DE Filter Pressure High (unusual activity)

[Effers]

I need to reach back to the pros here at TFP. You always save my butt, and a few dollars.

I have a Jandy DE filter that typically runs at 18-20psi. Earlier today after testing chemicals and sweeping the pool out, pressure was about 21-22psi. Triggered a thought that I will have to backwash soon. My son had a few friends over and they played in the pool and attached spillover hot tub. The were using the blower for bubbles as well. When they departed I went to clean the area. I noticed no activity from the jets in the pool but the jets in the hot tub were working fine. I turned the blower off. Same indication. Noticed the DE pressure at 30psi WHAT???. To address the jets, I toggled my panel between pool mode and spa mode (Jandy Aquilink and valve actuators), still no activity from the jest in the pool. Decided to backwash to lower the pressure. No help, still at 30psi. Grilled the kids asking if they fooled with anything, no mas. Cycled the panel and modes still no joy.

Any thoughts on this? I plan to split the filter and clean the grids thoroughly in the AM. Hope this fixes the pressure? Would this also affect the pool jets but leave the spa jets fine? Scratching my head on this one. Any help on this one would be awesome.

Thanks!

 

[pool&spatech]

Here's the thing, an increase like that in pressure occurs when the spa is isolated from the pool via jandy valves (jva's) when spa mode is selected, the two jandy valves turn to cut off the pool, and supply all of the pump and filter resources to the spa, as a result, the pressure will increase due to the restrictive nature of the spa therapy jets, this will show as an increase on the pressure gauge, which 30 psi is about right when spa jets are on, when you toggle back to pool mode ,it doesn't change pressure because the motorized valves are not reversing themselves back to pool mode, there are cool down delays if heater was used for spa when switching back to pool mode, which will wait until the delay period has expired,that wont show on the outdoor panel ( im assuming this without more specific info as to your system) but most likely shows "cool down period" indoors, at the main display panel, that panel will display various messages like that for different things like temp, etc.

when just the pool or spa switch on outdoor panel is selected there has to be nothing that will cause it to not immediately turn the valves like just using the heater, when you are certain the heater has not been on for a few minutes you should be able to go to the panel and switch it to spa, then observe visually that both valves do in fact turn together, and turn back when switched to pool mode, there are times that one valve is burned out and doesn't turn anymore, but i think you were just fooled into thinking there is a problem when maybe now there is not.

The blower would not have any thing to do at all with the pressure increase.

You should understand the optimal less restrictive psi reading that a clean, or recently backwashed filter displays on the gauge, when all valves are set to allow the best and lowest reading possible, and base any increases that occur to be measured with the same valve position used to determine the initial starting pressure, so if you know the valve settings that produce the lowest psi when filter is clean, and baskets are cleared etc, is 18 psi, then a week later check the psi reading with all valves in the same position that you started this at, and if it says 22psi, wait another week, check it,etc. the rule of thumb for me has been to backwash a d.e. filter once a month, or when the normal clean psi is 10 psi higher, this is not a hard and fast rule, but it is a starting point to establish what you like,but you don't have to back wash a d.e. filter that goes from 18 psi to 22 pci necessarily, unless you seemed to just prefer it that way.

You seem involved with the goings on with your pool which is great, as most are not, so relax, remember the pool returns (pool jets) are not restrictive like the spa jets, so the psi on pool mode is in the range you are familiar with in the 18-20 range. and the spa mode will increase it

there are also mini toggle switches on each jva on-off-on so if both toggle switches are in the middle, the valves are off, and will not respond.

the valves on position is going to determine its direction it turns, there are 2 on positions, if they are altered as far as the position they are supposed to be in, then the valves wont turn in sync, and this is something a curious youngster, you know...so make sure they turn when you check them as i mentioned.

good luck

 

[Effers]

Pool&Spatech

I don't know what to say. You are freakishly wise! Without seeing my system and its setup, you nailed it. Read your post this morning and tackled the equipment. Followed your advice and sure enough looks like the outlet JVA (not sure if term is right???) is dead in the water. I flipped the toggle switches back and forth a few times and made sure it matched the inlet JVA. Seems like it has retired after 10 years. Switching to manual mode until I can get one ordered and installed.

Thanks again and have a great summer.