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The Chairman
 
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AZGuy wrote in
:

On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 23:29:21 GMT, The Chairman
wrote:

Hi all,

I have a swimming pool with a diatomaceous earth filter. I have heard
that you have to clean the filters twice a year, but I find myself
cleaning it about 4 - 5 times a year. The symptoms that make me clean
it: The Kreepy Krawly stops moving, and the pressure on the filter is
about 10 lbs. more than when it is freshly cleaned.


Sounds just about right.

Believe me, it's a chore. Does anyone here have experience with these,
and is there some maintenance that I am not doing that is making my
filter gunk up more than usual? I try to keep the pool clean, although
sometimes it gets a little green in the winter months before I take
care of it.


I see in your later post you apparently don't have a back wash valve.
I've never seen a filter set up without one. That's why it's such a
pain in the arse for you to clean it. I only take mine apart for a
thorough cleaning once every one or two years, the rest of the time I
just backwash. Eventually the DE will build up inside and backwashing
won't get it out and you do have to take them apart to clean them. If
you don't they will not last the 2 months between cleanings but will
only go 2 or 3 weeks.


Yes, it sounds like a backwash valve would help. I'll do a little more
exploring... see what I can find.

And, yes, major PIA. I've gotten it down to about an hour now, from
first turn of the socket to last tightening. Not too bad, but still a
pain.

Does backwashing flow the water out of the unit, which you then collect
and dispose of, or does it just reverse the flow of the water, and
deposit the sludge in to the pool? Sounds stupid as I write this, but
just checking.