Help choosing the correct filter size

[jeharley]

Good morning. I am in the process of choosing a replacement sand filter. Water is beginning to seep through the wall of my old Triton sand filter. After doing some research, it appears that I need to choose a filter size based on head and pump GPM.

I am estimating my head at approximately 50 feet (distance from main drain/skimmer to the pool pump... My pool is about 30 feet long and the pump is about 10 feet away).

My pool pump motor does not list GPM. It is a US Motors EB228. It lists the following specs on the nameplate:

THP: 1.25
HP: 1
SF: 1
RPM: 3450
Volts: 230/115
Hz: 60
SF Amps: 6/12

I found a rough chart that seemed to suggest that my GPM is something like 150. I'm hoping this is incorrect as this seems to put me into a very large and expensive Triton sand filter. Especially considering my pool is only approximately 13,000 gallons.

The pool has an old in floor cleaning system that has not been in use for a long time and has now been cut out from the pump/filter.

Any advice would be much appreciated! I am hoping to get this new sand filter ordered ASAP as the leak is a bit concerning. Thanks!

 

[duraleigh]

Your pump is not 150 gpm......maybe about half that.

An educated guess would be to get an 80-100 gpm filter as your pump is probably about 70 gpm.

 

[jeharley]

Your pump is not 150 gpm......maybe about half that.

An educated guess would be to get an 80-100 gpm filter as your pump is probably about 70 gpm.

Thank you for the info!

Per the Pentair Triton catalogue, that would still put me in the largest TR pump (TR140) which requires 900 pounds of sand. I was told previously that a TR40 or 50 would be large enough for my pool, so this just seems a bit crazy to me. 1 HP doesn't seem like an insanely powerful pump. If the pump is really causing me to need a filter that big, it seems I'd almost be better off just buying a smaller pump and filter and replacing both.

I hope this is not the case. I was hoping to get out with a new filter around $500.

 

[mas985]

I found a rough chart that seemed to suggest that my GPM is something like 150.

This would imply that you know the pump make/model # (not motor #)?

 

[jeharley]

This would imply that you know the pump make/model # (not motor #)?

model k63cxeau-5225

 

[mas985]

Again, that is the motor model#, not the pump. The pump model # would be on the wet end. If you don't know it, post a picture of the pump and maybe I can figure out the pump line.

 

[jeharley]

Water seeping thru filter wall

There is a picture of it on that thread. idk why I can't get it to post on this one. I'm on my phone.

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The labels on the pump/wet end are pretty faded and hard to read.

 

[mas985]

Ok, that is a 1 HP Hayward SuperPump. Flow rates would be between 53 and 68 GPM depending on the plumbing setup. Is the piping to and from the pool 1 1/2" or 2"?

What size is your current filter?

 

[jeharley]

I can attempt to determine all of that when I get home from work today. So, is it then safe to assume that a Triton sand filter rated for gpm above 68 would be sufficient?

TR60 says it's for 63 gpm and TR100 is for 74 gpm.

The TR100 is about $900 on Amazon! I wasn't expecting to need a larger filter for a smaller pool, but I guess the current pump set up is just overkill. I'm guessing this at least allows me to cycle water faster and possibly save money on my electricity bill?

 

[jeharley]

The TR60 is only $600 so hopefully my GPM is under 63

 

[Teald024]

Good morning. I am in the process of choosing a replacement sand filter. Water is beginning to seep through the wall of my old Triton sand filter. After doing some research, it appears that I need to choose a filter size based on head and pump GPM.

I am estimating my head at approximately 50 feet (distance from main drain/skimmer to the pool pump... My pool is about 30 feet long and the pump is about 10 feet away).

My pool pump motor does not list GPM. It is a US Motors EB228. It lists the following specs on the nameplate:

THP: 1.25
HP: 1
SF: 1
RPM: 3450
Volts: 230/115
Hz: 60
SF Amps: 6/12

I found a rough chart that seemed to suggest that my GPM is something like 150. I'm hoping this is incorrect as this seems to put me into a very large and expensive Triton sand filter. Especially considering my pool is only approximately 13,000 gallons.

The pool has an old in floor cleaning system that has not been in use for a long time and has now been cut out from the pump/filter.

Any advice would be much appreciated! I am hoping to get this new sand filter ordered ASAP as the leak is a bit concerning. Thanks!

Your pump is no where near 150pgm. Without knowing the actual pump model number, the best we can go by is the 1hp motor. I would say 50 gpm would be a good place to start.

To get the head loss of your system, you cant measure the horizontal distance/length of the pipework. Head is a vertical orientation equivalent measurement. You would need pipe lengths, diameters, bends, fittings, equipment losses, etc to figure it out. In the end of it all, it really isn't something you need to worry too much about. You have a filter installed already. Get something equivalent and you should be good to go.

I wouldn't be too concerned about the leak from a safety point of view. The filter obviously needs replacing, but it is not dangerous. The worst that can happen** is an oddly placed water fountain, puddle in your yard. Pressurized water is not the same as pressurized air. Water containers do not explode, they just leak. ** just pay attention to where the fountain shoots water. Think of a leaky garden hose.

 

[duraleigh]

The tr-100 is a bit big for that pool. A TR-60 is maybe a little small. Can you find a filter round 80 gpm?

 

[jeharley]

The tr-100 is a bit ig for that pool. A TR-60 is maybe a little small. Can you find a filter round 80 gpm?

I was hoping to stick with Triton since my current is a Triton and it has a brand new side mounted valve on it. It was added as part of the repairs that were done when we bought the house. I also am considering installing it myself and it would seem much simpler to remove a Triton and then install a new Triton to the same piping. Based on the Triton catalogue I looked at, it appears to jump from TR60 to TR100, so I think I would have to switch brands in order to get something in that middle ground.

- - - Updated - - -

The TR100 is 74 gpm

 

[jeharley]

Ok, that is a 1 HP Hayward SuperPump. Flow rates would be between 53 and 68 GPM depending on the plumbing setup. Is the piping to and from the pool 1 1/2" or 2"?

What size is your current filter?

I just took some measurements and it appears that my piping is 2" and my current filter is 24" in diameter which matches the listed diameter for the TR60.

 

[mas985]

What is the filter pressure when running?

Distance from pump to pool?

 

[jeharley]

What is the filter pressure when running?

Distance from pump to pool?

The filter runs about 10 psi when clean

the pump is about 10 feet from the pool

 

[mas985]

I estimate about 70 GPM. But I still think you would be ok with the TR60. Sand filters are pretty robust.

 

[jeharley]

I estimate about 70 GPM. But I still think you would be ok with the TR60. Sand filters are pretty robust.

Thank you so much for all your help. I was wondering if maybe the reason this old sand filter is failing is because it's the TR60 and has been overloaded. It looks pretty old tho and the pool is 30 years old so that seems like a decent life span.

 

[duraleigh]

The TR100 has 4.91 Sq Ft of effective filtration area and a flow rate of 98 GPM