Could maintaining too high of a chlorine level cause the filters in my pool equipment to become completely misshapened with some cracked plastic? I have a Purex Triton Clean and Clear Plus. I just replaced the filters with brand new (Pentair) in August 2007. The previous filters lasted 6 years. I am using bleach and keeping my levels between 7-10 the majority of the time. When I first contacted your site, I was having continual algae issues (which are now completely resolved THANK YOU!) so the chlorine levels at that time may have been kept higher. Of course I have all my other chemicals at the proper levels also and I added borates which I check monthly. I am having to replace the filters, which is not inexpensive, and I want to make sure that I do not have the same problem. Any ideas? :idea:
Effect of high chlorine level on equipment
- Thread starter 65corvette
- Start date
No. Very high chlorine levels can cause metal corrosion, but would not affect plastic. Something else must have affected your filters, though I am not sure what would have the effect you describe.
How "high" your chlorine level really is depends on your CYA level. FC around 7 to 10 is very high if CYA is zero, but completely reasonable if CYA is 80.
How "high" your chlorine level really is depends on your CYA level. FC around 7 to 10 is very high if CYA is zero, but completely reasonable if CYA is 80.
When you say "filters" do you mean the cartridges or the actual filter housing itself? The Purex IS a Pentair (Purex was bought by Pentair several years ago and the Clean and Clear plus, which is one of the 4 cartridge styles of filters has only been available under the Pentair name for several years now.)
The filter housing should last quite a while and this filter is NSF rated for commercial installations. The actual cartridges inside the filter have a lifespan of anywhere from one year to about 5 years, depending on how they have been cared for. If they are hosed off on a regular basis and soaked once or twice a year you should be able to get 3-5 years out of them.
how-to-clean-a-cartridge-filter-t4465.html
If there has been damage to the actual filter vessel, I doubt it was caused by too high a chlorine level (unless, of course, you have been running EXTREMELY high FC with low CYA for an extended period of time but in this case you would probably suffer damage to other components before the filter). Cracking of the fiberglass vessel is more likely caused by too much pressure which could be caused by having a pump too large for the filter, not cleaning the filter often enough , a clogged filter from the use of phosphate removers or from algae blooms (in other words, not watching your pressure gauge!), or maybe a broken pressure gauge. (These things can also cause damage to a cart.) It also could be caused by physical trauma to the vessel. UV from the sun and high heat can also take it's tole on equipment. It does here in Florida! If I remember correctly you live in Arizona (putting that info into your profile would be helpful) so I imagine it's much the same there.
If you ARE referring to the actual cartridges, you got six years use out of them!
That is excellent and replacing them is just one of the maintenance costs of owning a cartridge filter. Remember, 3-5 years is the average lifespan of a cart. Next time, instead of getting the OEM replacements get one of the replacements from either Unicel, Pleatco, or Worldpool (Aladdin). It will save you a LOT of money and the cart is just as good! 
As far as damage to the carts, I have never seen chlorine damage them but I have seen very low pH damage carts. Pouring acid or putting trichlor tablets into your skimmer can cause damage to carts (because of the very low pH of trichlor). I have seen this on more than one occasion, which is why I would tell my customers NOT to pour acid or put trichlor tablets in a skimmer (there are a lot of other reasons why also.) I have seen this type of damage as cracking of the rubber endcaps on the cart and of the endcaps turning 'gooey' and starting to 'dissolve', possibly coating the inside of the filter vessel with the residue.
The filter housing should last quite a while and this filter is NSF rated for commercial installations. The actual cartridges inside the filter have a lifespan of anywhere from one year to about 5 years, depending on how they have been cared for. If they are hosed off on a regular basis and soaked once or twice a year you should be able to get 3-5 years out of them.
how-to-clean-a-cartridge-filter-t4465.html
If there has been damage to the actual filter vessel, I doubt it was caused by too high a chlorine level (unless, of course, you have been running EXTREMELY high FC with low CYA for an extended period of time but in this case you would probably suffer damage to other components before the filter). Cracking of the fiberglass vessel is more likely caused by too much pressure which could be caused by having a pump too large for the filter, not cleaning the filter often enough , a clogged filter from the use of phosphate removers or from algae blooms (in other words, not watching your pressure gauge!), or maybe a broken pressure gauge. (These things can also cause damage to a cart.) It also could be caused by physical trauma to the vessel. UV from the sun and high heat can also take it's tole on equipment. It does here in Florida! If I remember correctly you live in Arizona (putting that info into your profile would be helpful) so I imagine it's much the same there.
If you ARE referring to the actual cartridges, you got six years use out of them!
That is excellent and replacing them is just one of the maintenance costs of owning a cartridge filter. Remember, 3-5 years is the average lifespan of a cart. Next time, instead of getting the OEM replacements get one of the replacements from either Unicel, Pleatco, or Worldpool (Aladdin). It will save you a LOT of money and the cart is just as good! As far as damage to the carts, I have never seen chlorine damage them but I have seen very low pH damage carts. Pouring acid or putting trichlor tablets into your skimmer can cause damage to carts (because of the very low pH of trichlor). I have seen this on more than one occasion, which is why I would tell my customers NOT to pour acid or put trichlor tablets in a skimmer (there are a lot of other reasons why also.) I have seen this type of damage as cracking of the rubber endcaps on the cart and of the endcaps turning 'gooey' and starting to 'dissolve', possibly coating the inside of the filter vessel with the residue.
Yes I am referring to the filter cartridges. I don't know what brand the orignal filters were, but the replacements were Pleatco. I realize that filter replacement is one of the maintenance costs of having a pool, but deteriorating to the point of nonuse after only 18 months can't be normal! :grrrr: I know my pH level is not the problem because that always tends to run a bit high. I do not pour acid in the skimmer and I do not use tri-chlor tablets. It was mentioned that not cleaning the filters enough or algae blooms could be a cause. So if I was not cleaning my filters enough when I had all the algea problems, that could have been the culprit? My CYA level had been running high during my algae issues, but I just retested and it is at 60 which I guess is still slightly on the high end. What do you recommend I keep my FC at based on the CYA?
Thanks again - you guys are awesome!
Thanks again - you guys are awesome!
With CYA around 60, FC should typically be between 5 and 9 and never below 5. Some pools need to be towards the higher end of that range, others are fine at the low end.