Baquapur Filtration System

HI, nice to meet you all, I have an oval 15X33 52" pool that came with the house we bought, we have the Baquapur filtration system and other than replacing the pump (2 1/2 hp) 3 times in 5 years we are pretty happy with the setup.
We just got a new pump and set up to getting rid of the dreaded algea (BBB system on here has been a big help) but here is my problem, I dont have a manual, and the one online shows only the parts and not the how to's and the label on the side of the pool has faded so I cant read it anymore and that had the backwashing instructions on it, I know how to turn the pu,p off before setting the multiport valve to backwash and all but we have a T valve on the skimmer pot behind the motor that I know we have to push it down or pull it up for skimming and the opposite for regular use.
My husband says I'm crazy, we have a multiport valve and that takes care of it all but Im concerened we are damaging the motor and even with the discount we got its too expensive to buy another because we are doing something wrong.
Does anyone have the manual for this system that actually says how to backwash or can anyone tell me what that T valve is for and how to position it for backwashing and regualar use?

Wow!

The obvious assumption I'm going to make is that your pump is about 2 1/2 times more powerful than you need--no wonder you've burned out 3 pumps quickly--3 pumps in 5 years is insane! I have a much larger pool, and use a 1 hp pump, and it's into its 8th season with no problems. Whoever sold you that pump was totally irresponsible--that pump would probably suit a pool with 3x the volume of yours! Had you replaced BOTH the filter and pump with properly matched units, you would not need to replace it again for many, many years, saving yourselves a fortune in the long run. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if your filter is badly damaged--I'd be surprised if it's not!

You don't say what kind of filter you have, nor what size it is, but I'm guessing it's a sand filter since you backwash. For a pool your size a pump as small as 3/4 hp may be perfectly adequate--and save you a fortune on electric bills.

Do you have a pressure valve and what is its normal reading? That will help us tell what's going on.

The T-Valve is just the same as ball valve only you pull it up to open (I think) and down to shut (I think). I have a ball valve instead on my skimmer, but it's the same. The T-Valve is NOT there for backwashing. NOT!!! I ONLY close the ball valve to backwash if my water is too low and it starts sucking air. I'm assuming you have a low drain as well. If not, you NEVER close that T-Valve--you'll destroy your pump.

If, when you backwash and the skimmer is sucking air AND you have a low drain, you close the T-Valve. Otherwise, leave it open.

The T-Valve is to make it easier to clean out the pump's skimmer basket. You close the T-Valve (and the valve from the low drain if you have one), and set the Multi-valve to CLOSED to open and clean out that basket so you don't have a gusher. If you do NOT have some sort of shut off you need to plug these openings.

(My dad had a kind of rubber cork he stuck in that had a butterfly handscrew to tighten and expand it to seal it. Pool stores still sell these and Home Depot sells a version of it for plumbers).

Again, though, I'm sure your main problem is an oversized pump. Horsepower in pumps is NOT like horsepower in cars--more is NOT better! It destroys filters and wastes electricity.

Please fill us in on more information if you can.

And please understand that I'm trying to help. We all have been ignorant about this stuff at one time or another and we all have been taken advantage of, too. The pool industry is cram-packed with people who sell folks stuff they don't need and even stuff that DAMAGES their equipment.

Just for a further reference point for matching pump to pool size --- I have a 24ft AG. When I had to replace my pump a few years ago, I switched down from a 1hp to a 1/2hp and it is plenty for my pool and does a good job.

I have a 1 hp pump on my 18x36 IG--approx. 29k gallons
Janet

Carl,
Thanks for the reply, the pumps were replaced with the same thing that the original owner purchased, 2.5 hp waterway, tho Rec Warehouse put their Baquapur label on it, the sand filter is a baquapur as well, 26". We have never had a problem with the filter, just the pump.
I just replaced the pressure guage, it had become cloudy over the winter, and its reading 18 on high speed and 2 on low.
Like I said , I dont have any paper work on the pool and I guestimated the size of it, recwarehouse is trying to get me a manual.
If I went to a smaller motor would I have to change the filter too?
I feel so ignorant now lol!!

We also have a water polisher that I see most everyone on here has converted to use regular 3" chlorine tablets, but we cant figure out how to remove that center post and dont want to break it.

If you go with a smaller pump,you wouldn't have to replace the filter. Unless, it has been damaged by your current WAY too big pump.

Do you run your pump mostly on high or low speed? It should filter better and last longer at low speed.

It seems that Baquapure mates the 2.5 hp pump to the 26" (200lb) sand filter all the time. I don't know much about the product but it seems an odd combo.

We usually run it on low but when backwashing like recently its been on high.
Is that the proper way?
So, should we swap out for a smaller system?

Yeah, low most of the time, high for backwash.

I can't tell you what to do, I can only tell you what I have. You have to make your choice of either spending money on new or waiting till THIS pump burns out as well in 2 years--and the betting is strong that it will.

But if it were me, and a matched set burned out 2 times in 5 years, well, I wouldn't have kept the same brand after the second burn-out.

I have a 20,000 gallon AG FantaSea, 40'x16' and I use a 200lb Hayward sand filter with a top-mounted multivalve. I mated that with a Hayward 1 hp 2 speed SuperPump (an IG pump) and have been running trouble-free for now 8 years. The SuperPump does require a 220v line.

My run to the return is ball-park 15', about on the same level as the multivalve, and my drains are my skimmer and low drain--skimmer's about 15' and low drain's about 8' from the pump--again about the same level.

There are other choices and certainly companies like Hayward and Jacuzzi and others make all-in-one filter and pump combos with matched sizes.