deep cleaning a sand filter

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Before we go cutting anything would it be possible for you to get a video of the noise your pump is making?
Upload to YouTube and post the link here.
Also - what make & model pump are we discussing?
 
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Chaya said:
i read and watched the videos about how to deep clean sand in a sand filter

Deep Cleaning a Sand Filter

This post will walk you through the anatomy of a sand filter, and then provide a video at the end for how to deep clean your sand filter. The filter used in the photos and videos is a Hayward S180T top mount sand filter. The images are of a similar filter. Obviously not all filters are...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
there was one comment that there was really no explanation about how to remove the top. it said clearly that the filter has to be disconnected from all plumbing. i am totally not handy and waaay too scared - and have no idea - how to cut lines or even to disconnect lines. AND i do not understand at all why i can't remove the top/multiport with all the connected pipes. if i detach the top/multiport, the base of the sand filter which holds the sand is not connected to anything at all - not to return lines or suction lines... so why can't i go ahead and clean and then reattach the top with the 2 screws at the collar. that does not seem so intimidating to me.

also, the video shows a winterized system. if i'd open my system that is already up and running, it will be fill with water. why would i drain it? wouldn't i WANT water in the filter anyway?

the reason i'm trying to clean the sand is because my pump is making a crazy sound. i called the pool company down multiple times. it has been making this noise since they installed a new motor on my pump. they don't seem to have any idea what is causing the sound. yesterday, they said it was not a broken impeller, nothing is clogged, so i must need to change the sand (for $450!). but my sand is almost new! and they seem to suggest changing the sand all the time... in trying to read up, i found this thread which says at most, i should deep clean. So i'd really like to see if this will improve the noise my pump is making.
Click to expand...

Mdragger88 said:
Before we go cutting anything would it be possible for you to get a video of the noise your pump is making?
Upload to YouTube and post the link here.
Also - what make & model pump are we discussing?
Click to expand...
 
That link doesn’t work.
On the YouTube app (not the YouTube studio app)
hit the ➕at the bottom
(it’s on every page)
IMG_0345.jpeg
Select the video you want to upload (it may start playing)
Hit next at the bottom of the screen
IMG_0347.jpeg
Click visibility and select public or unlisted & hit the upload button at the bottom
IMG_0348.jpegIMG_0349.jpeg
After it uploads it will be in your videos,
Find it & hit the 3 dots
IMG_0351.jpeg
Then click share
IMG_0352.jpeg
Then copy the link & paste it here in this thread
IMG_0353.jpeg
 
mid-2021 i replaced my filter.

when i opened my pool in 2023, my pump was dead. after motor was replaced i heard this noise. i kept calling pool company assuming it was an issue with the pump and that it was a bad pump and would be under warranty. they sent video to hayward (?), they said this, they said that... they came down.. they said maybe its the housing... i can't even keep track of it all. but did not manage to solve my problem.
but the whole season the pump DID work, in spite of any noise, and the pool was clean. the noise was not constant. most often i'd hear it after running multiple hours at the end of the day.

this year i opened the pool again and, what a surprise, same noise. if anything, more constant. they came down again! prepared to take everything apart. but after looking, the pool guy said its not the housing, its not the motor, its not the impeller, nothing is stuck. its the sand.. too much pressure, its too dirty, we have to change the sand and see if that helps.

after they left i realized that this noise started beginning of 2023, when the sand was only 1.5 seasons old. this makes no sense! the pool professionals that say sand should be changed, say every 5 yrs or so. and now after a year and a half they want me to change the sand?! i got skeptical and canceled the appointment they made.

but my pump is STILL making a continuous racket!
 
The video is private- you must go to your video- hit the 3 dots, select edit 🖊️
& set visibility to public or unlisted & hit share then post the link it gives you.


Sand doesn’t really go bad unless you ran a bunch of floc through it or excessively used clarifiers.
Its millions of years old already 😂
I highly doubt the sand is your problem.
Have you backwashed?
What is the psi before & after backwashing?
 

i backwashed and so did the pool guy.
i give up with PSI. i have had more than one pressure gauge and i always think they are broken. after 2 min of backwashing dark water, my pressure does not go down much. so either my pressure really is too high or my gauge doesn't work. i complained to the pool company and replaced my gauge more than once b/c they just don't seem accurate (they never go up or they never go down over time) and their response was that they are easily broken and very sensitive. is that true? i have no idea. but based on that, i never rely on it too much.
 
The video works!
It sounds terrible & kinda like something is stuck.
There’s also a bit of turbulence in the pump pot.
Lets see what @newdude thinks.

Have you checked the impeller yourself?

Your pressure gauge should go to zero when the pump is off - if it doesn’t it is broken & needs to be replaced.
It is important to have a functioning pressure gauge to understand what is happening with your system.

You should backwash until the water in the sight glass runs clear then turn the pump off,
switch to rinse and rinse until there’s no sand in the sight glass.
Then pump off & switch to filter. Record the psi reading as your clean psi.
Backwashing should be done when psi is 25% over clean pressure.

Until he gets back can you post pics of your entire equipment area that shows all the plumbing & equipment.
Also the make & model of your pump.
 

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yes, first thing pool guy said is "sounds like something is stuck in impeller". i did not check the impeller myself but he assured me that it was fine and nothing was actually stuck.

pressure is zero when its off. right now i think its about 25 or so when pump is on. so its not broken, i just thought it was inaccurate. after backwashing for 2 minutes (water was totally clear at end) last time pressure remained about the same. and pool guy also backwashed. by now it SHOULD be clean!

i can take pictures of the entire area when i get home from work. thank you!
 
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Mdragger88 said:
Lets see what @newdude thinks.
Click to expand...
It sounds like plastic rattling on plastic to me, like it has the wrong filter basket and just a little play in there us having it bounce around a thousand times a second.

But i've worked on exactly zero pumps in my career so let's call in @1poolman1.
 
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Chaya said:
but remember that i don't hear it in when the filter is set to recirculate only when on "filter". hence, it would not seem to have something to do with the pump basket or inside the pump.
Click to expand...
Interesting 🤔
Double check that when you get home.
What about during backwash or waste?
 
Chaya said:

i backwashed and so did the pool guy.
i give up with PSI. i have had more than one pressure gauge and i always think they are broken. after 2 min of backwashing dark water, my pressure does not go down much. so either my pressure really is too high or my gauge doesn't work. i complained to the pool company and replaced my gauge more than once b/c they just don't seem accurate (they never go up or they never go down over time) and their response was that they are easily broken and very sensitive. is that true? i have no idea. but based on that, i never rely on it too much.
Click to expand...
Theres something wrong with the pump if the noise is like that video.
Chaya said:
gonna check... it was bperry's advice to see if it was filter related by testing on recirculate.
Click to expand...
definately odd. Its possible the extra pressure pushing water through the filter causes the rattling but on recirculate theres lower pressure and hence no noise.

Definitely check on the other settings as well like suggested above. Backwash would be pushing water through as well just a different direction.

Is water coming out of the returns when that noise is happening?
 
next: i backwashed for 2 min and the water was clear the entire time (remember the pool guy did this 2 days ago). then i rinsed for 20 seconds just like my equipment instruction manual said to. then i turned back to filter.
the pressure started at 25 psi and was 25 psi when i was done! thats why i never placed much faith in the gauge!

also, i did not hear the noise in the pump during either backwash or rinse. happens to be, it was making a racket in the filter mode before i started this whole backwashing operation, but when i returned to "filter" when i was done, the noise did not continue. But its been like that. the noise comes and goes and i can't figure out what it is. and i'm beginning to think no one else can?
 
Well, back to your original question about cleaning/inspecting the sand & filter internals…
You don’t have any unions so if you do attempt it you’ll need to cut the pipes at which time I suggest you install unions on the straight run areas for ease of future maintenance.
Perhaps in these locations
IMG_0360.jpeg

The intermittent clacking makes me think there’s something loose in there. Definitely check that impeller yourself.
 
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