High pressure with new cartridge filter

[KickABuck]

Hello all...

I've got a Hayward Starclear II cartridge filter system and recently put in a new filter. The filter worked fine for a few hours, but then the PSI jumped to about 30, flow of water decreased dramatically to pool jets, waterfall and polaris stopped working. So I pulled the cartridge out and sprayed it down good, put it back in and pressure starts at about 25, but quickly moves back up to 30 and I have the same problem with flow with pump filter emptying half way.

Now if I remove the cartridge completely, all pressure is excellent.. pump filter is full of water no air, polaris works etc. PSI is about 9. But as soon as I put the cartridge back in, same problem. Now this is a brand new filter, correct model for the cartridge. If I put the old cartridge back in, same problem. In fact the old cartridge is less than a year old as well and I purchased a new one thinking the old one was borked because of same problem.

The cartridge is a Unicel C-8610, replacement for Hayward CX1100RE. Not sure what my old cartridge is, they look identical however.

Am I missing something? It seems the cartridge is the problem but why would the same problem be happening with both the old and new cartridge?

Edit: More information

I am just coming out of winter and the pool was a mess.. I've been shocking the pool and pulling all the leaves off the bottom, but there were a ton. I've got all of the leaves out, but now I have a ton of silt and dead leaves algae in the pool.

I understand the algae can clog the filter and increase pressure, but should it be happening so quickly? Should I pull and clean them 5-6 times a day or just let it run 24 hours with high pressure and then clean once? Assuming the problem is not hardware related.

 

[duraleigh]

Your cartridge is doing exactly what it is intended to do. It is filtering particles from your water.....you have so many particles it is clogging the filter.

There is about a 98% chance you need to shock your pool.

read "The ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry" up in Pool School, then read "How to Shock Your Pool".

 

[KickABuck]

I've included a picture of the pool from this morning.

I know how to shock my pool, the issue is that no matter how well I rinse off my filter and put it back in, the PSI immediately climbs to the point no water flows.

So not enough water is being circulated to filter out the particles through the filter. I just checked it again and no water is coming out my jets, the PSI is almost 40 now and the filter basket before the pump is 1/4 full. If I remove the filter cartridge I again have immediate flow.

So how should I go about cleaning?

Do I need to turn everything off, let all particles float to the bottom after a day and then try and vacuum to waste?

Leaving the pump running at full at this time doesn't seem to be doing anything at all.

Recommendations?

 

[mas985]

Unless you have a way to bypass the filter, I would turn off the pump and just focus on shocking. When adding chlorine walk around the pool edge to distribute then use a pool brush to mix. Once the pool is clear and the debris has dropped to the bottom, then vacuum to waste if possible.

Also, please fill out your signature with your equipment and pool stats as described here: pool-school/read_before_you_post

 

[KickABuck]

Ok,

The pool is clean.

FC - .4
CC - 10
pH - 8
TA - 430 ?
CYA - 0

I still have the same exact problem. Without my new cleaned cartridge filter, everything runs perfect with pressure. When I add the cartridge, the psi is high and not enough flow to power the polaris. It's almost as if the cartridge is too saturated with water to allow proper flow through it. If that makes sense. There is zero debris caught up in the filter, it is not discolored, it still looks brand new.

Any suggestions?

 

[mas985]

The pool is clean.

FC - .4
CC - 10
pH - 8
TA - 430 ?
CYA - 0

Not quite clean. The high CC indicates you are still killing algae so although it may look clean, you need to continue to shock until you get the CC to 0.

Also, chlorine works better at lower PH, so I would lower the PH to 7.2. You might start adding a little CYA in a sock over a return or use chlorine tabs if you have them as you shock to bring up the CYA a little.

Normally a cartridge filter will show no PSI difference with or without the cartridge so the cartridge is definitely collecting something. Note that after shocking dead algae is sometimes white to light grey so it could be embedded in the filter and you might not notice it.

If you clean the filter, does the pressure drop?

BTW, what is the filter size in sqft?

 

[tpcorr]

Kickabuck,

Dumb question, but have you checked to make sure the strainer basket in the pump is oriented so that the big hole in the basket is lined up with the inlet , and not vice versa?

Tom

 

[mas985]

Kickabuck,

Dumb question, but have you checked to make sure the strainer basket in the pump is oriented so that the big hole in the basket is lined up with the inlet , and not vice versa?

Tom

That would cause lower than normal pressure not higher than normal pressure.

 

[tpcorr]

Well, it's easy to check, and if it were the case it would certainly explain the reduced flow from the returns. I had an above ground pool years ago, with an undersized cartridge filter. I would have to clean this cartridge daily, or the return flow virtually stopped. I replaced the cartridge thinking it was faulty, but it wasn't, just too small.

Tom