clarity. Maybe for some. But with borates and balanced water, my pool water looks like a glass of icewater pretty much year round except when the oak pollen is heavy and then, it's only temporary.