Replace standpipe only?

[madchemist]

My house came with an above-ground pool and sand filter. I've suspected there may be channeling in the sand, as the water got cloudy last summer and wouldn't clear, despite extended high chlorine levels and good CYA. I took the top off the Hayward S210T2 sand filter to stick a hose in the sand and clean/redistribute it only to find that the laterals were sitting on top of the sand! No wonder it wasn't filtering!

It looks like the standpipe is too short for the "feet" at the bottom of the lateral assembly to reach the bottom of the filter. The sand is at the approximate halfway point in the filter. Is there any way to separate the standpipe from the laterals and replace it with some PVC pipe from the hardware store? I can only find complete replacement assemblies of the laterals and standpipe together. Thanks!

 

[kimkats]

They are a "system" and as such needs to be both parts to work together like they should I am sorry. It would be much cheaper to go the PVC way but it will not work.

I say take all of the sand out. Put it on a tarp to keep it reusable. Take the pipe and laterals out and inspect them. Any cracks, missing ribs, etc...buy new. If it all looks good them put it back. When you go to add the sand back in put something over the top of the pipe to keep sand from going down there. Fill the filter half full with water and HAND place the sand until the laterals well covered. Then add the rest of the sand back slowly and carefully.

Kim

 

[Bama Rambler]

I hate to disagree with Kim, so I won't (right now)! I agree to take all the sand out and keep it. When you replace it, you will probably have to add some and it should come to within 10" from the top.

I'm surprised that the standpipe stayed in the valve port and didn't just sink into the sand if it was too short

(Now I'll disagree ). It could be that someone in the past replaced the lateral assembly and used one for a 14" filter. If that's the case, you can either replace the lateral assembly, or you can take the assembly and find a piece of PVC pipe the same OD Outside Diameter and a coupling and add the piece to the assembly. If they replaced the standpipe with a unit for a smaller filter, they may have also replaced the laterals so closely inspect the laterals to see if they're the proper ones for your filter. If they are, then adding to the standpipe may work. The trick is going to be getting the piece the exact length needed.

 

[cfherrman]

Most likely it's not a PVC size as it's thin wall, if your up to it and want to spend some time you could sand PVC to the right size, but who knows if it will leak when together?

 

[kimkats]

Thanks for the follow up you two! Always nice to have more eyes on it!

Kim

 

[BattleOfYakima]

Just make sure that if you DIY this, you use something that can handle the PSI you run - make sure that you don't decrease the internal diameter of the vertical, and that whatever adhesives you use, if any, can withstand the conditions they will be in and won't poison you all.

Personal note - I'd totally play with it and post my proposed solution before actually doing it - but I'm not sure anyone here will actually go so far as to "approve" your solution for obvious safety reasons, but they may ask questions or share knowledge that you my find valuable. At the end of the day, safety needs to win. If that can be via DIY, cool, but when it comes to pressure vessels and inside them, I'll theorize, but so far I haven't modified them due to my being mortal.

 

[City Slicker]

I hate to disagree with Kim, so I won't (right now)! I agree to take all the sand out and keep it. When you replace it, you will probably have to add some and it should come to within 10" from the top.

I'm surprised that the standpipe stayed in the valve port and didn't just sink into the sand if it was too short

(Now I'll disagree ). It could be that someone in the past replaced the lateral assembly and used one for a 14" filter. If that's the case, you can either replace the lateral assembly, or you can take the assembly and find a piece of PVC pipe the same OD Outside Diameter and a coupling and add the piece to the assembly. If they replaced the standpipe with a unit for a smaller filter, they may have also replaced the laterals so closely inspect the laterals to see if they're the proper ones for your filter. If they are, then adding to the standpipe may work. The trick is going to be getting the piece the exact length needed.

Hi, I found this post while surfing for a solution to a similar problem. I replaced the end of my center pipe with a coupling and six inches of PVC, but I am not sure that I got the height exactly right, and now the water pressure in the return is way down. I made sure that the new end to the center pipe goes into the multi-port head but I suspect that since the height is not exact some of the flow is going back down into the sand and not directly into the return as it should. Does that make sense? Do you have any suggestions as to figuring the exact height it should be?