hard plumbing waste/drain form the filter Q

[Diver]

I have a DE filter with a multiport valve. Currently I’m working on hard plumbing the waste port from the multiport valve so I can backwash/rinse/drain without using flexible hose that makes a mess.

I’m also connecting the drain from the filter via ball valve to the same drain pie. This will allow me to rinse the DE grid while it’s still in the filter body without making a mess and drain the water away from the filter at the end of the season cleanly as well. When the ball valve is closed it will be as there is a regular plug back in the filter.

My question is, when I backwash and rinse, can I open the new drain valve as well? It might make it easier to wash away DE and debris since there will be 2 exits instead of one (going thru the pipe back to multiport and then thru the waste port). Is there any problems that this could present? Just curious.

Thanks!

 

[jblizzle]

Seems to me that you should be able to open both paths for backwashing, it may not be helpful in Rinse mode though since that is to clear out anything that is inside the grids and the drain is on the outside of the grids.

 

[Diver]

i was under impression that backwashing pushes water from inside of the grids out so DE would fall off. the water then goes down the drain port.

during rinsing the water bypasses the grids and just washes the junk on the bottom and whatever is suspended in the water in the filter out to the drain again.

is it not correct? in both situations seems that having 2 drains would be beneficial.

 

[jblizzle]

You are right about the backwashing. But in the rinse mode, the water goes the normal route (from outside to inside the grids), the only difference is that the water goes to the waste pipe instead of back to the pool.

So if you leave the drain open, you will have less flow going into the grids to rinse them out.

 

[Diver]

got it! thank you!