First time cleaning sand filter, need some tips

[pcm2a]

I know the filter hasn't been deep cleaned in at least the 3 years I've lived here, and probably not ever. I spent yesterday adding unions so I could get the lid off. Today I took the lid off, it was extremely easy...except the white pvc pipe came out with it. In the videos I watch on this I don't think it should have came out. Any tips on what to do next?

I'm going to lower the water level in the filter so I can clean the top of the sand. Then I will use the hose method to fill it up and flush everything out. I assume I'll need to pull the latteral out and hook it back up to the pvc pipe and get it back to the bottom?

 

[pcm2a]

I twist as hard as I can and can't get the white pvc pipe to budge. In the filter it doesn't look too dirty. I stick my arm in there and I can feel where the pipe would go but it doesn't seem like it moves or is removable.

 

[RDspaguy]

If you can finagle that pipe back in, do so. It is attached to a starburst of laterals under the sand. It wont come out without the sand gone first.
If you can get it back in, which is not likely, some sand is going to blow back to the pool. Nothing to worry about, but you might want to start it on waste.
Get that tube out. It's just stuck. Wiggle and pull, it'll go.

 

[pcm2a]

That is great to know that I can jam it back down in there. I got the pipe to turn a quarter turn and it cracked vertically If I get it out I guess I'm off to the hardware store.

I got no idea how to get this out without damaging the main piece.

If I have to go days with my pool system off, any tips how to keep it from turning into a lake? I have a closed system waterfall that I can start off and I guess that would slowly circulate some water, with no filter. Update, I can always cut the pipe and put it on recirculate.

 

[RDspaguy]

I didn't say "jam", I said "finagle". Chances are, the sand is going to prevent you from getting that pipe to seat. But it's worth a shot. If you force it, you could break the lateral assembly.
Frankly, if you have to change the sand you should replace the laterals while you're at it.

 

[pcm2a]

Sounds like trying to deep clean a sand filter has gone from $50 to who knows what. I should have left it alone. I still haven't gotten the pipe unstuck. I've tried strap wrench, monkey wrench, gently poking with a flat head. Even tried a hair dryer.

I think I'm going to cut this pipe, put it back in, in recirculate mode. I'll order a new lateral for $67 and get new sand. If this hasn't been cleaned in say 15 years, that sand probably needs it anyways.
- Cut the pipe shorter, reinstalled. Pool is running in circulate mode.
- Ordered a new lateral, will be here Tuesday.
- Monday I'll see if I can take the top part to the pool store and pay them to separate the pipe, I'll also get a replacement o-ring

I guess I won't have any flow problems while there is no filter...

 

[pcm2a]

Question, what exactly does recirculate do? I assumed that it connects the input and output and sends nothing into the sand filter. I ran it in circulate overnight and today took the multiport off to work on the stuck pipe some more. I was surprised to see that the sand filter was full of water! So in recirculate mode water is still going into the sand filter or the multiport must be really leaking.

 

[RDspaguy]

I assumed that it connects the input and output and sends nothing into the sand filter.

That's how it should work. I think your spider gasket is bad, too.

 

[pcm2a]

I'm leaning towards just getting a whole new multiport off amazon, rather than trying to fix this super old one up. I tried everything in the world to get this pipe out and failed. New multiport + new latteral + new sand. What could go wrong besides everything?

 

[RDspaguy]

Look at the bright side... you won't have to do it again for many, many years, and your system will be working great. Which doesn't help the checkbook, I know. But it is something...

 

[pcm2a]

There would be no harm in connecting up the new multiport valve and running it in recirculate mode as a first test to make sure that part is working (threads not leaking, etc)? Since I cannot get the pvc pipe out of the old one, if I install the lateral and sand first, I won't be able to set the old multiport in there. If the new multiport was faulty I'd be dead in the water.

I created this cardboard thing to help with centering. The video I watched used a circle but cutting a square was easier. Just need all 4 edges to line up.

 

[pcm2a]

Something I've noticed. Previously with the filter, 3100rpms, seemed to match the spillover and jet circulation as my old 3450 1.5hp pump. With the filter off (recirculate) 2750 seems like the old pump. Maybe even a little more water flow at 2750.

 

[pcm2a]

Well son-of-a. I put the lateral in, filled it up with water & sand, put the valve on it, hooked the pipes up. Everything lined up perfectly. I fired it up, backwashed, rinsed, then ran normally. The tank filled up with water and I guess shifted a little bit. Water was dripping out of one of the unions. I unhooked the union and uh oh, it's a half inch off! Tomorrow I'll go get a connector and trim it down just a little bit so it connects up. On a positive note everything else seemed to be working fine while it was running.

 

[Flying Tivo]

The pipe stand should not be glued to the MPV. The stand pipe should be glued to the bottom of the laterals assembly. You would have to remove the sand to fix it anyways. Its a good idea to replace the whole thing.

 

[pcm2a]

I've already replaced the laterals and the sand today. The pic above is the almost finished product. My problem now is getting the union to line up.

 

[Flying Tivo]

I think you need to push back the filter a little also.

 

[RDspaguy]

Full of wet sand, you are not moving that filter in any precise manner. Don't touch it. Check your other unions also, if something shifted they are under strain too.

 

[pcm2a]

Yeah I didn't think that filter is moving now. It also never dawned on me that it might shift once full of water.

The other two pipes have a lot more room to move. The left side, bottom one, lines up perfectly. The waste port isn't attached to anything, just a pipe that sets into a bigger pipe. I'm going to get a union today but I might also get one of those black c-clamp connectors. I'd like to run it for a few hours (even with leaks) to see that everything has settled before making permanent glues.

 

[pcm2a]

I trimmed a little off the pipe, scooted the pump a millimeter closer and hooked it with this temporary coupler. I'd like to run it like this until later today/tomorrow depending on the rain. I want to make sure there are no other leaks and that nothing else moves. Afterwards I have a union ready to cement in. My question is, what's the chance the 10-15psi blows the pipe right out of that connector?

 

[RDspaguy]

Pretty good chance, that is the highest pressure in the system between the pump and filter.