The purpose of this thread is to just lay out my plan (in order) since this will be my first time opening up my DE filter / pump system myself. Mostly I'm concerned about the priming of the pump and how to get it going. I have read the other opening thread but I feel this is going into more detail on exactly what I need to do for my DE filter.
1. Fill pool and allow water to flood into the skimmer (gizmos are still present).
2. Add the DE filter (not the DE) to the filter gray egg shaped container and tighten metal belt around the outside (I remember pool guy hitting it with a rubber mallet)
3. Remove plugs on returns and polaris jet (central return). Remove gizmos in skimmers.
4. Add pressure relief valve / pressure gauge on top of filter system (closing crew removed it - I guess I can do that any time before)
5. Take small plugs from the pump basket (where they were stored) and screw into bottom of Jandy pump.
6. Turn on breaker from house and breaker at the pool location.
7. Fill pump basket with water until it floods over.
8. I assume I should move the valves around too to allow water to enter all of the piping?
9. Now would be the time to turn on the pump, however I am confused about the antifreeze which should be in the skimmer lines. If I turn on the pump at this time with it set to backwash, would the antifreeze go right on to my dry DE filter and then out into the yard? Would that be ok to prime the pump with it set to backwash? After the red liquid stops showing from the hose, I can stop the backwash setting and resume normal filtration setting?
10. I'd then adjust the valves to get each pipe filled and flowing (fountains, Polaris line, bottom drain - set to be a return.)
11. After the system is running properly i would add fresh DE to the skimmer and then fine tune the chemistry (which has been adjusted all winter).
So mostly I'm concerned about this priming step and whether it is as simple as pouring water into the pump basket and turning it on. But things get more complicated with the antifreeze/backwash plan. They only added about a gallon of antifreeze, so perhaps I should just let it go into the pool and start off with my chlorine a bit high to be ready for it.
Any thoughts or comments are greatly appreciated. I'm aiming to do this on Saturday!
Thanks!
John
1. Fill pool and allow water to flood into the skimmer (gizmos are still present).
2. Add the DE filter (not the DE) to the filter gray egg shaped container and tighten metal belt around the outside (I remember pool guy hitting it with a rubber mallet)
3. Remove plugs on returns and polaris jet (central return). Remove gizmos in skimmers.
4. Add pressure relief valve / pressure gauge on top of filter system (closing crew removed it - I guess I can do that any time before)
5. Take small plugs from the pump basket (where they were stored) and screw into bottom of Jandy pump.
6. Turn on breaker from house and breaker at the pool location.
7. Fill pump basket with water until it floods over.
8. I assume I should move the valves around too to allow water to enter all of the piping?
9. Now would be the time to turn on the pump, however I am confused about the antifreeze which should be in the skimmer lines. If I turn on the pump at this time with it set to backwash, would the antifreeze go right on to my dry DE filter and then out into the yard? Would that be ok to prime the pump with it set to backwash? After the red liquid stops showing from the hose, I can stop the backwash setting and resume normal filtration setting?
10. I'd then adjust the valves to get each pipe filled and flowing (fountains, Polaris line, bottom drain - set to be a return.)
11. After the system is running properly i would add fresh DE to the skimmer and then fine tune the chemistry (which has been adjusted all winter).
So mostly I'm concerned about this priming step and whether it is as simple as pouring water into the pump basket and turning it on. But things get more complicated with the antifreeze/backwash plan. They only added about a gallon of antifreeze, so perhaps I should just let it go into the pool and start off with my chlorine a bit high to be ready for it.
Any thoughts or comments are greatly appreciated. I'm aiming to do this on Saturday!
Thanks!
John