Pressure dropping in my Sandfilter!!!

[tootie]

Whoozer, I never thought it would come to this...
A few day's ago I noticed that my pressure was dropping, I did some research on here to see if I
could find an answer..I found a few threads on channeling, so I opened it up and did the recommended procedure worked for a few days now I'm back with pressure dropping.
It goes from 8 all the way down to 2 overnight..I try the rinse, backwash cycle a few Times, but it doesn't last long.. :grrrr:

Whata Girl to do??

Any Help is very much appreciated!!!!

 

[frankthailand]

Hello first thing you could try is a new pressure gauge, [not expensive] and if that doesn't work maybe replace the sand. Also when the pressure drops does the flow from your returns change at all?.
Happy swims
Frank

 

[tootie]

Hello first thing you could try is a new pressure gauge, [not expensive] and if that doesn't work maybe replace the sand. Also when the pressure drops does the flow from your returns change at all?.
Happy swims
Frank

Hey Frank
I forgot to mention I already bought a new gauge, and my Sand is only 2 month old..
The Flow drops pretty good to, now if I put it on recirculate the pressure goes up to 10 psi...
Does that make any since???

 

[Crzyfrlss1]

I'm going to take a guess that maybe the pump is on it's way out.

Those Intex pumps aren't designed to last very long.

 

[duraleigh]

I try the rinse, backwash cycle a few Times, but it doesn't last long..

Clarify that a little....are you saying the psi goes back to 8 after you backwash?

 

[tootie]

I try the rinse, backwash cycle a few Times, but it doesn't last long..

Clarify that a little....are you saying the psi goes back to 8 after you backwash?

Yep, that's it...It stays there for a lil while , before it works it way down to 2..
If i unhook the sand filter The pressure is so Strong, it goes halfway through the pool...

 

[frankthailand]

To be honest now i'm stumped, the pressure on recirculate is fine, so the other thing it could be is something blocking the laterals on the inside, but that should backwash out any way.
Maybe Crzyfrlss1 is right could be the pump, but the pressure on recirculate sounds good.
Lets see if anyone else can help.


Frank

 

[Northcountry]

Maybe an airleak in the pipe between the pump and filter...or a blockage in the line between pump and filter or in the input to the multivalve???

 

[frankthailand]

so the other thing it could be is something blocking the laterals on the inside, but that should backwash out any way.

please ignore this i
doesn't make sense sorry
Frank

 

[duraleigh]

I am having a hard time following your description.

When the psi drops on your filter guage, it is because the flow TO the pump is being restricted.

Now, how backwashing removes that restriction is beyond me.

I am at a loss to explain that restriction but it is occuring somewhere between your skimmer and the pump.....that's the only way the pressure can drop.

Your pump is not losing prime, is it?

 

[tootie]

I am having a hard time following your description.

When the psi drops on your filter guage, it is because the flow TO the pump is being restricted.

Now, how backwashing removes that restriction is beyond me.

I am at a loss to explain that restriction but it is occuring somewhere between your skimmer and the pump.....that's the only way the pressure can drop.

Your pump is not losing prime, is it?

No, thats whats puzzling to me....
The suction is still good and strong, so i really don't think it's the Pump

 

[MEvan]

are you getting sand into the pool? How is your flow out of return when you have it on filter? How is it on backwash? Then compare the 2 for me.

 

[launboy]

This sounds exactly like what happens when the sand starts channeling, except it doesn't...

Symptoms of channeling...

Pressure drops
Pump still sucking
Backwashing fixes it for a while
Moving the sand with hose also fixes it for a while

What doesn't make sense is that the pressure is better on recirc. then on filter when the sand is channeled, and the other thing is that if the sand was channeled the flow would get better or stay the same as the pressure drops.

Hmmm... I'm stumped, thinking out loud here.

The only way the pressure could be lower on filter with channeled sand, then it is on recirc. is if the pump loses power on filter(which doesn't make sense) or something is blocking the opening when the valve is put in recirc.

What's even weirder is that the pressure on recirc. is 10, but on filter, only 8, even when the sand is clean(and not channeled). The pressure should pretty much always be higher on filter then on recirculate. On my filter, normal pressure is 8.5, but whne I put it on recirc. the pressure goes down to 6-7.

Something doesn't add up...

Good luck,
Adam

 

[Nasty90]

Just wondering if your pool has any inlet jets. I use 1/2" inlets on my pools, it bring the psi up a bump but won't hurt them. The reason using a smaller jet, it helps pull water current across the pool a little better, add some resistance to the pump.

 

[Aquaman95]

What kind of sand did you use when you changed it?

 

[tootie]

So here is what I did.... I took everything apart, pump and filter, there was a lot of hair and lil stuff in it..

while I was doing this, My Hubby declared me insane(Just as a site note)
He thinks that my cute little Sprayer is the Problem, Witch I really hope is not, since I like it a lot Unless you guy's tell me, it's staying

I did this yesterday, and when I checked this morning...Woohoo my Pressure did not drop at all..
I keep a Eye on it, and hope this is fixed , it's a pain in the Butt to take all of this apart...

Thanks for every body's help..

Margit

 

[duraleigh]

Margit,

The sprayer doesn't hurt anything.

How did all the grit and grime get in the pump? Is your pump strainer basket in place?

 

[tootie]

Margit,

The sprayer doesn't hurt anything.

How did all the grit and grime get in the pump? Is your pump strainer basket in place?

It's one of them Intex Pumps, they don't have the strainer basket's like the regular Pool Pumps..
But I'm shopping for one now, So if anybody has a suggestion on what to get, or to look for I would be a happy camper


Margit