Ok, I'm ready to give up now. Today, I took apart the filter, reseated the brand new grids in the brand new manifold, changed every o-ring associated with the filter and backwash valve, removed and reinstalled the air vent pipe and the "net" that goes over it, and all the DE still emptied back into the pool when I turned off the pump. The pressure is 22 psi with grids that don't even have DE on them. It used to be 8-10 before I started encountering this problem. I'm not sure what to check next.
Is the DE6020 filter inlet elbow supposed to move?
- Thread starter hinese
- Start date
- May 23, 2015
- 25,717
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Aside from the pressure problem, are you saying you turned on the pump, added DE to the skimmer to recharge it and then, when you shut down the pump, the DE flowed backwards through the pump and into the pool?
Yes, that is correct. I thought I resolved the DE blowback issue with new grids, new manifold and new o-rings. So I added DE to the skimmer with the pump on. I also vacuumed up all the DE that was at the bottom of the pool. The pool was clear of DE. Then I turned off the pump. A few seconds later, I see DE-clouded water moving back through the pump strainer lid, then a couple minutes after that, clouds of DE into the pool through both bottom drains and both skimmers. Now DE is very evident at the bottom of the pool. When I turn the Polaris cleaner on, it kicks up enough DC that I can't see the Polaris through the cloudy water.
- May 23, 2015
- 25,717
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
There should be a check valve between the filter and the pump to prevent backfkow of water. Fresh DE will not stick to the grids at first and will mostly fall off as soon as the flow stops. This is natural for DE. When it gets dirty enough, it will stick. You need a check valve to prevent backfkow of the water. I would also suggest you inspect and/or replace the air relief valve to make sure it isn’t leaking and allowing air into the system.
h,
Check valve or not, water should not flow back into the pool when the pump is turned off.. That sound like an air leak to me...
Think about when you put your thumb over the end of a straw and pull the straw out of the a glass of water... Water won't come out of the straw unless you take your thumb off the end of the straw.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Check valve or not, water should not flow back into the pool when the pump is turned off.. That sound like an air leak to me...
Think about when you put your thumb over the end of a straw and pull the straw out of the a glass of water... Water won't come out of the straw unless you take your thumb off the end of the straw.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Well, I ignored this problem for a few weeks, and it didn't magically go away. If an air leak is causing the DE blowback when the pump is shut off, does that have to be BEFORE the pump? I noticed a water leak on the TOP of the pump (which I've since temporarily patched with plumbing goop). See photo. Would this have anything to do with the DE blowback?
