Vacuuming to waste and question about my DE filter

[socalpaddy]

Hi there,

I have been following the instructions for Turn Your Green Swamp into A Sparkling Oasis and was wondering why the pool wasn't clearing up. The colour changed but it is still cloudy (on Day 5).
I have a couple of questions after reading tons of posts.

1) I have a DE filter. It seems to be working but even with all the algae, the PSI is not increasing. It starts out higher than I expected it (based on previous years) but once at that PSI, there is no increase in the pressure, even after running it 24/4 for days. I am starting to think the gauge is faulty... have been backwashing once every other day and also cleaned the filter on Tuesday night so hopefully I am doing some good. Not sure there is a question in there other than, should I assume my gauge is faulty since the pressure doesn't seem to be increasing?

2) I just today finally found some posts about vacuuming the dead algae out. I understand the theory of vacuuming to waste, just figuring out how to do this on my system. I have a tap on the pipe that goes between my filter and my pump that I could attach a hose to and open to send to waste? Otherwise I cannot see how I would get to waste without going through the filter, unless I just open the backwash Valve on the filter while I am running the pump. I have one pipe going from my pump to my filter and one going from my filter to the pool (I assume this is the direction it goes!) and the only other outlet besides the backwash pipe is this tap. Does that sound like the right way to "vacuum to waste"?


Thanks in advance.

24000gal, IG pool, Pentair 4000 SMBW DE filter, Whisper Flo 1.5 pump...

 

[zea3]

Hi welcome to TFP! As to question #1, have you felt the return flow where the water goes back into the pool? It should feel quite forceful when the filter is clean and noticably weaker when dirty. My DE filter rises to 20-25 psi and barely moves any water when dirty, but the psi will not rise any further. When clean it runs between 8-10 psi. Next question I have, does the needle drop to 0 when the pump is off? If it does not then the gauge is faulty and needs replacing.

#2 As to vacuuming to waste, if the filter needs recharging anyway, open up the filter, pull out the grids and open the waste port. If you are vacuuming "blind" and don't know what kind of debris is in there I would worry about clogging that small tap if you used it for you waste outlet.
You don't have to vacuum to waste, it just saves some labor cleaning the filter, especially a DE filter.

 

[socalpaddy]

Thanks for the response.

I wondered about opening the filter as you mentioned - I am kind of vacuuming blind so that seems like a better option.

I am used to the way my filter usually acts so I think I will replaced the gauge. It is at 8 PSI when off! lol

 

[zea3]

Yep, time to replace the gauge!