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rb608
 
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Default Swimming pool filter questions

Upon removing the cover, I was greeted with 12,000 gallons of dark
green water that was once my swimming pool (24' diameter, 48" deep,
above ground). I was anxious to crank up the new pool filter & clear
this mess up, and in no time, the 1 hp pump was hard at work. Three,
no make that 4 bags of shock went into the pool in a frontal assault
against the green invader, and the filter ran all day. By the next
morning, the green was significantly lighter, and in went two more bags
of shock. By midday, we were getting somewhere. The green was almost
completely gone, replaced by a dense but translucent whiteness. A thin
scum of dead algae covered the surface, and patches of foam floated
around. I left the filter running all day; but saw no improvement by
nightfall.

My new pool filter is a cartridge filter, a Hayward Star Clear, 175 sf
filter area. It replaces an old but reliable Doughboy DE filter.
Because it's my first cartridge filter, I have no frame of reference
as to what to expect in performance. I know that cartridge filters
allow smaller particles than DE. Clean and fresh, the filter started
off at 6 psf pressure, and after running all day, it's only up to 8
psf. That's a good thing as far as I'm concerned, because one of
the reasons I abandoned DE was how often it would require backwashing
under these circumstances. It's also why I bought a larger filter
than I ought to need. On the other hand, the pool is still cloudy, and
time between cleanings doesn't matter if the filter isn't going to
clear up the pool.

So, for all you pool experts out there, I have a couple questions:

I realize that given the seriousness of my original algae problem, it
isn't going to clear up in a day, but inasmuch as neither the water
clarity nor the pressure gauge seems to be changing significantly, is
this normal for a cartridge filter? Are they slower to filter the
water as well as slower to clog?

I have taken the cartridge out once & hosed it off, and I paid no
attention to up or down when I put it back, assuming they were
interchangeable. Should I have checked?

On a different issue apart from the filter itself, I am getting a
steady stream of small bubbles with the return water that is
contributing to the foam on the pool surface. Where is this air coming
from? The basket gasket? The impeller gasket? It's not so much
it's a big deal, but it's nagging evidence that something's not
sealed properly.

TIA,
Joe F.

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BobK207
 
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Default Swimming pool filter questions


rb608 wrote:
Upon removing the cover, I was greeted with 12,000 gallons of dark
green water that was once my swimming pool (24' diameter, 48" deep,
above ground). I was anxious to crank up the new pool filter & clear
this mess up, and in no time, the 1 hp pump was hard at work. Three,
no make that 4 bags of shock went into the pool in a frontal assault
against the green invader, and the filter ran all day. By the next
morning, the green was significantly lighter, and in went two more bags
of shock. By midday, we were getting somewhere. The green was almost
completely gone, replaced by a dense but translucent whiteness. A thin
scum of dead algae covered the surface, and patches of foam floated
around. I left the filter running all day; but saw no improvement by
nightfall.

My new pool filter is a cartridge filter, a Hayward Star Clear, 175 sf
filter area. It replaces an old but reliable Doughboy DE filter.
Because it's my first cartridge filter, I have no frame of reference
as to what to expect in performance. I know that cartridge filters
allow smaller particles than DE. Clean and fresh, the filter started
off at 6 psf pressure, and after running all day, it's only up to 8
psf. That's a good thing as far as I'm concerned, because one of
the reasons I abandoned DE was how often it would require backwashing
under these circumstances. It's also why I bought a larger filter
than I ought to need. On the other hand, the pool is still cloudy, and
time between cleanings doesn't matter if the filter isn't going to
clear up the pool.

So, for all you pool experts out there, I have a couple questions:

I realize that given the seriousness of my original algae problem, it
isn't going to clear up in a day, but inasmuch as neither the water
clarity nor the pressure gauge seems to be changing significantly, is
this normal for a cartridge filter? Are they slower to filter the
water as well as slower to clog?

I have taken the cartridge out once & hosed it off, and I paid no
attention to up or down when I put it back, assuming they were
interchangeable. Should I have checked?

On a different issue apart from the filter itself, I am getting a
steady stream of small bubbles with the return water that is
contributing to the foam on the pool surface. Where is this air coming
from? The basket gasket? The impeller gasket? It's not so much
it's a big deal, but it's nagging evidence that something's not
sealed properly.

TIA,
Joe F.


Joe-

That's a whole bunch of questions.

I've got experrience w/ DE (pool) & Catridge (spa)

DE is a much better filter but messy to clean / maintain

BTDT....then got a pool man & finally moved away from the pool

your cleanup went very well,

now you need a flocauting(?) addtive also called clarifier) ....causes
little particles to attach to each other & make big particles that the
filter can grab.

in my spa when I had the water chem correct it would be crystal clear a
few days after a weekend of partying by my teenage sons........pH,
shock, clarfier, run filter, clean filter.....presto clean!


bubbles in the return uaually means an air leak on the 'vacuum' side

basket gasket, pump housing, piping, joints

cheers
Bob

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Default Swimming pool filter questions

I'm no expert, but it sure sounds like you need to use a floculant (aka
clarifier). Good luck.

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Don Phillipson
 
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Default Swimming pool filter questions

"rb608" wrote in message
oups.com...

On the other hand, the pool is still cloudy, and
time between cleanings doesn't matter if the filter isn't going to
clear up the pool. . . .

So, for all you pool experts out there, I have a couple questions:

I realize that given the seriousness of my original algae problem, it
isn't going to clear up in a day, but inasmuch as neither the water
clarity nor the pressure gauge seems to be changing significantly, is
this normal for a cartridge filter?


What makes you think algae is the cause of the green
colour? Other causes include excess calcium.

On a different issue apart from the filter itself, I am getting a
steady stream of small bubbles with the return water that is
contributing to the foam on the pool surface. Where is this air coming
from? The basket gasket? The impeller gasket? It's not so much
it's a big deal, but it's nagging evidence that something's not
sealed properly.


You are right that bubbles indicate that air is entering the
system between the skimmer and the water return inlet.
Only you know what connectors or mechanisms between
them can be tightened and which may not. Do your pipes
have screw-on connectors (requiring Teflon tape) or friction-
fit?

You seem to have no plan. The Aquapro pool supplies company
recommends for above-ground pools (in this order):
1: Mechanical cleaning
2. Balance total alkalinity
3. Adjust pH if needed
4. Stabilize (add Stabiliizer).
5. Add chlorine as required.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)


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Richard J Kinch
 
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Default Swimming pool filter questions

Also, keep up the superchlorination, even though you may have killed all
the algae. It takes days, but chlorine will oxidize the dead algae
clouding your water into gases that outgas thorugh the surface, or soluble
inorganics that don't cloud the water. Anything oxidized is that much less
that has to be filtered, and you can oxidize almost all of it if you
superchlorinate long enough.

Don't use cyanurated chlorine to superchlorinate (and check that you don't
already have a build-up of cyanurate, cyanuric "stabilizers" spoil
chlorine's sanitizing power to where it won't clean up algae). Use sodium
or calcium hypochlorite instead of cyanurics.

Keep pH low, way below swimming comfort until you finish the cleanup, this
will get much more power out of the chlorine and deter any new algae
growth. Match each chlorine dose with the acid needed to overcome the huge
alkalinity baggage that comes in the chlorinator liquid or powder.

Dose chlorine at dusk.


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rb608
 
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Default Swimming pool filter questions

I'm becoming seriously disenchanted with the cartridge filter. I took
the eminently reasonable advice here and went out & bought a couple of
quarts of clarifier. The stated dosage on the label would be about 5
ounces for my pool. I put in 5 ounces, ran the filter all day, and saw
no improvement. No problem, the label says a repeat dose or a larger
dose may be needed. I put in another 8 ounces. Nada. Okay, next day,
another dose. Still nothing. Let's try more.

Long story short, I'm now about 8 doses into this clarifier business;
and I'm getting nowhere. The pool is still about as cloudy as when I
first posted a week ago. I could understand if I was seeing slow
improvement; but I'm seeing no improvement.

Chances are the clarifier I'm using may not be as effective as another
product and I'll explore that avenue also, but I expected better
performance out of the filter. As I posted earlier, this is my first
cartridge filter. Is this worthless performance what I should expect
for $300. FWIW, it's a Hayward "Star Clear" 175 sf. filter, and that
ought to be more than adequate for my little 12,000 gal pool. I'm
dismayed.

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Steve B
 
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Default Swimming pool filter questions


"rb608" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm becoming seriously disenchanted with the cartridge filter. I took
the eminently reasonable advice here and went out & bought a couple of
quarts of clarifier. The stated dosage on the label would be about 5
ounces for my pool. I put in 5 ounces, ran the filter all day, and saw
no improvement. No problem, the label says a repeat dose or a larger
dose may be needed. I put in another 8 ounces. Nada. Okay, next day,
another dose. Still nothing. Let's try more.

Long story short, I'm now about 8 doses into this clarifier business;
and I'm getting nowhere. The pool is still about as cloudy as when I
first posted a week ago. I could understand if I was seeing slow
improvement; but I'm seeing no improvement.

Chances are the clarifier I'm using may not be as effective as another
product and I'll explore that avenue also, but I expected better
performance out of the filter. As I posted earlier, this is my first
cartridge filter. Is this worthless performance what I should expect
for $300. FWIW, it's a Hayward "Star Clear" 175 sf. filter, and that
ought to be more than adequate for my little 12,000 gal pool. I'm
dismayed.


Sorry I didn't get MY eminently reasonable advice in by the deadline. I may
have saved you some money.

Take one quart of your water to Home Depot, or your local swimming pool
store. They will tell you all about your water, and what you need to do to
get it right. And for free, too.

Of course, they will want to sell you all sorts of things, but start with
the worst problem, and work from there. I found out that having chlorine
stabilizer (cyanuric acid) in my pool cut my chlorine consumption by 80%. I
don't have the problem you have with cloudiness, but the analysis will tell
you what you need to adjust. My point is that they wanted to sell me all
sorts of ph adjusters, and all sorts of things, and all I got was the
stabilizer. My water stays clear, and at the right ph, and I didn't buy all
the things that were suggested.

Oh, do buy a good test kit, and maybe even a stabilizer test kit.

Steve


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Dan Espen
 
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Default Swimming pool filter questions

"rb608" writes:

I'm becoming seriously disenchanted with the cartridge filter. I took
the eminently reasonable advice here and went out & bought a couple of
quarts of clarifier. The stated dosage on the label would be about 5
ounces for my pool. I put in 5 ounces, ran the filter all day, and saw
no improvement. No problem, the label says a repeat dose or a larger
dose may be needed. I put in another 8 ounces. Nada. Okay, next day,
another dose. Still nothing. Let's try more.


I never use clarifier.

My procedure, get test kit, adjust PH and alkalinity til correct.
Then get 5 Gal bucket of pool shock (chlorine) at pool store.
Dump it in all at once. Don't use the pool until
chlorine level returns to normal.

Never had it fail.
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BobK207
 
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Default Swimming pool filter questions


rb608 wrote:
I'm becoming seriously disenchanted with the cartridge filter. I took
the eminently reasonable advice here and went out & bought a couple of
quarts of clarifier. The stated dosage on the label would be about 5
ounces for my pool. I put in 5 ounces, ran the filter all day, and saw
no improvement. No problem, the label says a repeat dose or a larger
dose may be needed. I put in another 8 ounces. Nada. Okay, next day,
another dose. Still nothing. Let's try more.

Long story short, I'm now about 8 doses into this clarifier business;
and I'm getting nowhere. The pool is still about as cloudy as when I
first posted a week ago. I could understand if I was seeing slow
improvement; but I'm seeing no improvement.

Chances are the clarifier I'm using may not be as effective as another
product and I'll explore that avenue also, but I expected better
performance out of the filter. As I posted earlier, this is my first
cartridge filter. Is this worthless performance what I should expect
for $300. FWIW, it's a Hayward "Star Clear" 175 sf. filter, and that
ought to be more than adequate for my little 12,000 gal pool. I'm
dismayed.



A 12,000 gallon pool isn't all that little, of course it's not a 30,000
gallon in ground pool.

I only have experimece with a cartridge filter for a 500 gallon spa.
All my large in ground pools used DE filters.

I used ~1 or 2 oz of clarifier in 500 gallons per day for a two days
or so. That waould have been 24 to 48 ozs per day.

I can see why you're unhappy but a totally green pool is going to
generate a lot of dead algae.debris.

You've seen little or no improvement? I'm stumped other than "stay
the course".

Maybe it's a water chem problem.

Give the filter mfr or dealer a call & discuss performance.

cheers
Bob

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rb608
 
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Default Swimming pool filter questions

BobK207 wrote:
You've seen little or no improvement? I'm stumped other than "stay
the course".



Thanks to BobK & others. I'll post this update if only to help others
learn from my ordeal.

I spoke with a sales rep at the local filter dealer, who insisted that
I should vacuum the bottom. I protested that I couldn't vacuum the
bottom if I couldn't see the bottom, but he insisted. What the heck,
at this point I'll try anything, so out came the vacuum hose, & away we
go.

It took all of about 15 seconds for me to see that the return water was
simply a jet of cloudy white crap. Clearly whatever was going in the
filter was coming right back out the other end. Well, at least I have
an understandable problem to solve. So I shut off the pump, plugged
the hoses, & took the top off the filter to have a look-see.

Now even though they look exactly the same, and I'm quite confident
they are, I nonetheless exchanged ends before putting the cartidge back
into the housing. I also pushed down a bit & twisted to ensure the
filter was seated snugly.

One odd thing I noticed was that there's a small white plastic tube
running up the center of the filter. What was odd is that it was loose
from a small rubber clip that was designed to hold it in place. I
can't imagine how I could possible have loosened it by simply removing
the filter, but I reattached it, replaced the cartridge, & put
everything back into business mode.

Turned on the pump. Strange, the plume of bubbles was gone (tho it did
come back later to a far lesser extent.) I tried vacuuming again this
morning, & the return water looked far better than before.

It's too soon to say, but I'm beginning to strongly suspect that my
problem all along may have been caused by a poorly seated cartridge,
allowing the water to simply bypass the filter. Because of the out of
place tube above, I'm also suspecting that I may have pushed it down on
the previous installation and it got caught under the cartridge seal.

The pump's running all day again today, & I'm going to try more
vacuuming tonight. Keep your fingers crossed.

Thanks again,
Joe



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Mortimer Schnerd, RN
 
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Default Swimming pool filter questions

rb608 wrote:
The pump's running all day again today, & I'm going to try more
vacuuming tonight. Keep your fingers crossed.



Thanks for sharing. Even though I don't own a pool and had nothing to
contribute, I was curious to find out what the problem was with your pool. Just
because I don't have one now doesn't mean I never will.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE


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rb608
 
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Default Swimming pool filter questions

"rb608" wrote in message
It took all of about 15 seconds for me to see that the return water was
simply a jet of cloudy white crap. Clearly whatever was going in the
filter was coming right back out the other end.


Okay, one more shot at this. The problem described above is, in fact, *the
problem*. After turning 12,000 gallons of water into a large chemical
experiment, I had the water professionally tested, and it's nearly perfect
(hooray for me). Chlorine is a bit high (but the pool's still green), and
alkalinity is a bit low. Everything else is spot on.

I've pulled the cartridge out and cleaned it. Consdiering the possibility
of a bad fit, I measured the housing against the filter, and that's a
perfect fit, both in length & diameters. The filter is clean, almost new,
and correctly reinstalled. Still, if I hook up the vacuum & push it across
the still obscured bottom, I get a thick, god-awful plume of stuff out of
the return. The filter just isn't filtering. I see several options.

1. The filter is doing a fine job and is catching 99% of the stuff I'm
vacuuming. The plume I'm seeing is only the 1% of really fine stuff that
escapes the cartridge filter. If I keep vaccuuming, I'll eventually see a
net positive result. Inasmuch as I've been running the pump non-stop for
weeks with no discernable improvement, I'm thinking this isn't the correct
answer.

2. The whole cartridge filter system doesn't work worth crap. It's a
terrible idea & I should never have bought it. Maybe true, but if I'm the
only one having this problem, it's probably not indicative of cartridge
filters in general.

3. The filter cartridge is defective. By process of elimination, this
seems the most likely. I'm not sure how I'd test this hypotheses other than
buying another (damned expansive) cartridge to see if works any better. If
it does, problem solved. If it doesn't, the answer was 2, and I'll be just
as frustrated, but significantly poorer.

I'm still traversing the local pool supply stores looking for someone with
half a brain who can help, but no luck yet. Methinks I'll be calling
Hayward on Monday & see what their customer service is like.

More to come, no doubt.

Joe


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Default Swimming pool filter questions


now you need a flocauting(?) addtive also called clarifier) ....causes
little particles to attach to each other & make big particles that the
filter can grab.

DE Filter Questions

I think I need Clarifier...? I have Triton Nautilus DE Filter. When i
"recharged" it by pouring DE into skimmer I saw cloudy water being
pumped back into pool for a few minutes then it stopped. Is it normal
to see clouds jetting from inlets while adding DE into the skimmer?

The water is clear and chemicals all balanced. I can see the bottom of
the deep end.

So I decided to vaccuum and again I see clouds pumping into pool as if
not filtering these particles.

Next I open up the filter because I was convinced something wasn't
right. I gently hosed off the elements and checked them for holes or
rips. They check out fine. So I then made sure that each element was
seated and put it all back together.

Once again I mix up 6 coffee cans full of DE into a pail, add water to
make a slurry and poured it into the skimmer. And again I see clouds
begin jetting from the inlets but they stop after a minute.

Hours later the pool is again clear and I can see the bottom but the
particles from the clouds have accumulated on the bottom.

Will Clarifier clump these particles into size that will catch them in
the filter?

I am afraaid that if I vaccuum they will just circulate back into the
pool like an endless cycle.

Any and all DE Filter owners your comments are welcome!!! Please Help!

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BobK207
 
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Default Swimming pool filter questions


wrote:

now you need a flocauting(?) addtive also called clarifier) ....causes
little particles to attach to each other & make big particles that the
filter can grab.

DE Filter Questions

I think I need Clarifier...? I have Triton Nautilus DE Filter. When i
"recharged" it by pouring DE into skimmer I saw cloudy water being
pumped back into pool for a few minutes then it stopped. Is it normal
to see clouds jetting from inlets while adding DE into the skimmer?

The water is clear and chemicals all balanced. I can see the bottom of
the deep end.

So I decided to vaccuum and again I see clouds pumping into pool as if
not filtering these particles.

Next I open up the filter because I was convinced something wasn't
right. I gently hosed off the elements and checked them for holes or



rips. They check out fine. So I then made sure that each element was
seated and put it all back together.

Once again I mix up 6 coffee cans full of DE into a pail, add water to
make a slurry and poured it into the skimmer. And again I see clouds
begin jetting from the inlets but they stop after a minute.

Hours later the pool is again clear and I can see the bottom but the
particles from the clouds have accumulated on the bottom.

Will Clarifier clump these particles into size that will catch them in
the filter?

I am afraaid that if I vaccuum they will just circulate back into the
pool like an endless cycle.

Any and all DE Filter owners your comments are welcome!!! Please Help!



SInce you question is about a DE filter it would be best to start
another thread rather than to piggy-back this one.

I do not currently own a home wil a pool or a Spa (yahoo!) but I have
YEARS of experience owning / working them.


First of all, let me say, you are doing all the right things.

The mesh size of the nylon fabric on the filter grids will allow some
DE to pass until the DE builds up on the grids to form the filtering
layer

take a look at
http://www.poolandspa.com/page799.htm

typically clarifiers / flocculating agents are not needed in DE systems
(we never used them). Spas with cartirdge filters are anotehr story,
used them all the time to good effect.


When a DE filter is recharged correctly & settles down, you will get no
recirculating particles upon vacuuming.

Cloudy water from the return lines means particles getting thru the
filter; (damaged mesh, hole, seam failure, leak at junction with
filter tree, ???)

but you looked for that, so?????

could also be poor DE distribtuon over the filter grids, but you're
doing it correctly by premixing the DE.

we used to cheat & just dump it in the skimmer & depend on the pump to
mix it

we gave the filter a couple turns to distribute the DE & everything was
fine

some how stuff is getting by your filter & IMO a clarifier is not the
answer; you've got some sort of internal leak path.

let us know how it all works out

cheers
Bob

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BobK207
 
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rb608 wrote:
"rb608" wrote in message
It took all of about 15 seconds for me to see that the return water was
simply a jet of cloudy white crap. Clearly whatever was going in the
filter was coming right back out the other end.


Okay, one more shot at this. The problem described above is, in fact, *the
problem*. After turning 12,000 gallons of water into a large chemical
experiment, I had the water professionally tested, and it's nearly perfect
(hooray for me). Chlorine is a bit high (but the pool's still green), and
alkalinity is a bit low. Everything else is spot on.

I've pulled the cartridge out and cleaned it. Consdiering the possibility
of a bad fit, I measured the housing against the filter, and that's a
perfect fit, both in length & diameters. The filter is clean, almost new,
and correctly reinstalled. Still, if I hook up the vacuum & push it across
the still obscured bottom, I get a thick, god-awful plume of stuff out of
the return. The filter just isn't filtering. I see several options.

1. The filter is doing a fine job and is catching 99% of the stuff I'm
vacuuming. The plume I'm seeing is only the 1% of really fine stuff that
escapes the cartridge filter. If I keep vaccuuming, I'll eventually see a
net positive result. Inasmuch as I've been running the pump non-stop for
weeks with no discernable improvement, I'm thinking this isn't the correct
answer.

2. The whole cartridge filter system doesn't work worth crap. It's a
terrible idea & I should never have bought it. Maybe true, but if I'm the
only one having this problem, it's probably not indicative of cartridge
filters in general.

3. The filter cartridge is defective. By process of elimination, this
seems the most likely. I'm not sure how I'd test this hypotheses other than
buying another (damned expansive) cartridge to see if works any better. If
it does, problem solved. If it doesn't, the answer was 2, and I'll be just
as frustrated, but significantly poorer.

I'm still traversing the local pool supply stores looking for someone with
half a brain who can help, but no luck yet. Methinks I'll be calling
Hayward on Monday & see what their customer service is like.

More to come, no doubt.

Joe



Joe-

I did a little reading on pool filters & one of the sites suggested
adding a "small amount of DE" to a carrtridge filter

http://www.poolcenter.com/filter.htm

what a small amount is I don't know I gues onw could attempt to do a
layer thickness estimate ove the known filter area & come up with an
cubic inches number

I'd start with about 2ozs (1/4cup) for every 10 sqft of filter area
(just a SWAG)

but really this would be an addtion to a functional system that would
increase the water "polishing" effect

If you're still getting filter "blow by" that's a different problem?

cheers
Bob



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BobK207
 
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rb608 wrote:
"rb608" wrote in message
It took all of about 15 seconds for me to see that the return water was
simply a jet of cloudy white crap. Clearly whatever was going in the
filter was coming right back out the other end.


Okay, one more shot at this. The problem described above is, in fact, *the
problem*. After turning 12,000 gallons of water into a large chemical
experiment, I had the water professionally tested, and it's nearly perfect
(hooray for me). Chlorine is a bit high (but the pool's still green), and
alkalinity is a bit low. Everything else is spot on.

I've pulled the cartridge out and cleaned it. Consdiering the possibility
of a bad fit, I measured the housing against the filter, and that's a
perfect fit, both in length & diameters. The filter is clean, almost new,
and correctly reinstalled. Still, if I hook up the vacuum & push it across
the still obscured bottom, I get a thick, god-awful plume of stuff out of
the return. The filter just isn't filtering. I see several options.

1. The filter is doing a fine job and is catching 99% of the stuff I'm
vacuuming. The plume I'm seeing is only the 1% of really fine stuff that
escapes the cartridge filter. If I keep vaccuuming, I'll eventually see a
net positive result. Inasmuch as I've been running the pump non-stop for
weeks with no discernable improvement, I'm thinking this isn't the correct
answer.

2. The whole cartridge filter system doesn't work worth crap. It's a
terrible idea & I should never have bought it. Maybe true, but if I'm the
only one having this problem, it's probably not indicative of cartridge
filters in general.

3. The filter cartridge is defective. By process of elimination, this
seems the most likely. I'm not sure how I'd test this hypotheses other than
buying another (damned expansive) cartridge to see if works any better. If
it does, problem solved. If it doesn't, the answer was 2, and I'll be just
as frustrated, but significantly poorer.

I'm still traversing the local pool supply stores looking for someone with
half a brain who can help, but no luck yet. Methinks I'll be calling
Hayward on Monday & see what their customer service is like.

More to come, no doubt.

Joe


Joe-

On second thought............

maybe trying trick of adding DE to your system is worth a shot

a small bag of DE (or maybe you can beg a cup of it) is much cheaper
than a cartridge


btw cartridge filters do work....so either yours a low end no good one
(I doubt that) or you've got a small unknown defect that we just
haven't found yet

cheers
bob

  #17   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
rb608
 
Posts: n/a
Default Swimming pool filter questions

"BobK207" wrote in message
I did a little reading on pool filters & one of the sites suggested
adding a "small amount of DE" to a carrtridge filter


I had an astounding experience today with the tech service guy at Hayward.
I described my problem with all of its symptoms and all of the unsuccessful
steps I've taken to solve it. Hayward came to the conclusion that it was
most likely caused by some sort of hole or other cartridge defect allowing
debris to pass through. I asked how I could check the filter without paying
$150 for an uncertainty. The answer was to check every fold in the filter
or, alternatively, he would send me a replacement filter at no charge.

I take back all of the bad things I said. Major kudos to Hayward for this
one. Simply awesome customer service IMHO.

In 2-3 days, I may actually have a functioning filter.

Joe


  #18   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
Mike Hartigan
 
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Default Swimming pool filter questions

When adding DE via the skimmer (yes, I simply dump the dry powder in
there), I set the valve on 'Filter to Waste' until all of the powder
is taken in. Only then to I send it to the pool. The result is that
the initial plume of powder ends up in the garden instead of in the
pool.

In article .com,
says...

now you need a flocauting(?) addtive also called clarifier) ....causes
little particles to attach to each other & make big particles that the
filter can grab.

DE Filter Questions

I think I need Clarifier...? I have Triton Nautilus DE Filter. When i
"recharged" it by pouring DE into skimmer I saw cloudy water being
pumped back into pool for a few minutes then it stopped. Is it normal
to see clouds jetting from inlets while adding DE into the skimmer?

The water is clear and chemicals all balanced. I can see the bottom of
the deep end.

So I decided to vaccuum and again I see clouds pumping into pool as if
not filtering these particles.

Next I open up the filter because I was convinced something wasn't
right. I gently hosed off the elements and checked them for holes or
rips. They check out fine. So I then made sure that each element was
seated and put it all back together.

Once again I mix up 6 coffee cans full of DE into a pail, add water to
make a slurry and poured it into the skimmer. And again I see clouds
begin jetting from the inlets but they stop after a minute.

Hours later the pool is again clear and I can see the bottom but the
particles from the clouds have accumulated on the bottom.

Will Clarifier clump these particles into size that will catch them in
the filter?

I am afraaid that if I vaccuum they will just circulate back into the
pool like an endless cycle.

Any and all DE Filter owners your comments are welcome!!! Please Help!


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