Jacuzzi brand Filter info

[justaguy]

Hi all..

Just moved in to a new house with an in-ground pool and am trying to learn more about we have for a filter. The label on the front says Jacuzzi PM (Permanent Media) Filter. It looks like your typical sand filter, I'm sure its pretty old so I can't find any owners manual, I have a pic of it and will post if I am allowed. Any guidance to point me in a good direction to learn more would be awesome.

[PoolDoc]

You can post pictures by using Photobucket, Flickr, Google Picasa, or other services. Or, you can email them to me, poolforum@gmail.com, and I'll post them.

[justaguy]

thanks for the reply.. I actually DID find the two page manual but it doesn't say much about maintenance. I gather the permanent media means I don't need to change sand (didn't know something like that existed). The filter is 40 years old.

pics:

[IMG]http://i58.tinypic.com/*****.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i60.tinypic.com/*****.jpg[/IMG]

[PoolDoc]

Oops. Didn't know that Tinypic.com hosted porn! Your pictures were fine, but some of the images that showed up in the margins were not! Anyhow, I reposted them on the PoolForum Picasa account:

[PoolDoc]

Hm-mh. I saw one of those filters and metal multiport valves . . . about 15 years ago, and that was an OLD filter, then. Suffice it to say, the chance of finding parts or manuals for that beast are pool.

But, if it's working, it's working! Don't try to fix it!

It looks like a standard multiport setup -- one inlet, one outlet, and one backwash discharge, which is probably the line with the gate valve installed. (A common 'patch' when an MP valve is leaking somewhat via the backwash line). You'll have to find the valve positions by trial and error, unless the labels are still visible. There are 6 possible positions: "filter", "rinse", "closed", "circulate", "backwash" & "in-between". It looks like you're currently in the "in-between" position, used to winterize the valve and prevent freeze damage from trapped water. It also looks like there are 4 other positions. You *will* have a "filter" and a "backwash" position, but which 2 of the other 3 you have will have to be worked out. Here's what each position does:

"filter" => water enters top of filter, exits from the bottom, and returns to the pool.
"backwash" => water enters bottom of filter
"rinse" => water enters top of filter, and exits via the backwash line . . . IF you remember to open the gate valve! (This position is used for 5 - 30 seconds AFTER backwashing BEFORE returning to filter position, to avoid a 'shot' of dirty water entering the pool.
"closed" => a usually 'leaky' method of disabling all flow downstream of the pump
"circulate" => flow bypasses the filter and returns to the pool. (Gauge pressure will be lower on "circulate" than on "filter").

Good luck!