Old Pool Owner switching from Pool Company to Self Maint
- Thread starter JRock80
- Start date
Wow, your equipment and layout looks almost exactly like mine (spooky!), including the arrows on the pipes. Riverbend-Sandler built our pool at the beginning of 2007 (and did a pretty good job), so I guess they built yours as well.
My Nature2 has been sans cartridge for 2 years now (1 ppm Cl, as recommended by N2, just didn't work). Is the push-pull valve a replacement? I have a Jandy backwash valve
Anyway, I understand about the time constraints, but once you've switched over to BBB and "gotten to know your pool", the time needed to keep it sparkling really is minimal. Borates help tremendously in making the water crystal clear and very predictable.
My Nature2 has been sans cartridge for 2 years now (1 ppm Cl, as recommended by N2, just didn't work). Is the push-pull valve a replacement? I have a Jandy backwash valve
Anyway, I understand about the time constraints, but once you've switched over to BBB and "gotten to know your pool", the time needed to keep it sparkling really is minimal. Borates help tremendously in making the water crystal clear and very predictable.
JKALAN- My pool was installed by Riverbend-Sandler as well. Since you have the exact same setup, you may be able to assist with a few questions I have?
1. How do I drain my pool?
2. How do I vacuum to waste?
3. How do I backwash?
4. To clean the filter (not the DE) how do I release the pressure?
5. Which method do I use to clean the DE filter?
I know these are a lot of questions, but these are the one's I am most apprehensive about due to my lack of knowledge. I am thinking about doing a basic Pool School, but I am pretty savvy, so I am on the fence.
Thanks in advance.
1. How do I drain my pool?
2. How do I vacuum to waste?
3. How do I backwash?
4. To clean the filter (not the DE) how do I release the pressure?
5. Which method do I use to clean the DE filter?
I know these are a lot of questions, but these are the one's I am most apprehensive about due to my lack of knowledge. I am thinking about doing a basic Pool School, but I am pretty savvy, so I am on the fence.
Thanks in advance.
frustratedpoolmom said:LOL - I've not seen one like that.
Learn something new everyday!
doesn't look like the one I have...Mine was Grey and brown I think
Assuming you've already read through Pool School ... (apologies for the long/tall post)
1. Draining - my backwash valve is a Jandy Neverlube, yours is a push-pull. It should have a "Waste" position. You should need to drain only in case of excess CYA. It appears that you are plumbed to sewer line for backwash & draining.
2. Vacuum to waste.
3. Backwash
4. To clean the filter basket, simply turn off the pump, unscrew and remove the filter cover (for me, a two handed bump works best: one on each side, counterclockwise), remove the basket and clean it, replace it, put the cover back on, turn on the pump, wait for the filter basket area to fill mostly with water (10-15 seconds), bleed air from filter. There should be no pressure in the system after turning off the pump.
5. I paid the Leslie's guy $70 to come out and do it it the first time. After watching it done once, it really isn't that hard. The best web description I've found is here. You will definitely get wet.
1. Draining - my backwash valve is a Jandy Neverlube, yours is a push-pull. It should have a "Waste" position. You should need to drain only in case of excess CYA. It appears that you are plumbed to sewer line for backwash & draining.
- Turn off pump [/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Move backwash valve to "Waste" . Push-pull owners feel free to correct me here. [/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Shut off your skimmers (Near and Far valves )so that you don't suck air when the waterline drops below them. [/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Turn on the pump and drain away. [/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- When drained appropriately, shut off pump [/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Move backwash valve back to normal[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Refill pool (hose?) to normal level[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Turn Near and Far skimmers back on[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Turn on pump[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
2. Vacuum to waste.
- Turn off pump[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Move backwash valve to "Waste".[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Plug your vacuum hose in to the Near (or Far) skimmer.[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- To really get the suction going, turn off the valves for Main Drain and Far skimmer. (If vacuuming from Far, then leave Far on and close Near)[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Turn on the pump and vacuum away. With water coming from only the vacuum, your filter pump will strain a bit and sound different.[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- When vacuumed appropriately, shut off pump[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Move backwash valve back to normal[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Remove vacuum from Near (or Far) skimmer[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Turn on valves for Main Drain and Far (or Near) skikker[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Turn on pump[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
3. Backwash
- Turn off pump[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Move backwash valve to Backwash[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Turn on pump for 45 seconds and watch the water going through the sight glass in the drain line.[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Turn off pump[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Move backwash valve to Normal, wait for all water to stop moving (5 seconds or so). Failure to wait for everything to stop can result in pump motor destruction. I know this from personal experience
.[/*:m:3rl0iftq] - Turn on pump[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
- Repeat above until water is clear. I must backwash every 3-4 months (+5 lbs pressure) and it takes 6 or 7 cycles to get really clean.[/*:m:3rl0iftq]
4. To clean the filter basket, simply turn off the pump, unscrew and remove the filter cover (for me, a two handed bump works best: one on each side, counterclockwise), remove the basket and clean it, replace it, put the cover back on, turn on the pump, wait for the filter basket area to fill mostly with water (10-15 seconds), bleed air from filter. There should be no pressure in the system after turning off the pump.
5. I paid the Leslie's guy $70 to come out and do it it the first time. After watching it done once, it really isn't that hard. The best web description I've found is here. You will definitely get wet.