Backwash newbie

[oroepke1]

I am not totally new to the pool community, since I got my in-ground pool last summer, but have never backwashed my filter. My pool is a 10,000 gal with a Quad DE 100 filter (oversized, I know but I wanted it so!) and after nine months of operation my pressure has increased by 3 lbs. This is still well below the limit of 8 (I believe) for backwashing but I wanted to do it anyway.

My valve has different settings, filter, backwash, rinse, waste and from what I understand I switch the valve to "backwash" then "rinse" and run the pump until the water looks clear. But what about the valves for skimmer, drain and return, do they stay open?

Are there some good instructions out there somewhere?

Thanks and sorry for those "dumb" questions

[CarlD]

OK, there's a reason you don't backwash a DE filter often: You wash out all your DE and need to refill it completely. But, otherwise, the standard backwash procedure is:
1) roll out your backwash hose, unless you have a direct connect to a drain (I just got that this season...YAY!), connected to the backwash outlet on your filter, and pointing to some drain
2) Turn off your filter
3) Move the handle to waste then turn the filter back on for 10-30 seconds
4) turn filter off
5) move the handle to backwash and turn filter on.
6) watch water in sight glass to see when it runs clear.
7) Turn off filter.
8) Move handle to waste and turn filter on for 10-30 seconds
9) then turn filter off.
10) move back to "filter" and turn filter on.

You'll have to follow the directions for adding DE for your filter.

Some DE filters have "bump" handles that move around the DE, knock loose lumps and allow it run again at normal pressure. Some don't.

I'm a sand filter guy, myself.

Carl

[SalemCastles]

Here is the manual for your filter I believe ... seems a bit more involved than just a backwash.

http://www.pentairpool.com/pdfs/QuadDEFilterIG.pdf

[oroepke1]

Thanks for the info. I have the manual and had read it, but wasn't sure how it would work with the MPV valve (backwash vs. waste). Anyway I backwashed as I was supposed to (I think) however it didn't seem to get much of the DE out of the filter. I disassembled the filter and still found a lot of DE powder in there. The pool store told me that when I don't backwash frequently, it can be that it is hard to get the DE washed out. Anyway disassembling the filter did the trick and since it takes about a year to get my pressure up by 8lbs, I might just disassemble and clean the filter twice a year instead of backwashing. It doesn't take too long and I can see how things look on the inside :-) Thnks again for your help!