Is this normal? This can't be normal

[joshrogan]

For the second year in a row, I'm pretty sure I'm doing something wrong while opening the pool.

We have a 23,000 gallon pool with a Hayward EC65A D.E. pool filter (the kind with the fins, not the cartridge) and a variable speed pool pump.

I opened the pool yesterday. pH was perfect, put in some baking soda to raise the alkalinity to 110ppm, and then put in 10 pounds of 63% shock.

Here's where things seem to be going wrong.

When I turn on the pump, everything is fine and dandy. Good strong water pressure coming out of the two jets, good suction into the filter basket. Add 6 pounds of D.E., and it looks good. I'm running the pump at 3000 rpm.

When I check on it a half hour later, there's barely any pressure coming out of the jets. The filter pressures reads 16 -- it's a little lower than the green line at 20, but not super low.

I bump the filter handle 20 times, and the pressure comes back to the jets.

Half hour later, it's dead again.

Is this normal for pool opening, while it's clearing out all the algae? Or should it run longer than that before the pressure dies?

Here's what I've tried:
(1) I've tried fully flushing and re-filling the DE from the filter. Again -- lasts 20-30 minutes of strong pressure before it dies off again.
(2) I've checked the skimmer basket and pump filter basket -- both fine.
(3) I felt up into the impeller, but didn't feel anything. I didn't take it apart, though.
(4) I'm thinking it's unlikely that this is a clogged pipe because the pressure gets stronger after bumping the filter. I would think if it were clogged it would be weak all the time.

I really appreciate any advice anyone can give, as I'm sure I'm doing something wrong!

 

[kevreh]

How murky (or full of algae) is your pool? IF my pool is pretty green in the spring, I won't use the DE filter for a few days while I'm shocking and cleaning up. This would explain your issues. Just put the multiport on recirculate. The trick for me is to shock the pool a few days before closing, and add a couple floating containers with those chlorine pucks (before putting cover on). Makes a big difference. Also, don't wait too long to open if the weather is warm, gives algae a chance to grow.

 

[Joshii]

Same exact thing happened with my old DE bump filter. It was old, and the DE fingers were just shot. I got a new filter. Best decision ever.

 

[domct203]

For the second year in a row, I'm pretty sure I'm doing something wrong while opening the pool.

We have a 23,000 gallon pool with a Hayward EC65A D.E. pool filter (the kind with the fins, not the cartridge) and a variable speed pool pump.

I opened the pool yesterday. pH was perfect, put in some baking soda to raise the alkalinity to 110ppm, and then put in 10 pounds of 63% shock.

Here's where things seem to be going wrong.

When I turn on the pump, everything is fine and dandy. Good strong water pressure coming out of the two jets, good suction into the filter basket. Add 6 pounds of D.E., and it looks good. I'm running the pump at 3000 rpm.

When I check on it a half hour later, there's barely any pressure coming out of the jets. The filter pressures reads 16 -- it's a little lower than the green line at 20, but not super low.

I bump the filter handle 20 times, and the pressure comes back to the jets.

Half hour later, it's dead again.

Is this normal for pool opening, while it's clearing out all the algae? Or should it run longer than that before the pressure dies?

Here's what I've tried:
(1) I've tried fully flushing and re-filling the DE from the filter. Again -- lasts 20-30 minutes of strong pressure before it dies off again.
(2) I've checked the skimmer basket and pump filter basket -- both fine.
(3) I felt up into the impeller, but didn't feel anything. I didn't take it apart, though.
(4) I'm thinking it's unlikely that this is a clogged pipe because the pressure gets stronger after bumping the filter. I would think if it were clogged it would be weak all the time.

I really appreciate any advice anyone can give, as I'm sure I'm doing something wrong!

Welcome to the forum.

If your pool is green and full of algae, it will clog a DE filter quickly. Does your filter have a bypass/recirculate setting?

BTW- A filter does not eliminate algae, chlorine does.

 

[duraleigh]

I want to emphasize you should NEVER assume your filter will clear out algae. Chlorine is the prescription for that.

 

[joshrogan]

How murky (or full of algae) is your pool? IF my pool is pretty green in the spring, I won't use the DE filter for a few days while I'm shocking and cleaning up. This would explain your issues. Just put the multiport on recirculate. The trick for me is to shock the pool a few days before closing, and add a couple floating containers with those chlorine pucks (before putting cover on). Makes a big difference. Also, don't wait too long to open if the weather is warm, gives algae a chance to grow.

Ah, bummer -- my pool doesn't have a multiport that I can set to recirculate. Unfortunately, everything has to run through the filter. Do you think I should run the filter without any DE in it?

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Unfortunately, the filter doesn't have a bypass/recirculate setting. Do you think I should run the filter without any DE in it?

- - - Updated - - -

How did they look when they were shot? The fingers look really clean and white, and there aren't any holes. I soaked them in acid last fall before putting it in storage, and it looks sound and clean.

 

[kevreh]

You can't run a DE filter with the filters in it and no DE. Could damage the filters. I don't know if you could run it with the filters removed though. I'm sure an answer can be found in other threads.

 

[Joshii]

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How did they look when they were shot? The fingers look really clean and white, and there aren't any holes. I soaked them in acid last fall before putting it in storage, and it looks sound and clean.

They looked fine. We took good care of it, cleaned it thoroughly at the end of each season, etc. I think it was just time.

 

[catrina_sweetie]

I am absolutely no expert here, but I have a hayward perflex de filter. I opened my pool to a swamp and started a slam. The filter clogged and clogged, needed flushed and new de every day, 2x a day in the beginning, and bumped every 20-30 minutes. I finally finished my slam, passed the OCLT last night, and tore apart the filter this morning. Sprayed every bit of old de and everything else off the fingers, the tube plate and sprayed out the canister, and added new de. I got it started almost 2 hours ago and the thing is running like a champ! No loss of pressure or pressure gauge rising at all. I think with mine the filter just couldn't handle even the dead algae, but now that the pool is clear and started over completely fresh it is awesome! I kept thinking something had to be wrong for it to clog as quickly as it was, even yesterday, but now I realize it just clears so much that it clogs super quick. I hope that helps!

 

[joshrogan]

I am absolutely no expert here, but I have a hayward perflex de filter. I opened my pool to a swamp and started a slam. The filter clogged and clogged, needed flushed and new de every day, 2x a day in the beginning, and bumped every 20-30 minutes. I finally finished my slam, passed the OCLT last night, and tore apart the filter this morning. Sprayed every bit of old de and everything else off the fingers, the tube plate and sprayed out the canister, and added new de. I got it started almost 2 hours ago and the thing is running like a champ! No loss of pressure or pressure gauge rising at all. I think with mine the filter just couldn't handle even the dead algae, but now that the pool is clear and started over completely fresh it is awesome! I kept thinking something had to be wrong for it to clog as quickly as it was, even yesterday, but now I realize it just clears so much that it clogs super quick. I hope that helps!

This helps a lot! This is exactly what's happening with ours. It's really comforting to know that it's what other people are doing as well. I don't think I can install a multiport valve, but I wonder if there's some way to rig up a temporary bypass so that I can get around my filter for the first couple of days while the chlorine does battle with the algae.

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You can't run a DE filter with the filters in it and no DE. Could damage the filters. I don't know if you could run it with the filters removed though. I'm sure an answer can be found in other threads.

I decided to try it. Turns out you can't (and I would have realized this if i had taken the time to think through it). The rubber gasket that makes the filter water-tight is part of the assembly with the fingers. No fingers, no gasket, water everywhere as soon as you turn it on.

Does anyone know a clever way to bypass the filter without installing the multiport? I'm thinking of trying to rig something up, but not sure how to do it yet.

 

[AftonJeeper]

Can you vacuum to waste and run it back into the pool?

 

[joshrogan]

Can you vacuum to waste and run it back into the pool?

Nope -- also no vacuum port. We clean the pool with a pressure-side robot (it just sweeps and sucks things into a bag -- no actual vacuum). I was thinking I might buy a submersible pump to just circulate the water, but seems there must be a cheaper or easier way.

 

[catrina_sweetie]

I replaced the tube sheets on mine before I started my slam and I'm wondering if you put it back together without the fingers in, but with the tube sheets if it would work?? But there might need to be something in the space between the tube sheets the same thickness as the top of the fingers, if that makes sense... hmm..

 

[duraleigh]

I am absolutely no expert here, but I have a hayward perflex de filter. I opened my pool to a swamp and started a slam. The filter clogged and clogged, needed flushed and new de every day, 2x a day in the beginning, and bumped every 20-30 minutes. I finally finished my slam, passed the OCLT last night, and tore apart the filter this morning. Sprayed every bit of old de and everything else off the fingers, the tube plate and sprayed out the canister, and added new de. I got it started almost 2 hours ago and the thing is running like a champ! No loss of pressure or pressure gauge rising at all. I think with mine the filter just couldn't handle even the dead algae, but now that the pool is clear and started over completely fresh it is awesome! I kept thinking something had to be wrong for it to clog as quickly as it was, even yesterday, but now I realize it just clears so much that it clogs super quick. I hope that helps!

A newbie perhaps but that is a "dead on" accurate understanding of what happens when you have to perform a SLAM and have a DE filter. You did a fantastic job of understanding the issues you had and you dealt with them perfectly. Thi is good reading for EVERYONE who has a murky pool and a DE filter.

 

[catrina_sweetie]

Aww shucks! LOL Thanks so much for the reinforcement! We're two days later and still running like champ! I'm so impressed with the way my pool looks, I can't stop staring! Joshrogan, I hope your pool clears up soon! It's no fun doing the work while you're doing it, but when it's done it's soooo rewarding!!

 

[joshrogan]

A newbie perhaps but that is a "dead on" accurate understanding of what happens when you have to perform a SLAM and have a DE filter. You did a fantastic job of understanding the issues you had and you dealt with them perfectly. Thi is good reading for EVERYONE who has a murky pool and a DE filter.

Big old +1 to this. This reply really helped me to understand that, actually, what I'm seeing is normal for a DE filter at the start of the season. We passed the OCLT night before last, and now it's just running through getting the cloudiness out. I'll keep bumping it until it's clear, then tear the filter apart and hose it down. Thank you!