New intex 2650 sand filter keeps clogging in Filter mode

[stevelynch]

Hi! I've been reading and searching the forum, and haven't seemed to find this exact problem, so I figured I'd post my question.

I have a 16x16 ez-set pool that came with the little lame cartridge filter. I just upgraded to the 2650 Intex sand filter, and it seems to keep clogging in filter mode.

Here's what I mean... If I put it in recirculate mode, it'll almost blow water out of the pool, if I backwash, then run in filter mode, it's nice and strong, however, about 3 hours later, there is barely any pressure coming out of the pool side nozzle, and the PSI seems to go up to around 20. I backwash again, and it's good for a few more hours.

I did not know about rinsing, so I did blow some sandy water back into the pool at one point.

why would it be binding up? could I have blown sand into the hoses?

when I backwash, should the water be sandy?

The problem is definitely not the pump, it seems to be in the filter..

filter and sand are 2 days old.

Thanks!!

 

[zea3]

Make sure you are backwashing long enough that the water looks clear. If you are seeing sand in the backwash, you may have put too much sand in the filter, or gotten some sand in the center pipe. Someone with more sand filter experience may be able to give you some more trouble shooting tips if it is a filter problem.

The next question is how does the water look? If it is a little cloudy then the filter may just be doing its job and is getting full of debris. Please post a complete set of test results and we can tell you if it is a water balance problem.

 

[reindeerboy]

Your sand could be channel locked. If that is the case, then open it up, put a hose in it on low, and move your hand around in it to break up any clumps in the sand. Then put the unit back together and try that. This happens with new sand when I change my sand.

Sometimes I just tape on the outside of the filter with a rubber mallet and that works too. You also may have overfilled your filter with sand too?

I am sure one of the Mod people will clarify this for you. Good Luck, Hope it gets straighted out.

 

[edavis]

You don't have alot of debri ex. leaves,grass clippings do you. I found my same sand filter last night had that stuff in it that had made it through the pump and into a screen on the bottom side of the sand filter valve assembly. I had the same experience you are explaining. It involves taking the valve assembly off the tank and stand pipe be sure it doesn't bull the stand pipe out of the sand like mine did or you will be scooping all that sand back out of your filter to get it all set back into place.

 

[cmilliorn]

I myself just installed my pool with that filter, hopefully you followed the directions when installing perfectly because it sounds like you skipped some steps.

If I remember correctly, I am at work so maybe not, but the instructions were to fill half way put in water then fill to somewhere between min and max. For me two bags of home depot sand were perfect mid way fill in the filter.

Now once that bad boy is installed you need to backwash, took me about 8 minutes to get clear. Once its cleared I ran rinse for 2 mins and then turned on filter. I have had no issues with the filter since then. If you skipped one of these steps you may want to go back especially if you can see the sand in the pool.

Hope that this helps!

 

[msgtdan]

My old 1600 used to do that but I live on a dirt road and filtered so much dust out of the pool initially it would clog the sand. Once I got everything filtered out of the pool then it would go longer. You also might have an algae problem about ready to happen and the filter is clogging on the dead algae. Have you had abnormal chlorine usage or high CC's?