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How to Backwash a Pool Sand Filter Turn off the pool pump. Set the filter valve handle to the ‘Backwash’ position and ensure the handle locks in place. Turn the pump on and backwash for 2 minutes or until the water in the sight glass (located on the filter) is running clear. Turn off the pump.
How often should you backwash a sand pool filter?
How Often Should I Backwash? A good rule of thumb is to backwash once the pressure displayed on your pressure gauge is 8-10 psi over the starting level. Backwashing after heavy rains, treating for algae, or when trying to clear cloudy water will keep your filter working efficiently.
Do you backwash or rinse a sand filter first?
After about 5-10 days, or when the reading of the pressure gauge on the pump side of the filter has increased by about 0.2 bars (20 kPa, 3 psi) since the last backwash, backwash the filter as follows: Start the pump. Rinse the filter for about 1 to 2 minutes or until the water in the sight glass is clear.
How long do you backwash a sand filter?
After the hose fills with water, backwash your sand filter for 2 – 3 minutes or until water runs clear. Shut off pump motor and push T-handle back down into locked position. Turn pump back on and note lower pressure.
Can you backwash a sand filter too much?
Can You Backwash Too Much? If you backwash your pool too much i.e. time duration and/or close frequency then yes you can cause a lot of problems. Some problems that can arise from backwashing your sand pool filter too much are: Loss of water – 500+ litres of water can be lost in each backwashing cycle.
Should you rinse after backwash?
In order to prevent residual blow back into the pool, once you’ve finished backwashing it’s highly advisable to rinse the filter. Just as the backwash lifts and flushes the sand, the rinse resets the sand to its original position for optimum filtration.
Does backwashing remove water from pool?
The backwashing process reverses the flow of water to flush out contaminants from a swimming pool filter. It should be carried out until water runs clear through the waste line.
Do you lose sand when backwashing?
Excessive sand coming out when backwashing is not normal. Often, excess sand gets into the wrong places when refilling and will sand to come out into the pool or out of the backwash hose. But it should go away after a few runs. In general, you shouldn’t be losing sand from your sand filter.
What should the pool filter pressure gauge read?
The size of your pool, the size of your pump, and the condition of your pool water directly impact pressure readings. Generally speaking, a pressure reading between 10 – 25 psi can be considered normal. Once you have installed a new filter, turn everything on and take a baseline reading.
Do you backwash a cartridge filter?
Unlike other filtration systems, cartridge filters don’t require backwashing, which means homeowners don’t waste the water and extra energy involved in backwashing. The small size of cartridge filters allows them to be run on smaller pumps because they can run with a lower flow rate pump, which saves energy.
Can you backwash with filter balls?
Yes, you save water with FilterBalls with the backwashing. Simply follow the FilterBalls installation instructions by noting your filter pressure upon installation and backwash when the pressure increases by 5-6 psi. Note your starting pressure will be much lower than what you experienced with sand.
What happens if you backwash too long?
Backwashing a filter too frequently will keep the sand so free of dirt buildup that it will not have the ability to remove the smaller particles of dirt and they will simply pass through sometimes causing cloudiness in water.
Why am I having to backwash my sand filter so often?
Whenever the filter fills up with the dirt/debris it reduces the flow of water to your pool. Low flow = poor circulation which will lead to algae in the pool. Bottom line, the filter must be backwashed on a regular basis to ensure that your pool water is clear.
Why is my pool sand filter pressure so high?
High swimming pool filter pressure is usually the result of a lot of particles being filtered out of the swimming pool water. When pressure rises it is time to backwash the filter if you have that option with a sand or diatomacesous earth (DE) filter.
Where does the backwash water go?
Any backwash water is to bypass the septic tank and be discharged to the drain between the septic tank and the common effluent drain.
How often do you backwash a green pool?
Run your filter 24 hours a day and backwash 3 or 4 times a day for quickest results. Green or cloudy water will quickly clog a filter, therefore you may have to backwash your filter many times a day until the pool clears. THIS IS NORMAL ! Remember, you cannot over-backwash a pool filter.
What is the difference between backwash and waste on a pool filter?
Drain/Waste: Opting the drain or waste setting will remove pool water without forcing it through the filter. Backwash: This clears out any debris, dirt and other contaminants that may have accumulated on the filter. Closed: if you choose this setting, then the flow of water to the pool and filter will be stopped.
What is the rinse function on a sand filter?
The ‘Rinse’ setting should be used after backwashing and again run just for a minute or two. On this setting the water is flowing through the filter in the normal direction but once again is being sent to the waste pipe rather than being returned to the pool.
How do you backwash a sand filter without a multiport valve?
D.E. Filter without multiport Turn pump off. Open discharge valve at very bottom of filter. Pump/bump handle ten times. Turn pump on for fifteen seconds. Repeat step 1 -4 three times. Close discharge valve. Leave filter running and add three pounds of D.E. to the skimmer that you vacuumed from.
What PSI should my sand filter run at?
Your filter may be clean and normal at 9-10 psi, but your neighbor’s filter gauge could run higher, and be clean at 15-16 psi. Some systems with very low resistance can run very low pressures, barely registering, while other filter systems can run quite high, pushing 30 psi when the filter becomes dirty.
