A wet-n-dry shop vac will empty the filter. If you don't own one, probably one of your handy friends or neighbors does.
How long do I need to use POP ?
- Thread starter CindyG1
- Start date
Just follow the instructions here, http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/73192-Deep-Cleaning-a-Sand-Filter and be gentle with the hose.
You shouldn't have a problem if you are careful like the post says. There's even a youtube video to see it done! I don't think you'll have to replace your sand. Just let the hose get it nice and cleaned up.
You shouldn't have a problem if you are careful like the post says. There's even a youtube video to see it done! I don't think you'll have to replace your sand. Just let the hose get it nice and cleaned up.
OK...I just watched the video and have read all I can on the filter. I'll let you know how it goes and I'll take pics as as I go..Wish me luck!
Just in case something happens and you do want/need to take the sane out-----------I got a plastic cup that would fit my hand AND to in the hole of the filter with the top off. I put my wheelbarrow right by the filter and scooped the sand out one cupful at a time Was not easy and my hand were a sore when I was done.
I will have to remember the shop vac idea if there is a next time.
I wish I lived closer so I could help and then have a cold one with you when we are done!
Kim
Was not easy and my hand were a sore when I was done.I will have to remember the shop vac idea if there is a next time.
I wish I lived closer so I could help and then have a cold one with you when we are done!
Kim
well I did end up scooping all of thew sand out andd I did it by hand with a cup. Heres the thing though, when we took off the filter top the lateral assembly came right up with it...there was probably only half of the sand it should have had in it. I did try cleaning the sand but kept getting handfuls of slime so I decided to remove all of it and have now replaced it with 200 lbs of new sand. I made sure the lateral assembly was well seated , I backwashed the heck out of and rinsed it well. The pump is up and running at 14 lbs. I decided I was way to tired to make margaritas and opened a cold beer instead. Kim I wish you were here too! We have the same size pool too...I will post pics in a little bit. I aam on the ipad and really do better with pics from the desktop...too tired to go in there right now. Maybe with a new 200 lbs of sand we will be good soon...oh, the chlorine level was still at 23 so I dont even need to add that right now...
I sure hope the new sand does the trick.
I KNOW just how tired you are! How are your hands? Mine were rubbed raw in some spots OUCH!
Now think about putting in some DE. It will help the sand filter out the bad stuff.
HUGS and take something to help you will muscle soreness before you go to bed. You will thank me in the morning!
Kim
I KNOW just how tired you are! How are your hands? Mine were rubbed raw in some spots OUCH!
Now think about putting in some DE. It will help the sand filter out the bad stuff.
HUGS and take something to help you will muscle soreness before you go to bed. You will thank me in the morning!
Kim
Sure hope this works! Kim , my hands are raw and aching, my back is killing me too. 50 lb bags of sand are a lot to lift and carry down stairs. Think I'll pop another top and go to bed. Thanks to all of you for your support. I'll keep you posted.
If nothing else it should definitely help in the filter out stage. If your filter only had half as much sand as it was supposed to it would have probably been an issue down the road anyway.
I'll have to remember when I buy a house (presumably with a pool) to make them show me what's in the filter first!
I'll have to remember when I buy a house (presumably with a pool) to make them show me what's in the filter first!
At least when I did it I did not have to bring in new sand. But the bending over the filter to get the sand out............OUCH!
I hope you see a difference with your pool soon!
Kim
I hope you see a difference with your pool soon!
Kim
Well the pool is still green. I can see the pattern on the bottom but the water is green. Not a hint of blue. The chlorine levels haven't dropped below 20 for 3 days now and before that they hadn't gone below 18 for 15 days. What's up here? There is enough chlorine in this water to kill anything......except algae apparently! Any thoughts?
Well now I have a new issue, sand is pumping thru the return lines. We know the laterals are not broken since we just had them out. I was very slow and careful replacing the sand. What do I do next to fix that issue? It's a lot of sand and it is coming thru in the backwashing also.
Help please. When I put my hand in front of the return it gets covered in sand. Same with backwash. There is no doubt whatsoever it is sand and lots of it. Where do I begin?
I guess I'll get to be the bearer of bad news and tell you what you already know deep down. You need to empty that filter out again and recheck your work. Something didn't get seated properly or you overfilled it. There's a mechanic's rule of thumb that says, "The last thing you worked on is the first thing that breaks." It wasn't blowing sand before you messed with it, and it is now, so it's something you did. Hopefully it's just overfilled. That's the easiest thing to fix.
So it says 200 lb filter. I added 200 lbs. how do I know if it's too much?
- - - Updated - - -
Yes, I was already getting ready to take it all back apart.
- - - Updated - - -
Yes, I was already getting ready to take it all back apart.
Sand should only be about 2/3 full. If you added the right amount, that probably isn't it.
Look close at those laterals, make sure the slots are pointing down like it shows on page 6 here.
Look close at those laterals, make sure the slots are pointing down like it shows on page 6 here.
We have the entire unit out all of the laterals look good. Nothing is broken. There is a 1/4 inch nick at the very top of the PVC going into the valve at the top. The pool store just called and said the valve at the top is probably no good. My unit is obsolete so I need a whole new filter. Does that meek sense?
The filter was not pumping sand before. Everything works. Except it is pumping sand. I don't know what els to do here. Please advise what to check next.
You mean there's an opening where the sand can bypass? That's more likely the problem that the valve suddenly failing.
Looks like the parts are still available, assuming that link I posted earlier is for your filter. http://www.amazon.com/Pentair-WC137-517P-Collector-Assembly-Replacement/dp/B004YLI2MO
Looks like the parts are still available, assuming that link I posted earlier is for your filter. http://www.amazon.com/Pentair-WC137-517P-Collector-Assembly-Replacement/dp/B004YLI2MO
My filter is t-21 owf. However it looks identical. My husband said there is no way that sand should be able to get to the very top of the collector hub at the top where it goes into the top . However we are working on the problem if that's it. Would the valve on top allow sand into the pool?