Hayward DE 4800 - High Pressure - Constant Back washing after a decade of working normally

SgtPepper

New member
Sep 3, 2019
4
Massachusetts
Looking forward to everyone's thoughts - salt/DE - ten years no issues. I have crystal clear water and great chemical readings. I strip clean the filter with soaking and solvent at least once a year at closing/opening minimum.

This year, the pressure would build, I'd backwash and had same issue every day/other day. (My standard "normal" for years is 85% power and 15 psi - worked for a decade like this - would backwash when it got to 20 ish usually after a month or more). We have an overflow water feature and I can tell by simply looking at the overflow when the pressure is building/flow gets weaker etc. I've looked at the jets/pressure out and don't see blockage or air buildup in the filter. Just figured after ten years the filter grid needed replacing. Put the old in a barrel with cleaner solution to clean, dry and keep for future emergency need.

Got the new filter grid in and got a couple weeks before it needed back washing every other day too. We had a side project and were doing something with the water so when the new grid needed to be cleaned (because the pressure was building again) I decided to put the old grid in for a few days and wouldn't you know - I got three weeks out of the old grid before pressure built again - which is somewhat acceptable for this pool (goes once a month or longer before needing back washing when things are working is normal for my experience with this pool)...so that was a head scratcher - the old grid worked that didnt work was now working again for almost a month! Go figure? Anyway, thinking the grid was old because it is 10 years old (no tears or rips) and I had the new grid, I put the new grid in and then got a solid three weeks out of that one! Now that new grid (bought in mid July this summer) is back to daily high pressure and what I think is backwashing needs...but the earth being backwashed out is still pretty white as you'd expect with clear water.

Does anyone have any ideas on what the heck is going on this year with my pool and these grids?? It's a Hayward DE 4800 and calls for 6 scoops of DE (when stripped and clean I use 6 - after I use 4-5 after a backwash accounting for DE still on the grid).

Thanks for your help trying to solve this problem!!
 
Sgt,

I am not sure what the problem is, but I can go a year between filter cleanings/backwashing... Having to clean your filter once a month, just seems way too often to me...

Something is clogging your filter and the most likely problem is algae, even if you can't see it..

Show us your numbers...

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA

Tell us what FC you normally try to shoot for.

Thanks,

Jim R
 
Ah - thank you Jim. Let me get those readings for the group soon. To your point, when things are good, I can go a strong couple months too if memory serves me right but that's still more often than your experience. New England we open in late May and close in early October so maybe I would go a whole season with just one backwash. But all that aside, let me get the numbers. Thank you again!!
 
Hello Jim!

FC - 1.4 and I shoot for 2 to 2.5 (got heavy thunderstorms last night)
CC - 0
pH - 7.6
TA - 100
CH - 170 (a little low - adding calcium tomorrow - I had to add calcium a few times this summer)
CYA - 30

Generally, I keep it balanced, had to do PH reducer a few times. Treated for iron in early July but got the chlorine back up and everything else to level soon after. Usually have to add PH reducer periodically. Nothing else major. Pool looks great. Water feels great. Though I used none this year, last year I did use BioGuard Renewal every few weeks. That would coagulate stuff and have me backwashing a few days later - but I haven't used it this year though I have some in the shed still.

Thanks Jim!
 
Sgt,

You should check out out pool school and see why we do stuff a little differently here.. Might want to start with... ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

From our point of view your FC is way too low... See this chart for our recommended levels.. FC/CYA Levels

We find that Muriatic Acid (MA) works best to reduce your pH, as pH down is not really good for a salt cell. I did read that right??? You do have a saltwater pool, right???

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
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Thanks Jim. We do have salt. I'll check out the links you've provided. So, you think if I follow along the pool school and among other things get my FC raised and PH staying level, my filter problems will stop?
Thanks again for your responses tonight - much appreciated!
 
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