Smelly Cartridge Filter

[Surf NH]

hey folks, newbie here. Pool was completed summer 2021 in NH, cleaning crew closed it last year and the filters were removed, sprayed down with a hose to clean, then dried out and stored in the basement for the winter. No issues, no odor.

This year, pool closed by the crew two days ago, filters sprayed down to clean, they look pretty good, have had them in the sun during the day and in garage at night to dry them out before winter storage. Opened the garage door this morning and it smelled like a chicken coop in there.....it was the wide filter. The tall inner filter didn't smell from what I can see.

This is strange to me, chlorinated water flowing through these filters all summer, they were pulled once mid-summer to spray down but the pressure drop stayed pretty consistent all summer. With 3-4 ppm chlorine all summer on average, you wouldn't think there would be bacteria growth for an odor when they were removed. It appears we have to spray them down with maybe a mixture of bleach and water, let them sit for 20min, then hose them off again to help with the odor.

Is it common to have the filters smell once they're removed?....and if so, what do you all use to clean them and remove the odor? Also, how many years do these filters last before replacement?

Specifics.....39k gallon gunite pool in open field, no trees, very clean. UV/Ozone plus cartridge filters, mine are Sta-rite brand that came with the filtration enclosure.

 

[Newdude]

Hey Surf and Welcome !!!

I've had these filters for 10 years and they usually stunk upon disassembly. The filters don't stink, the crud they collect does. It always washed off with the hose during cleaning. Maybe there is still crud in the pleats that are mushed together in the big one. Those are difficult to spray out, well, not difficult, but time and patience consuming. 2 things the closing crew probably didn't have alot of.

With proper care and chemistry, the carts can last 10 years. Many people buy spares and rotate them, but I personally think it's silly. You don't buy a 2nd car, specifically so that both of them last longer. But. If it helps you sleep better at night, it's always an option also.

 

[1poolman1]

hey folks, newbie here. Pool was completed summer 2021 in NH, cleaning crew closed it last year and the filters were removed, sprayed down with a hose to clean, then dried out and stored in the basement for the winter. No issues, no odor.

This year, pool closed by the crew two days ago, filters sprayed down to clean, they look pretty good, have had them in the sun during the day and in garage at night to dry them out before winter storage. Opened the garage door this morning and it smelled like a chicken coop in there.....it was the wide filter. The tall inner filter didn't smell from what I can see.

This is strange to me, chlorinated water flowing through these filters all summer, they were pulled once mid-summer to spray down but the pressure drop stayed pretty consistent all summer. With 3-4 ppm chlorine all summer on average, you wouldn't think there would be bacteria growth for an odor when they were removed. It appears we have to spray them down with maybe a mixture of bleach and water, let them sit for 20min, then hose them off again to help with the odor.

Is it common to have the filters smell once they're removed?....and if so, what do you all use to clean them and remove the odor? Also, how many years do these filters last before replacement?

Specifics.....39k gallon gunite pool in open field, no trees, very clean. UV/Ozone plus cartridge filters, mine are Sta-rite brand that came with the filtration enclosure.View attachment 457313

You can soak them in a filter-cleaning solution. If those are from an S7M (300 sq. ft.) filter, they will fit in a regular 32 gallon plastic trash can. If they are larger, there are some good spray filter cleaners that might help. You could also spray a diluted bleach on them, just stay up wind so as to not bleach your clothes, same with a spray filter cleaner.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Never liked the StaRite filter-inside-filter design … silly. Once the outer filter loads up, the inner filter is a useless restriction on flow. It also causes the filters to be excessively large and difficult to deal with. The Pentair Clean & Clear design is much better as you can more easily clean the four filter assemblies that operate in parallel. They are smaller and easier to soak. You just need a standard size garbage can and some TSP or dishwasher detergent powder. The StaRite cartridges need a horse trough to soak in and, even then, I’m not sure they’d fit.

I agree with @Newdude , there’s probably crud caught in the pleats. You can buy a Filter Flosser and see if you can do a better job than what the closing crew did …

 

[Newdude]

Matt these actually pull water from both sides and the exit is the middle of the 'sandwhich'. The inside is independent from the outside. It's effectively 2 double cartridges and yes, when wet, the big one is HEAVY. This port smacks into the filter housing bulkhead with no parts besides the cartridges.

 

[Newdude]

See if you can find a pressure washer wand with an adjustable head. The 'as seen on TV' turbo jet now comes with a bendy head. I'm going to try that when this one breaks. It really helps with the inside part of the filters, especially the tall/skinny one.

 

[1poolman1]

Never liked the StaRite filter-inside-filter design … silly. Once the outer filter loads up, the inner filter is a useless restriction on flow. It also causes the filters to be excessively large and difficult to deal with. The Pentair Clean & Clear design is much better as you can more easily clean the four filter assemblies that operate in parallel. They are smaller and easier to soak. You just need a standard size garbage can and some TSP or dishwasher detergent powder. The StaRite cartridges need a horse trough to soak in and, even then, I’m not sure they’d fit.

I agree with @Newdude , there’s probably crud caught in the pleats. You can buy a Filter Flosser and see if you can do a better job than what the closing crew did …

When those filters were first introduced in the mid 1990's, they were the best around in terms of safety and long filtration runs. Sta-Rite spent upwards of $6,000,000 developing them. They are, essentially, 2 filters built into one tank and their internal flow characteristics are different than any other design.

If the pool system was designed right (pump not too big) and the residential pool used correctly (not for the local swim team), I never had to clean one more than once a year on a residential pool well before the advent of VSP's.

The design of the tanks was such that it is still the safest tank out there. The CEO of Sta-Rite was served a summons on his corporate birthday party for a suit involving a Sta-Rite filter tank that had blown apart and injured someone (never heard the outcome of that). About that time, all other manufacturers changed their band clamps to the larger ones with springs to indicate proper tightness we see today. Still not as safe as a System 3.

Biggest issues with the System 3, outside of their sheer size, is that Pentair bought Sta-Rite and the cartridges are very cheaply made now with only a 90-day warranty, and there are no aftermarket manufacturers that have stuck around making them for those filters. The ones that did try made very inferior products. The reps for all the major ones I have spoken with, Filbur, Pleatco, Unicel, all told me the cartridges are too expensive to make and come in too many sizes for it to be practical to tool up to make them.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Matt these actually pull water from both sides and the exit is the middle of the 'sandwhich'. The inside is independent from the outside. It's effectively 2 double cartridges and yes, when wet, the big one is HEAVY. This port smacks into the filter housing bulkhead with no parts besides the cartridges.

View attachment 457356

When those filters were first introduced in the mid 1990's, they were the best around in terms of safety and long filtration runs. Sta-Rite spent upwards of $6,000,000 developing them. They are, essentially, 2 filters built into one tank and their internal flow characteristics are different than any other design.

If the pool system was designed right (pump not too big) and the residential pool used correctly (not for the local swim team), I never had to clean one more than once a year on a residential pool well before the advent of VSP's.

The design of the tanks was such that it is still the safest tank out there. The CEO of Sta-Rite was served a summons on his corporate birthday party for a suit involving a Sta-Rite filter tank that had blown apart and injured someone (never heard the outcome of that). About that time, all other manufacturers changed their band clamps to the larger ones with springs to indicate proper tightness we see today. Still not as safe as a System 3.

Biggest issues with the System 3, outside of their sheer size, is that Pentair bought Sta-Rite and the cartridges are very cheaply made now with only a 90-day warranty, and there are no aftermarket manufacturers that have stuck around making them for those filters. The ones that did try made very inferior products. The reps for all the major ones I have spoken with, Filbur, Pleatco, Unicel, all told me the cartridges are too expensive to make and come in too many sizes for it to be practical to tool up to make them.

Sounds just like Betamax versus VHS … technical superiority is never the deciding factor …

(For the record, I’m still waiting for the comeback of laser disk machines as my awesome collection of vintage Japanese Anime is going to be my ticket to retirement riches !!)

 

[1poolman1]

Sounds just like Betamax versus VHS … technical superiority is never the deciding factor …

(For the record, I’m still waiting for the comeback of laser disk machines as my awesome collection of vintage Japanese Anime is going to be my ticket to retirement riches !!)

For the record, I got rid of my System 3 and refused to sell them any more (haven't for at least 10 years). They are a good product, to be sure, but not a good value for my customer in my opinion. Literally, if they insist, I have them call a friend who absolutely loves them. I have a conscience. Its not always about the money and no, the customer is NOT always right when it comes to pools.

 

[Newdude]

They are a good product, to be sure, but not a good value for my customer in my opinion

Filters lasting a generation or more, helped me splurge a little. The intelliflo and IC60 were not value conscious either, and will go long before the filter.

 

[Surf NH]

Hey guys lots of great info, thanks so much. I’ll start first to try to wash them out better tomorrow and see if that solves it, makes sense. Appreciate all the feedback!

 

[Surf NH]

hey folks, just to follow up.....rinsed at highest hose pressure I could use (don't have a pressure washer), lots of creamy water coming out, I think I did a good job but we shall see.

You guys got me interested with all the history of the Sta-rite filter design, I was left wondering what the heck I've got and is it good or not.....also got on the Pentair web site to see more about it. Appears I've got this System 3 that is mentioned above. So far so good from the filter standpoint.....I've read a lot of info on here also about UV/Ozone systems vs salt, too late for me and so far the UV system seems okay, so it is what it is.

 

[Newdude]

I loved the system 3 and bought a 2nd one when I moved.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I prefer the modern Pentair design (Clean & Clear Plus) with four smaller internal cartridges. Just easier to deal with as you can get two sets of cartridges and then rotate the spares in fast so that you can take time to soak the dirty ones.

 

[Newdude]

. Just easier to deal with as you can get two sets of cartridges and then rotate the spares in fast so that you can take time to soak the dirty ones.

OP doesn't have a long enough season to need a mid year soak. Up here we have this thing called 'winter' and we 'close the pool' for it.

 

[Surf NH]

final follow up.....after strong hose rinse and drying out in the sun, no remaining odor. Thanks for all the pointers, live and learn!