Help!!! High Filter Pressure

[Bo Dottley]

26,000 Gal in ground chlorine pool with liner. Running a Hayward S244T Filter, 1hp pump, Hayward CL200 chlorinator.

Been dealing with high filter pressure for the last 2 weeks.

Filter & Recirculate - 22lbs
Backwash & Rinse - 11lbs

Pool jets are very weak - I can isolate each skimmer and have good pull individually but weak when both skimmers and main drain are open.

I have no air leaks on the intake or return lines, that I can tell.

I have a see through pump basket lid, and to the eye, the flow of water coming into it seems weaker than normal.

Actions I have already taken:
1. Changed my filter sand.
2. Installed a new pump.
3. Installed a new chlorinator (the old one looked corroded inside and didn’t seem to drain very well each time I opened it to refill), thought it might have been stopped up.

I am lost as to what the problem could be.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[wireform]

Hi and welcome as a newbie you alow me to ask how you're testing your water chemistry. You may have an algae problem and exactly what you describe can happen when the filter pulls in and traps the algae. Below are some links that can be of help.
Pool Care Basics
Test Kits Compared
FC/CYA Levels
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
SLAM Process
PoolMath

 

[Bo Dottley]

I take water samples in to my local pool store for my chemistry. I have a sand filter, not cartridges. I changed the sand 2 days ago. I use AquaQuartz 20 grade Silica. After changing the sand, I still had 22lbs of filter pressure….even after doing 3 cycles of, 2 minute backwash and 1 1/2 minute rinse.

 

[duraleigh]

The symptoms you report are indicative of a partially clogged sand filter. I would suggest the top of the filter comes off and you do a deep clean.

 

[Bo Dottley]

Just pulled the the valve off, cleaned it and even separated the top of the valve to inspect the ports and everything. No blockage there. Still at 22lbs.

 

[JJ_Tex]

I'm not a sand filter expert, but what you describe above doesnt seem like a backwash or a deep clean of the filter. You are trying to purge the stuff in the sand that has been filtered out by the filter doing its job. Here are the full instructions if needed:

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

 

[wireform]

Clear pictures of the equipment pad may give us a clue.

 

[Bo Dottley]

I p

I'm not a sand filter expert, but what you describe above doesnt seem like a backwash or a deep clean of the filter. You are trying to purge the stuff in the sand that has been filtered out by the filter doing its job. Here are the full instructions if needed:

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

I change the filter sand 2 days ago. So it’s not the sand.

 

[Bo Dottley]

I changed the filter sand 2 days ago. Did a 2 min backwash and 1.5 min rinse 3 times. So it’s not the sand.

 

[Bo Dottley]

Just picked up a hose bladder unclog tool and used it on every intake and return line. I don’t feel like any lines are clogged.

 

[wireform]

It's time for the picures portion of this thread.

 

[Bo Dottley]

Pics of my set up and the valve and gauge on each setting.

 

[Bo Dottley]

Set up

 

[duraleigh]

What was your filter psi prior to changing the sand a couple of days ago?

 

[Bo Dottley]

What was your filter psi prior to changing the sand a couple of days ago?

12-13

 

[Bo Dottley]

22….that’s why I changed it.

 

[duraleigh]

That's confusing. Did the change of the sand result in the filter psi going from 12-13 to 22?

 

[PoolStored]

What is the exact brand/name of the sand that you used? (i.e. brand= "Redi-mix," name= "Playsand") Where did you get it? Can you post a picture of the bag?

 

[Bo Dottley]

That's confusing. Did the change of the sand result in the filter psi going from 12-13 to 22?

Sorry…I was thinking you were asking what my pressure was before I started having problems. I answered and then realized you said “before I changed the sand”.

 

[Bo Dottley]

What is the exact brand/name of the sand that you used? (i.e. brand= "Redi-mix," name= "Playsand") Where did you get it? Can you post a picture of the bag?

I posted the brand and size of the sand above. AquaQuartz 20-grade. The same sand I’ve always used. I changed it because my pressure was high…after I changed it my pressure is still high.