Above ground hayward sand pump showing 8-9 psi, too low?

[theskyisthelimit99]

When i opened the pool a few weeks ago i had found that my gauge was cracked from the winter. In the past when i'd checked pressure with the old gauge, ie: last year, it was always something like 18 psi (i think), this with the solar going, the robot and return and side skimmer (models in my sig for most of this).

Since changing to a slightly different model gauge, it seems to be showing around 9 psi, though i swear when i first installed the gauge it was at or around 13, maybe not.

To test if the gauge is working i thought i did this right.. i shut off the side eyeball return and left only the robot running and there was no change. I also tried turning on my usually off second side port, no change. Even when solar wasnt active the pressure value was the same.

Of course I should verify that it read 0 psi when off (i think it did but need to double check).

I read that low pressure can be a problem before the motor or motor basket (i'd assume between the skimmer outlet and the motor as well?).
Unless of course 9psi is typical for this size system (pretty sure its not).

Anyone know off hand if this seems off in general?
Thanks in advance

 

[Msch99]

An expert may chime in, but our Intex sand filter normally runs between 9 and 10. If your gauge was going bad it may not have given you good readings. Did you have DE in it last year or just clean the sand lately?

 

[theskyisthelimit99]

An expert may chime in, but our Intex sand filter normally runs between 9 and 10. If your gauge was going bad it may not have given you good readings. Did you have DE in it last year or just clean the sand lately?

Interesting ok, i've had the hayward filter going for around 2-3 seasons now, all on the old gauge, so yeah maybe the damage was there even before this year (this year it stuck at a reading on or off then i replaced it).
Sand wise i've just been doing regular backwashes every 2 weeks or so (1-2 min each time).

 

[splashpad]

@theskyisthelimit99, Excellent questions so far, I'm leaning towards the old gauge was possibly reading faulty... Does your gauge have an air release valve? You would release it with the pump OFF.
Does the gauge show 0 when backwashing? Does the pressure raise after it's run for awhile?

 

[theskyisthelimit99]

Thanks.. there was a black tab on the gauge. I removed it, put it back on, then re-tested. I'm now back to a more "normal" 15-16psi.. i think my notes on my thread seemed to be around 17 in the past, so i think its all good now.