When to clean the cartridge filter?

[hrsdennis]

Hi, If you put your hand over the return with the filter running and a clean cartridge installed you will feel a strong flow of water. Over the course of a few days or a week you will notice this flow slowing down. That's when you clean the filter.

For me it's a once a week thing. Clean filter, run cleaner for a few hours while I lay on a raft drinking beer, clean filter again. Good to go for another week.

Something like that. Just get a good feel for that return flow. That's your best pressure gauge.

Dennis

[waterbear]

Most cartridge manufacturers recommend cleaning when the pressure rises 8-10 psi. I have found that if you clean before that the cleaning goes much faster and your cartridge will last longer. My pool can probably run for a year before I get that much of an increase. I clean mine monthly. It takes me 10 minutes, including cleaning out the strainer basket on the pump. I MIGHT have a 1-2 psi increase when I clean. Sometimes there is no pressure increase at all. If your cartrige was undersized for your pool then you might have to clean more often. (Intex pools are a prime example!)