Who's Using a "Bump" DE Filter??

[wmshay6]

I am currently using a Doughboy DE Filter that has backwash capability, but think I have one or more bad grids. I keep getting DE in the pool.

Pump and filter is 12 years old and replacement grids from DB are $65 +/- each. I'm thinking it may be time to just replace the thing with a hayward or pentair or something where I can get parts locally. The closest Doughboy dealer is 30 miles away and inconvenient to get to.

Definitely going DE again. My question concerns "bump" filters v "backwash" filters. I currently only have to backwash a few times each summer once the initially opening is complete. So backwashing is not a big deal. But in looking at the Hayward website, I see that most (all?_) or their filters are the bump style now.

For anyone using the bump style- do you find that you have to break down the filter over the summer or is the "bump" action sufficient to recharge the filter. I am just used to backwashing a recharging, so the bump aspect is foreign to me. And I really would rather not have to disassemble the filter more than once a year. If the "bump" works, great, but if not, I need to keep looking for a DE filter with multi-port valve.

Is anyone using a newer bump style DE filter that can comment?

 

[waste]

Hayward still makes the bump filters (perflex) but also has the Microclear grid filters (I've seen 100s of them) You can read my post here on De filters. At the bottom of this thread Waterbear and I had a little discussion on DE filters which you might find interesting.

I prefer the options that a multiport De filter offers (little things like waste and recirc) -- spend the $ to get a 6 (sometimes called 7) position valve, rather than the 4 (5) position valve!

I know a little bit about DE filters, if you need any help - simply ask 8)

 

[wmshay6]

Thanks WASTE- I read the sticky which is what precipitated my comment. I have never had to use a "screwdriver" and I only break the filter once a year- at the end of the season- to clean it and acid wash the fingers. The reason? It's a REAL PITA to remove all of those bolts holding the two tank halves together. Whenever I backwash, I only recharge about 50% and at the end of the year still have some DE caked on the bottom.

I appreciate your comments and you have confirmed my suspicions that I want a multi valve DE filter and not a bump filter.

 

[Guest]

Bottom line is this, bumping a DE filter causes the DE powder to mix with the dirt and then you recoat the grids with DIRTY DE!!!!! Now THAT makes a LOT of sense, doesn't it! To clean a DE filter you need to break it down! (Don't get me started on my rant about backwashing DE filters, that is almost as much foolishness as bumping them!!! I do maintenance on commercial pools at a resort condo and both our pools have DE filters. We clean them 2 times a day by actually hosing all the old DE off the grids and then recoat them! This are not small filters either, one is on a 65K pool and the other on a 55K pool. These are commercial filters and they cannot be bumped or backwashed. The only way to clean them is to actually CLEAN them!!!!! If you want to properly clean a DE filter then break it down!!!!!!!!)

 

[wmshay6]

Follow up- Here's a question- If you were going to buy a new DE filter for an AG pool ~14000 gallons, what make and model would you buy? WHY?

Locally I can get Pentair and Hayward easily and could probably find other brands if I really tried. But Hayward and Pentair are the biggies around here. Would you go with a Pro-Grid?

 

[waste]

I would get the Hayward, but that's only because I've worked on hundreds of them - if the price is ~ the same for Hayward vs, Pentair - you might want to consider the Hayward, because I can tell you all about them if you have trouble in the future 8)

Please keep in mind, when selecting the size that bigger is better and you are thinking of installing a I/G pool (every now and then, I can recall an old post )

Don't go with Hayward just because I said to, if the Pentair will do what you want for less $, take that option!!

 

[wmshay6]

Thanks for the input. My local pool store is really pretty good. And their prices are not too bad either. Lots of things (like Poly) are similar or less than mailorder. All things considered, I will probably buy whichever I can more readily get parts for.

But I definitely want something that I can use on the pool upgrade (if I ever get the $$ together for it) :-D

Of course for $100 I could probably just fix the one I have, but where's the fun in that?