DE Fill amount

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Splitpi

Active member
Apr 13, 2021
32
Dallas, TX
Pool Size
16000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
I have a Jandy DEV60. Looking at the manual, page 9 Table 2 it states:
Model No.DE Quantity (lbs.)DE Quantity (kg.)No of 1 lb. Coffee Cans
DEV485.02.010
DEV6062.712

Am a bit confused about understanding the table. It appears I should use 12 1lb Coffee Cans to coat the grid, however, that does not equate to the 6 lbs recommended.

How should I be interpreting the table for the recommended amount of DE?
 
I think you will find that coffee is denser and heavier than DE. If you have a food scale at home you would find a 1 lb coffee can full of coffee will weigh 1 lb while the same coffee can full of DE will weight 1/2 lb.

I use DE that comes in a box with packages of 6lbs of DE in each package. That is the perfect amount to add to a clean DEV60 filter without any measuring. Or I eyeball leaving about 1 lbs left over when adding DE after a backwash.
 
Split,

You need to add 6 lbs. If does not matter how you do it.

I suggest that you find something to use to measure out the DE. Could be a coffee can or whatever. Fill it up with DE and see what it weights.

Then calculate how many "scoops' you need to add 6 lbs of DE.

Since it sounds like this might be your first time to do this, let me make it easier...

Add the dry DE to a 5 gallon bucket. Then fill the bucket with water. You will be amazed as to how much water will still fit in the bucket. :mrgreen:

Stir the DE into a slurry and then, with the pump running, slowly add the slurry into your skimmer.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Most pool stores sell “DE scoops” (they’re typically orange colored) that are designed to scoop exactly 1 lbs of DE per scoop. I have had one since I’ve owned my pool.
 
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Yea, I measured out the weight on a small scale. It was just that the table makes no sense and I was wondering if I was missing something. Basically, 1 orange DE cup is between 18 to 14 oz depending if packed or not.
 
Splitpi said:
Yea, I measured out the weight on a small scale. It was just that the table makes no sense and I was wondering if I was missing something. Basically, 1 orange DE cup is between 18 to 14 oz depending if packed or not.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you don’t pack it like your measuring out brown sugar for cookies. You scoop it up and gently tap/shake off the excess. It’s roughly 16oz or 1 lb. This isn’t rocket science and DE filters are often overloaded too much. My filter supposedly requires 10lbs of DE. I only ever add 8lbs since the vast majority of it sits in the bottom of the filter tub. It works absolutely fine.
 
DE has a bulk density of about 20 pounds per cubic foot. 4.8 pounds of DE will have a volume of about 0.24 cubic feet (230 fluid ounces, 7.18 quarts or 1.8 gallons).

4 pounds = about 24 cups.

Also, note that most pool stores sell a 1 pound DE scoop (The Hayward cup is about 48 ounces).

The volume of the cup below would be about 66 cubic inches or about 36.5 fluid ounces.

1673299510180.png


DE Scoop - OBW190050 - INYOPools.com

Pool Thermometer for your Above Ground Pools, Inground Pools, or Spas
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Custom Molded Products De Scoop 1lb (25600.0090) - INYOPools.com

25600.0090 - DE SCOOP 1LB (25600.0090)
www.inyopools.com www.inyopools.com
 
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320 grams per liter is 20 lbs per cubic foot.

Bulk density is the density of a scoop of DE that is uncompacted.

There are different densities depending on if the material is loose, tapped, compressed etc.

There are different size cups for "1 lb" of DE, so they are assuming different levels of compaction or looseness.

Very loose is about 48 ounces per lb.

More compacted is about 37 ounces per pound.

The exact amount is not critical.

The Hayward DE filter require 1.25 lbs per 10 square feet and the Pentair DE filters require 1 lb per 10 square feet.

The amount of DE assumes a clean filter.

Backwashing never gets out all DE and you have to use less after just a backwash.

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The weight density of water is 62.4 lb/ft3

DE is denser than water with a density of 140.4 lb per cubic foot.

The bulk density is about 20 lb per cubic foot.

So, the bulk density assumes that there is about 7 times the volume for bulk density, which means that there is a lot of air or empty space in the bulk or loose powder.
 
I had to dump the filter to replace the drain plug O-ring. I didn't backwash or clean the grid, it emptied the filter of water and loose DE. I put 5 measured lbs of DE back in via a slurry.

I have had to replace a lot of O-rings after having the pool for 3 years. Just been working my way through the equipment.
 
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