I just started working taking care of a commercial pool and spa. I want to know how often or when to clean my DE filter grids. They are in a tank on the suction side of the pump. I mounted pressure and vacuum gauges for the system. When filters are clean the pressure reads 18 PSI and the vacuum is at 8". The previous person said to clean once or twice a week but in pool school they said that frequent cleaning, when not needed, is a waste of time and money for the DE powder. Tell me what you guys/gals think.
When should I clean my filters
- Thread starter daltana
- Start date
We recommend cleaning filters/backwashing when you have a pressure rise of 25% of normal pressure. Welcome!
We recommend cleaning filters when three pressure rises 20-25% over the clean pressure. But that is for filters on the pressure side of the pump and we are mostly residential.
Seems odd and inefficient to have the filters on the suction side.
Seems odd and inefficient to have the filters on the suction side.
Just curious, do you have, or have you found the local municipal/state/city/county ordinances for pool maintainence?
How are you testing the water?
How are you chlorinating the pool?
Did the previous person say clean as in open and remove grids? Or clean as in backwash?
I would use the knowledge you gain by reading here over what the previous person said, but i would also want to know what expectations the government has for your pool chemical levels and or maintainence procedures.
I guess you all have a log for chemcial testing, might be useful to post a picture of it and let people comment.
Welcome!
How are you testing the water?
How are you chlorinating the pool?
Did the previous person say clean as in open and remove grids? Or clean as in backwash?
I would use the knowledge you gain by reading here over what the previous person said, but i would also want to know what expectations the government has for your pool chemical levels and or maintainence procedures.
I guess you all have a log for chemcial testing, might be useful to post a picture of it and let people comment.
Welcome!
Thanks all and thanks for the welcome. On my 1800 gallon Spa I clean the Hayward C2025 filter cartridge when pressure rises 10 PSI over clean. It has a pressure dial with green and red pointers spaced 10 PSI apart. Runs at 10 PSI clean and 20 PSI I clean the filters.
More interested in the pool filter though. CPT school said over cleaning is a waste of time and DE powder. It has 18 grids that measure 18" X 24" that give me a filter surface area of 108 sq/ft. I use about 12.5 pounds of DE per cleaning which at 1 cleaning/week is 50 pounds of DE per month. I am trying to reduce this and save myself time.
Thanks.
More interested in the pool filter though. CPT school said over cleaning is a waste of time and DE powder. It has 18 grids that measure 18" X 24" that give me a filter surface area of 108 sq/ft. I use about 12.5 pounds of DE per cleaning which at 1 cleaning/week is 50 pounds of DE per month. I am trying to reduce this and save myself time.
Thanks.
daltana said:
Well the standard answer of cleaning when pressure increases by 20-25% has already been given with the caveats for your situation.
Have you witnessed a cleaning yet? What do the grids look like before cleaning?
After 1 weeks, do you notice water flow diminishing? Do you have a flow meter installed somewhere? Pressure guage on filters?
daltana said:
This is waiting too long probably as well ... should likely be cleaning before a pressure of 13psi so that the flow is not significantly reduced.
Do you mean they are in a tank, as in an unpressurized tank? Like a fishtank with no lid?
Pictures of all of this would be neat.
Pictures of all of this would be neat.
harleysilo said:
Yes an unpressurized tank. It has a hinged lid to keep debris out and to clean. Tried to add a pic but said it was invalid?
WOW, that is for a 60K pool? Looks like something i'd rig up for a pond or something. How do you distribute DE powder after cleaning?
harleysilo said:
Slowly pour 12.5 pounds of DE in the water while precoat valve is open. This is a 10 year old pool.
