True but how much water do you use to clean your sand filter? I'm betting one uses a lot less to spray clean a heavy cartridge filter.
Upgrade Of Pool Pump, System, Equipment
- Thread starter albert436
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True but how much water do you use to clean your sand filter? I'm betting one uses a lot less to spray clean a heavy cartridge filter.
The question was not which one uses less water, it was which was less work. Yes, a cart would lose less water which could be good in CA. Although with rising CH levels, small replacements of water (from backwashing) can be helpful.
We're sensitive about water use out here in drier than the Sahara California!! 
And frankly, the cartridge filter came with the house purchase and I knew zero about such things way back then but it seems a prudent choice now thankfully.
And frankly, the cartridge filter came with the house purchase and I knew zero about such things way back then but it seems a prudent choice now thankfully. I hadn't realized that about the amount of water needed to flush the sand filter, I suppose DE is similar?
They ought to invent a spring loader, or hoist, or side door for those things to facilitate cleaning.
They ought to invent a spring loader, or hoist, or side door for those things to facilitate cleaning.
Yes both DE and sand require backwashing which replaces water. Although with a DE, you can just disassemble and spray them clean like a cartridge filter (you should do that yearly anyway).
There are bump-type DE filters that you can go longer between cleanings by dislodging the DE every so often. Then you open a drain and wash all the DE out and then recharge.
There are bump-type DE filters that you can go longer between cleanings by dislodging the DE every so often. Then you open a drain and wash all the DE out and then recharge.
It just depends on the kind of filter and cartridge you choose. As I posted, mine came with the house: a Sta-Rite S8M150. It has two cartridges and one sits within the other. The outer cartridge is a bit of a monster and probably weighs 40-45 lbs. soaking wet. This is good incentive to ensure yourself that you minimize the amount of times you need to remove the cartridges and hose 'em down. Keep that chlorine up!!! However, these cartridges last a VERY long time. I finally just replaced the ones that came with the house purchase...back in 1998! That is 17 years and I don't know how long there were there before we bought the house.
Pro and cons...pros and cons. We all weigh them differently.
Pro and cons...pros and cons. We all weigh them differently.
DaninFLA
0
my recommendation for the cartridge was more based on the number of times it needs to be cleaned and having to keep an eye on pressures. a good sized cartridge system is going to go 6 to 12 months before it needs to be cleaned. the thinking is, a one time 45 minute cleaning may be easier for the OP as opposed to watching the pressure and having the backwash to clean more often.
But Dan, to the same end, a properly sized sand or DE filter only needs cleaned once every 6-12 months.
With a cartridge filter, you still have to watch the pressure to know when to clean.
And what a nightmare if they get algae with a cartridge filter (or DE for that matter) ... cleaning them every few hours gets tedious VERY quickly.
With a cartridge filter, you still have to watch the pressure to know when to clean.
And what a nightmare if they get algae with a cartridge filter (or DE for that matter) ... cleaning them every few hours gets tedious VERY quickly.
Well that was a timely point you made, as I was out there this afternoon.
I took some pics which I will upload later on. They show all the algae settled on the bottom.
I fooled around with the filter valve a bit and figured out how to work it. I think I figured out how to back flush it. I took pics of this valve as well. I added some more DE and started the pump, brushed the bottom and am letting it run for a while.
We'll just see what happens.
The bottom cleaning device is completely useless, I checked it over with the aux pump running and with it off. I'm thinking of looking on craigslist to see if I can get a cheap vacuum hookup bottom cleaner, but I'd really like to know if I can set my filter valve so that the pump will send the algae from the bottom straight out the exhaust pipe. In that case I would just get a regular vacuum and carefully try to pick up the algae that way and get rid of it. OK let me get the pics posted, especially the valve I guess.
Thanks again for your kind assistance.
It was actually good to get out there and do a little work with my hands and get hot and sweaty and dirty for a change, it relieves stress. Does anyone else find that to be the case ?
I took some pics which I will upload later on. They show all the algae settled on the bottom.
I fooled around with the filter valve a bit and figured out how to work it. I think I figured out how to back flush it. I took pics of this valve as well. I added some more DE and started the pump, brushed the bottom and am letting it run for a while.
We'll just see what happens.
The bottom cleaning device is completely useless, I checked it over with the aux pump running and with it off. I'm thinking of looking on craigslist to see if I can get a cheap vacuum hookup bottom cleaner, but I'd really like to know if I can set my filter valve so that the pump will send the algae from the bottom straight out the exhaust pipe. In that case I would just get a regular vacuum and carefully try to pick up the algae that way and get rid of it. OK let me get the pics posted, especially the valve I guess.
Thanks again for your kind assistance.
It was actually good to get out there and do a little work with my hands and get hot and sweaty and dirty for a change, it relieves stress. Does anyone else find that to be the case ?
If you have a waste option, then you can vacuum right out the baskwash pipe and skip the filter.
Might want to check out these:
Use and Care of DE Filters
DE Filter Cleaning Tutorial
Might want to check out these:
Use and Care of DE Filters
DE Filter Cleaning Tutorial
Absolutely and I always derive a lot of satisfaction from doing my own work and learning along the way.
You might be able to make out, on the right hand side, it says "lock", on the left "open". When I turn to open, I'm able to pull up the handle a few inches. This causes the water to go out of the exhaust pipe. I don't know however if it is backflushing the filter or bypassing it.
If I take those two nuts off, and that black collar, I can move the handle position around to there, but there are no markings to tell me what it is doing.
Has anyone seen this configuration, or can you surmise what's going on here ?
If I take those two nuts off, and that black collar, I can move the handle position around to there, but there are no markings to tell me what it is doing.
Has anyone seen this configuration, or can you surmise what's going on here ?
My new subpanel, yeah baby ! ! ! GFI outlet next to it, in retrospect a good idea, I can plug my robot in there. Thank you Bob's electrician friend Mike for thinking of that.
View attachment 41959
Bob cut the concrete so we can trench out down to the light. Actually to make it easier for the pool guys to do it, but they want an arm and a leg. Now that I have you maybe it won't be necessary to pay them $1500, since Bob can come out and finish up the wiring with a new junction box.
View attachment 41960
Strictly old school, here's a pic of the old junction box for the light. The old wiring ran under the pool deck, and this box sat IN the deck, which is not allowed these days for some reason. Of course the gasket inside the lid gave out, water got in, and the rest is history.
View attachment 41961
To summarize:
There's a new subpanel inside the pool shed. I want to replace the light and run the wire in new conduit outside the deck to a junction box and around to the new subpanel.
I understand that the light niche usually has at the top a place for the cord to exit. The lights come with a pre-wired cord of fixed length.
Here's what I understand so far.
1. Drain pool to halfway level of light
2. Turn off power of course.
3. Trench down to level of light, it's only about 18" I think, cut conduit and cord/cable/wires
4. Take out old light
5. Inspect niche for damage etc. (Is there a "fixture" that might need to be replaced?) This is a 50+ years old pool.
6. Pull/fish new cord through new conduit, I saw a video where they left enough cord to pull light up to deck for repair or maintenance or somethng, they wrapped the cord a few times around the circumference of the light itself.
I don't understand how new conduit attaches to niche/cord/light
6.5 Put in light itself, let's see, the $75 regular one, or the $700 LED multi-colored colored ? ? ? Wow that's a lot of $$$
7. Electrical stuff -- junction box --> subpanel
8. Pay Bob/Mike
9. Pat self on back
View attachment 41959
Bob cut the concrete so we can trench out down to the light. Actually to make it easier for the pool guys to do it, but they want an arm and a leg. Now that I have you maybe it won't be necessary to pay them $1500, since Bob can come out and finish up the wiring with a new junction box.
View attachment 41960
Strictly old school, here's a pic of the old junction box for the light. The old wiring ran under the pool deck, and this box sat IN the deck, which is not allowed these days for some reason. Of course the gasket inside the lid gave out, water got in, and the rest is history.
View attachment 41961
To summarize:
There's a new subpanel inside the pool shed. I want to replace the light and run the wire in new conduit outside the deck to a junction box and around to the new subpanel.
I understand that the light niche usually has at the top a place for the cord to exit. The lights come with a pre-wired cord of fixed length.
Here's what I understand so far.
1. Drain pool to halfway level of light
2. Turn off power of course.
3. Trench down to level of light, it's only about 18" I think, cut conduit and cord/cable/wires
4. Take out old light
5. Inspect niche for damage etc. (Is there a "fixture" that might need to be replaced?) This is a 50+ years old pool.
6. Pull/fish new cord through new conduit, I saw a video where they left enough cord to pull light up to deck for repair or maintenance or somethng, they wrapped the cord a few times around the circumference of the light itself.
I don't understand how new conduit attaches to niche/cord/light
6.5 Put in light itself, let's see, the $75 regular one, or the $700 LED multi-colored colored ? ? ? Wow that's a lot of $$$
7. Electrical stuff -- junction box --> subpanel
8. Pay Bob/Mike
9. Pat self on back
It is not clear to me that you understand the light fixture and the cord are one unit and cannot be spliced. The cord is a waterproof integral part of the light and must run continuously to an above ground junction.
That type of valve does not have a waste function. Only filter and backwash. You should not vacuum in backwash mode.
Yes I do understand that, always good to clarify but in any case that is not at all a problem to do.
Thanks JB, that is super helpful to know. I'm just amazed that someone would recognize this type of setup. So the only way to get this stuff off the bottom is to keep filtering, then clean w/backwash, then filter, repeat etc etc ? Or, cut a new valve in after the pump that will let me vacuum it right straight out to flush ? I know that may seem like the long way around but what a pain in the b__t to keep cleaning the filter with backwash, (do I have to add DE each time?) and/or take out filter and clean it, etc. every day until we are clear, or is that every few hours ? ? ?
The water is more clear the last few days but still a good layer of algae on the bottom. Really isn't getting filtered out
Mainly concerned with joining conduit at niche and not sure how that works. ? Can you shed any light on that or will it be obvious when we have it all apart? Need some kind of rubber seal there ? I like to have all the parts ready in advance but realize with this old stuff sometimes you just don't know until you get it apart.
- - - Updated - - -
Weird, those attachments looked like photos when I posted them yesterday, but now they seem to have gone haywire . . .
Just to let you know another option.... There are LED bulbs which operate on 120 Volts. Just replace the incandescent bulb with a LED bulb and you're done.
The 120 Volt LED bulb goes for about 250 to 300 dollars
The 120 Volt LED bulb goes for about 250 to 300 dollars
6.5 Put in light itself, let's see, the $75 regular one, or the $700 LED multi-colored colored ? ? ? Wow that's a lot of $$$
Thank you JB.
My mom said she was going to clean the filter a few days back, I told her not to but she insisted, well that's probably how she got to be 90.
Maybe I'll do it myself again just to make sure, remember it is an oldie.
I did print out and take with me the back flushing instructions from somewhere and I did that a few times.
Yes I think I had better clean the filter myself. But you can see how time consuming it gets to be, I was out there again today, got called in to the hospital this morning and went by mom's this afternoon for an hour or so, put in a bunch of LED light bulbs from Costco while there and had a look at the pool but didn't touch anything, wanted to get back here and have a look at the advice from the forum first.
What do you guys think about cutting in a new valve to vacuum up that algae ? Or can I rent a pump to which I can attache a vacuum, just to keep that big algae load out of my filter, it is really annoying. ? ? ? Looking for an elegant solution here, don't mind spending a little more but don't really want to drop $750 for a reverse osmosis truck to come out and park for two days as recommended by one of our local pool service stores.