Pressure problem?

[flexabull]

Hello. Total Rookie here.

Pool is barely circulating, and having trouble getting clean. Plus I posted early about a problem I notcied with my spa not draining when the pump comes on.

A friend looked at my pump and filter yesterday and thought that the pressure was way to high. I think he is right, because when I turn it on, for the first few minutes the pressure is low, and the jets in the pool really start working well. But after a couple of minutes the pressure in the filter rises really high and the jet flow slows to a crawl. He thought that might be the problem, but didn't know how to fix it.

Is that possibly the issue? And if so, anything I can do to remedy it?

Thanks!

 

[coloeb]

What kind of filter do you use ?( make and model number ) Sounds like its time to clean the filter or backwash.

 

[JohnT]

We're going to need some more information. What kind of filter, pump etc.? When was it last cleaned or had the media replaced?

 

[esim13]

What is the pressure guage reading?

 

[flexabull]

Ok, thanks guys, here is some more info,

Pressure is up around 30, filters are new replaced in october of last year, and were cleaned about a week ago. Model is American products company NAAP150

Just today I removed all the filters, started the pump and the pressure dropped to about 10 and seems to be circulating much better.

What now?

 

[duraleigh]

Your filters have done their job and have filtered something out of your pool (probably dead algae). you will need to clean and put them back in but you must also identify the problem that caused them to clog in the first place. (again, I suspect you have been low on chlorine and have algae in your pool)

If you will post a full set of pool water test results, we will be able to help you clear your water so your filters won't plug up so quickly.

 

[Jimbolo]

Bull, I had a very similar problem and couldn't solve it. Cleaned the filter twice, pressure still high. Then I started to separate the pleats on the filter and found light color dog hair in there. Hair doesn't rinse out as easily as other debris. So I separated the pleats, one by one, and rinsed them with a high pressure nozzle. That was all it took.

Could also be what duraleigh describes if you've recently de-greened your pool. I think the solution to that is a muriatic acid/water bath.

Jim.

 

[flexabull]

I'll seperate the pleats, and really clean them out. That could be the problem.

How do I do an acid bath?

 

[Jimbolo]

Here's a link to the instructions
how-to-clean-a-cartridge-filter-t4465.html

Post back and let us know how it pans out. You'll know when you spread those pleats whether that was your problem or not.

Good Luck, Jim.

 

[flexabull]

Cleaned them last night, there was what looked like a lot of algae on them. I am ready to acid bathe them, from what I have read, 1 part acid and 10 parts water? Is it helpful to also bath them in choline and water too?

Thanks for all the help so far!

 

[Melt In The Sun]

Flexabull, how does the water look? If you have algae, you can expect them to clog again very soon.

 

[duraleigh]

Melt in the Sun and I suspect the same thing......ultimately, it's not a filter issue.

you will need to clean and put them back in but you must also identify the problem that caused them to clog in the first place. (again, I suspect you have been low on chlorine and have algae in your pool)

Can you post a set of test results?

 

[flexabull]

Pool does have algae not that the pump hasn't worked in the last few days. And it's cloudy.

 

[geekgranny]

Did you say what kind of filter you have?

At any rate, consider doing a soak in dishwasher detergent first. That might take care of it. If you are going to do an acid wash, you need to do the dishwasher detergent soak first to remove oils. Otherwise the acid soak could "glue" the oils to the filter grid or cartridge fabric. BTW.... some DE filters use cartridges instead of grids.

gg=alice

 

[geekgranny]

Cleaned them last night, there was what looked like a lot of algae on them. I am ready to acid bathe them, from what I have read, 1 part acid and 10 parts water? Is it helpful to also bath them in choline and water too?

Thanks for all the help so far!

For my spa cartridges, which are paper like, in-between detergent soak/acid soak, which I don't do every time I change them out (I have four and change them out weekly or every few days) I'll soak them in bleach/water solution. I don't know about pool filter cartridges/grids though. Spas are more apt to develop bio-films (bacteral slime that is hard to get rid of if it takes hold), though, than pool filters, due to high temps and much higher "bather load" due to such a small body of water.

gg=alice