DE Startup Question

[underwater]

This is my first winter with my new pool. Since I have totally different equipment than I have ever had before, I am a little lost on Spring startup. I have the intelliflo (VF not VS) pump and a DE filter.
In the past, I have always had sand filters and standard pumps. Spring wasn't too bad. Lots of bleach and backwashing for a few days always seemed to get it in working order pretty quick. Can I safely run this filter without DE? I dont think that is a good idea, but I thought I would ask. I just thought it would be easier to let the grids get the big stuff and then charge it with DE and finish up. I just know if I shock and run this thing with DE in it, I will be backwashing and recharging 7-8 times/day! Gonna need lots of DE. If that is the case, I will just keep it going year round from now on. Any advice?
Thanks.
UW

 

[JohnT]

Can I safely run this filter without DE? I dont think that is a good idea, but I thought I would ask. I just thought it would be easier to let the grids get the big stuff and then charge it with DE and finish up. I just know if I shock and run this thing with DE in it, I will be backwashing and recharging 7-8 times/day! Gonna need lots of DE. If that is the case, I will just keep it going year round from now on. Any advice?
Thanks.
UW

No. The grids will catch the dirt, but it won't backwash out so the filter will have a reduced life between backwashes until you open it up and clean the grids.

The easiest way is to close late and open early. Clear water is the norm if you do that.

That's the downside with DE. They are too good when the pool is dirty.

 

[underwater]

I was afraid you were gonna say that! :-D
Oh well. I guess I'll know better next time.
I do have one other thing that I have been wondering about. Maybe you can clear it up for me. I notice that sometime the back pressure doesn't go all the way up to "backwash pressure", but yet the return jets are WEAK. This is obviously because the pump isn't pumping hard enough. I backwash and it all goes back to normal. Any ideas why the backpressure doesn't go all the way up? In fact, last time it kept doing this, I took it apart and cleaned the grids. They were bad dirty. Maybe that is what is going on again, but can you explain why? Probably a stupid question, but I just can't reason it out in my head .

Thanks yet again.
UW

 

[JasonLion]

The IntelliFlo is a variable speed pump. Depending on how you have the pump setup, which makes a big difference, it is possible that it is set to a lower speed than your old pump and thus the peak pressure is lower.

The IntelliFlo VF can be set to a speed, or a flow rate. If it is set to a flow rate, it will increase it's speed as the filter gets dirtier, and the pressure will go up quickly as the filter gets really dirty. If it is set to a speed then the maximum pressure depends on the speed. Lower speeds mean lower maximum pressures.