Sand filter pressure gauge suddenly down 25% - fixed

[spidey07]

I had new sand, fingers and new multiport installed on my hayward sand filter. Pressure was a nice 24 psi on the m-port gauge and stayed that way for weeks. I went on vacation for 5 days and some storms blew through resulting in a lot of debris in the pool (leaves). I cleaned that all out but noticed my pressure is 16-18 psi now and was that way before I started cleaning. I cleaned out the pump filter basket before cleaning vacuuming, wasn't too bad but had leaves in it and pine needles, sucked in from side drain under skimmer I assume.

Any ideas? Oh, and a frog somehow made it to the pump filter basket, guess he went on a ride.

 

[Richard320]

Re: Sand filter pressure gauge suddenly down 25%

First thing to check is low water level. You could be sucking air. It's the easiest thing to check, too.

My guess is a restriction on the suction side. A wad of leaves or pine needles got past the skimmer basket. Shut everything down, pull skimmer and strainer baskets, stick a garden hose is the strainer inlet and seal it up with a rag, then have someone turn on the water full blast. You'll see whatever might have been in there coming up in the skimmer.

After you tried that, see if you can't reach up from the pump strainer area to the pump impeller and be sure the vanes aren't loaded with stuff too. Picture how little air you'd get off a fan if you filled in the gaps between the blades with newspaper. Same principle.

 

[samiguy]

Re: Sand filter pressure gauge suddenly down 25%

Ah...I may have an easy solution for you here. I've had the same pressure drop and I also get a lot of pine needles. Seems as if they go thru the pump basket and get wound around the impeller. I just kill all power to the pump, remove the basket,a and reach in and pull the "wound-up" pine needles out of the impeller. Bingo, it's worked a ton of times for me. I get the occasional small toad and lizards in my pump basket too.
Hope that helps and is the solution. Otherwise, I'm sure the pros will chime in.
Good Luck!!

 

[spidey07]

Re: Sand filter pressure gauge suddenly down 25%

Thanks for the quick response. There are two inputs to the pump - a side "drain" which is nothing more than a 1 or 1.5" hole in the side and the skimmer. My guess is the frog took a ride on the side inlet. No air leaks, I've battled and conquered those as it's my first pool.

You're thinking what I'm thinking - there is something in the one/two inlet pipes (skimmer and drain). Good idea on checking pump.

 

[spidey07]

Re: Sand filter pressure gauge suddenly down 25%

Ah...I may have an easy solution for you here. I've had the same pressure drop and I also get a lot of pine needles. Seems as if they go thru the pump basket and get wound around the impeller. I just kill all power to the pump, remove the basket,a and reach in and pull the "wound-up" pine needles out of the impeller. Bingo, it's worked a ton of times for me. I get the occasional small toad and lizards in my pump basket too.
Hope that helps and is the solution. Otherwise, I'm sure the pros will chime in.
Good Luck!!

I am really starting to hate that pine tree near my pool. And I don't hate many things. That tree though, yeah, I hate him. Thanks for the direction.

Did you know those Dang needles even make it past my fine mesh leaf rake? Yeah...hate that guy.

 

[samiguy]

Re: Sand filter pressure gauge suddenly down 25%

LOL..oh yeah.. Living in the piedmont of the Carolina's, we have MILLIONS of pine trees. My neighbor even has a long-leaf pine that has needles over a foot long. **** things go everywhere!! I even think the toads are starting to use them to build a raft.....geez............

 

[RobbieH]

Re: Sand filter pressure gauge suddenly down 25%

I have a pine tree by my pool, and if my wife would let me I'd cut it down.

I'm curious to know why your PSI is that high at normal pressure. Mine cruises around 10-12 after a backflush.

 

[samiguy]

Re: Sand filter pressure gauge suddenly down 25%

Please let us know what the issue ended up being.
Thanks!!!

 

[spidey07]

Re: Sand filter pressure gauge suddenly down 25%

Please let us know what the issue ended up being.
Thanks!!!

Will do some work this weekend and report. I like the idea of putting garden hose on pump input and trying to "force" out whatever may be stuck in there. But with the pine needles I'm thinking it's more likely those darn needles in the pump impeller.

As far as why it's 24 psi, don't know. Maybe oversize pump. I'd rather have too much water moving than not enough however. It's nice having really strong returns to get the water moving in a circular direction. I can sit and watch my floating thermometer "make his laps" around the pool.

 

[spidey07]

You nailed it samiguy. Tons of pine needles on the impeller. It was quite difficult with my big hand, that opening is small. But I pulled all the needles out of there, some in big chunks. I never would have seen it if I didn't stick my hand in there. Back to 25 psi, it had dropped all the way down to 10.

Thanks a ton, I'll know what to look for if it happens again. Darn pine needles *shakes fist angrily at tree*

 

[samiguy]

Bingo!! Glad you found the issue!! This site has been a wonderul help to me and I'm glad I was able to give something back. Now ya just gotta play it forward and help the next one who needs help!
Congrats and thanks for the update!!!!

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Maybe time to try a skimmer sock? And add some screen/sock to the inlet pipe in the pool? Lastly could a skimmer sock work on the pump basket?