DE Filter issues.....

[fog80]

Opened to another green mess this year. Shocked the heck out of it, but I dont think my filter is running properly. I have a Hayward EC-65 DE filter and it seems like everytime I run it, my pressure is way up in about an hour or two. I've backwashed and added more DE only to have to repeat the procedure until my box of 24lbs is gone. I'm thinking that I am going to have to breakdown the filter and soak the fingers.

I'm bumping the filter every hour otherwise my pressure is really high and the pump loses prime. Is it normal to go through this much DE to clear the water up? Am I doing something wrong? How long should I be able to filter before my pressure skyrockets and the pump loses prime?

I know the DE filter gets the water crystal clear once I get past this opening part but im starting to get really frustrated. The filter is pretty old and I'm wondering if I should start looking into a sand filter.

[markintosh]

I wish I had answer for you, but I am a new owner with a DE filter as well and am still trying to figure everything out. I was curious about what you meant by the pump "losing prime." Also, what pressure *should* the filter be running at? Thanks, Mark

[madwil]

If you're bumping the DE, you shouldn't be going through more DE I don't think; I don't use a DE filter, but I understand you only have to add more DE when you backwash the filter, or otherwise clean out the old DE; bumping just stirs up the DE so a different "section" is being used as filter...
a full filter shouldn't make you lose prime- it'll build up pressure, and restrict flow to the return, but your pump should still have water at the impeller with nowhere to go.
Losing prime is usually a leak somewhere (suction leak maybe in pump basked lid or suction piping, or clog at skimmer?)
As far as how long- it varies based on size of filter, size of pump (how much water is going through it), and how cruddy the water is... with dirty pools, and especially if filter smaller, an hour is very reasonable to clog as it removes the crud from the pool

[waste]

Hey Fog - if youy haven't already check out my post in this thread (http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?9189-cleaning-a-DE-filter) for some help with owning a DE filter.

If you've got to clear a swamp, you might try putting a Hayward SP 1091-Z-7 (backwash adapter) in the drain hole and connect a hose to it so you can ~ 'vacuum to waste'. This would bypass most of the filter fingers and might be easier than all the bumping and dumping you are currently doing (* however, it's gonna cost you a lot of gallons of water).

Keep us informed as to your progress, we're rooting for you!

[fog80]

Hi Waste,

I have a backwash line connected to my filter, but when i backwash it does dump out my DE. I broke down the unit yesterday and gave it a soak in dishwashing detergent and then muriatic acid. I've never seen the fingers this clean!

Now my starting pressure is 5.......the lowest i could ever get it before cleaning was 12. I noticed that three of my "fingers" lost their fabric covering and were just exposed plastic....so I've ordered 10 new fingers and a new bottom plate (which had some cracks near the main shaft in the middle). I'll be installing them this weekend.

I put in 3 gallons of 12.5% chlorine yesterday and ran the filter all night. This morning my pressure was up to 20 but after a bump, it went back down to 5. Also, the pump didnt seem to lose prime even though the pressure went up so high.....didnt know a good cleaning would affect that.

I'm going to keep on shocking and filtering and then vacuum to waste when I can see the bottom. Hopefully it will be clean soon.

[fog80]

FYI, i changed out all my bad "fingers"....over 20 of them. I also changed out the diaphram gasket on the DE filter. Over the next 48 hours my pool cleaned up to the point where I could see the bottom. From there I scooped out as many leaves and pine needles as i could and vacuumed up the rest.

Water is crystal clear now and my DE filter pressure is holding steady at 10psi. Thanks everyone!