How often to backwash when you have a robot?

abfab

Gold Supporter
Nov 12, 2012
211
Ontario, Canada
Does using a robot exclusively for cleaning impact backwashing frequency? My pool runs on a low speed 24/7 so the flow is too low for the pressure on my sand filter to display. I don't backwash regularly as I get very little debris in the pool, water is clear and chems are in range. Is there another rule of thumb to how often I should backwash other than monitoring psi change, or do I need to set the pump on high when I do my chem checks to see if psi has increased?
 
ab,

Unless you are having a problem with the flow of return water to your pool, I don't see why you would need to backwash.

I have a large cartridge filter, so obviously never backwash, but I do clean my filters twice a year. If I had a sand filter, I'd probably backwash twice a year.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
ab,

Unless you are having a problem with the flow of return water to your pool, I don't see why you would need to backwash.

I have a large cartridge filter, so obviously never backwash, but I do clean my filters twice a year. If I had a sand filter, I'd probably backwash twice a year.

Thanks,

Jim R.

The change in flow rate is really subtle when running at low speeds. There isn't a lot of water coming out of the returns. There have been occasions where I put my hand over the return and barely feel any water. Turning up the pump to full speed shows the pressure increased enough to require a backwash. For that reason, I turn my pump to full speed about once a week to take a pressure reading.
 
The change in flow rate is really subtle when running at low speeds. There isn't a lot of water coming out of the returns. There have been occasions where I put my hand over the return and barely feel any water. Turning up the pump to full speed shows the pressure increased enough to require a backwash. For that reason, I turn my pump to full speed about once a week to take a pressure reading.
Yep, this. I push it up to a set amount (3000 RPM in my case, not quite full speed) and check the pressure at that once or twice a week to see if a backwash is needed.
 
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