Three month old filters, lots of wear and tear

[NtxMelanie]

Our filters are just three months old and when we took them out to clean them because we felt the pool wasn’t getting as clean as normal they looked really beat up. Plastic was cracked and the bands were torn. What could’ve caused this? Is this normal wear and tear or is this a pressure issue?

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Often when we see cartridges bulging out like that, it means the filter has been plumbed backwards. Show us a photo of the pump, filter, and the plumbing that runs between them.

 

[Jimrahbe]

N,

I agree with the Rocket...

It might not be, but it is the first thing we need to check.

My cartridges are about 8 years old and don't look anything like yours.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[JamesW]

Looks backwards to me.

 

[JamesW]

The top port is labeled as "Inlet".

The bottom port is labeled as "Outlet".

 

[Jimrahbe]

N,

The water from the pump should go into the filter on the top fitting, and then come out on the fitting at the bottom of the filter.

It looks backwards to me also,

Jim R.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Well, keep in mind this is Texas, so ...

Jim R.

 

[JamesW]

Well, keep in mind this is Texas, so ...

Jim R.

At least it's not a dinky florida filter where the average cartridge is only 0.00694444 square feet.

 

[Jimrahbe]

James,

So smart enough to install a larger filter, but not smart enough to install it correctly.

Looking at the pics, it will be real fun to fix the problem. So much easier to do it right the first time.

Jim R.

 

[JamesW]

If only there was some way to tell which port was which.

 

[Jimrahbe]

James,

Maybe a picture of a pickup truck driving away from you on the input line, and a pickup truck driving at you on the return line, would have been better. Would not require the installer to be able to read...

Jim R.

 

[NtxMelanie]

Often when we see cartridges bulging out like that, it means the filter has been plumbed backwards. Show us a photo of the pump, filter, and the plumbing that runs between them.

Rats!! You’re all correct. I could cry

 

[JamesW]

At least you know the problem.

The builder needs to come out and fix this including new cartridges,

 

[NtxMelanie]

James,

Maybe a picture of a pickup truck driving away from you on the input line, and a pickup truck driving at you on the return line, would have been better. Would not require the installer to be able to read...

Jim R.

This actually made me lol

 

[NtxMelanie]

The builder needs to come out and fix this including new cartridges,

they already came out and replaced the cartridges, just yesterday. They are coming out tomorrow to replumb but I’m not sure if will need new cartridges again. We’ve been running the filter for the last 24 hours so I guess we’ll see how badly they’re damaged

 

[JamesW]

they already came out and replaced the cartridges, just yesterday.

You would hope that after the cartridges failed multiple times, the builder would take a few minutes to try to figure out what might have caused the problem.

The plumber is busy working on a new job.

 

[NtxMelanie]

You would hope that after the cartridges failed multiple times, the builder would take a few minutes to try to figure out what might have caused the problem.

The plumber is busy working on a new job.

View attachment 426958

The pool is only a few months old, I just noticed it wasn’t filtering very well so we decided to take it apart and change them out and that’s when we saw the damage. We sent them a picture of the filters and they came out and changed them, they thought it might’ve happened when they were priming the pump and the filter got back pressure (They had a very hard time priming the pump, it took like two days). Then y’all posted your pictures and my husband and I went out and checked and sure enough it’s plumbed backwards. I contacted them and they said they’d be out tomorrow to fix it

 

[JamesW]

They had a very hard time priming the pump, it took like two days

Seems like maybe a problem in the suction lines.

Maybe they got the suctions and returns backwards?

 

[NtxMelanie]

Seems like maybe a problem in the suction lines.

Maybe they got the suctions and returns backwards?

My husband says they got that part right, because everything’s coming out the right way. He says he thinks they had a missing O-ring on the intake to the pump and were sucking air and that’s why they had such a hard time priming it (their official reason was they thought there was a blockage from plaster in the pipes).

It’s been a fun time.

 

[JamesW]

Did they fix it?