How Long To Backwash Intex Sand Filter

Backwashing clears out the dirt and gunk from your puddle'southward filter. Whether you accept a sand filter or a DE filter, it will demand backwashing from time to fourth dimension. In this article I'll tell you why you need to backwash, when to backwash and requite you lot stride-past-step instructions on how to backwash your pool's filter.

To backwash, a sand or DE filter, turn off the pool pump and attach a backwash hose. Then set the valve to "aftermath", switch the pump dorsum on and let the water menses out until it is articulate (usually almost two mins). You'll need to next set up the valve to rinse after for almost xxx secs. If you have a DE filter, you'll to refill the DE.

Of course, that was the extremely short version. There's more to it than that. In this article we comprehend inground pools, in a higher place ground pools, saltwater pools. In addition, you'll find these procedures will work for many brands, including:

• Pentair
• Intex
• Hayward
• Jandy
• RX Clear
• Astral

Employ the multiport valve to backwash the pool filter. Picture shows a fairly standard pool filter, pump and plumbing.

What is Backwashing?

The image on the left shows regular filtering. The muddied water from the pool comes down through the sand, impurities are captured, and so the water travels up through the laterals and standpipe back to the pool. Backwashing is the contrary (image on right). The pool water travels through the standpipe and out through the laterals at the lesser, then back up through the sand lifting impurities. It then travels out through the waste outlet taking impurities and dirt with information technology.

Backwashing or aftermath reverses the flow of water through the puddle's filter, lifts upwards and flushes the filter medium (sand or DE), and then expels the dirty water via a waste line into the ground or bleed. Sometimes this is also referred to every bit backflushing.

Backwashing is essentially the process of cleaning the pool filter and needs to be done on a regular basis. More than on that later.

In order to ensure confronting residual blowback into the pool, once you've finished backwashing it is highly appropriate to rinse the filter. Just as the aftermath lifts and flushes the sand, the rinse reseats the sand in its original position for optimum filtration.

Read on to learn how to backwash your pool.

Why Should You Backwash?

All DE (diatomaceous world) and sand filters use the aforementioned basic mechanics: when set to "Filter", water flows from the puddle, through the filter, and back into the puddle. The filter medium (sand or DE) inside the filter system blocks debris, dirt, and oil. A typical puddle filter multiport organisation has 6 different settings – Filter, Backwash, Rinse, Broadcast, Closed, and Waste.

Even so, over time, or when you vacuum your pool, dirt and debris get deposited in the filter – the effect being that the filter becomes dirty and clogged with contaminants that, if left unchecked, will reduce the filter's ability to clean and if left could restrict the h2o flow and put extra strain on the pool.

How to Backwash a Sand Filter

Diagram shows the internal workings of a pool's sand filter.

A pool sand filter uses sand to catch contaminants in your pool'south water. Pool water is circulated through special filter class pool sand.

From time to fourth dimension, you will demand to clean your sand filter by backwashing information technology. Here'due south how to backwash a sand filter:

1. Plow off the pool pump.
2. Set the sand filter valve handle to the BACKWASH puddle position and ensure the handle locks in place.
3. Plow on the pump and backwash for 2 minutes or until the water in the sight glass (located on the filter) is running clear.
4. Plow Off the Pump.
5. Ready the filter valve handle to the RINSE position and ensure the handle locks in place.
6. Plow on the pump and run the rinse process for thirty-60 seconds or until the water in the sight drinking glass is clear.
7. Plough Off the Pump.
8. Shut the skimmer valves to prevent h2o from entering the filter from the puddle. Empty the filter skimmer basket and make clean out the hair catcher.
9. Re-seat and seal the skimmer basket and pilus catcher.
10. Reopen the skimmer valves.
11. Reset the Filter Valve to Filter and ensure the handle locks into place.
12. Turn On the Pump.

How to Aftermath a DE Filter

Picture shows Diatomaceous World or D.E. which is the filter medium inside a D.East. puddle filter.

A DE filter uses Diatomaceous World (DE for short) instead of sand to catch contaminants. D.E. is a much finer medium than sand and therefore does a better chore at filtering your pool water. However, there is some actress maintenance required when backwashing.

Backwashing a D.E. Filter is similar to a sand filter with i extra step of topping up the diatomaceous world.

Important: before you showtime, make sure yous have some D.E. powder on manus, as you'll need to acme up the filter after backwashing. DE gets washed out when backwashing.

How to Backwash DE Filters (With Multiport Valves):

1. Switch off the pool pump.
2. Select the BACKWASH setting on the filter valve.
3. Plow the pump back on and backwash until for 2 minutes or until the water runs clear (you tin check this in the sight glass on the side of the filter).
4. Turn the pump off.
5. Select the RINSE setting on the filter valve.
6. Turn the pump back on and rinse for 1-ii minutes. You can echo steps 2 to six a few times if the filter is peculiarly dingy.
7. Plow the pump off and select FILTER
8. Refill D.East. pulverisation.
   1. Check the manufacturer's instructions as to how much. It will likely be 3-half dozen lbs (or most 80% of the full chapters of the filter).
   2. Usually you will add this to the skimmer (mix the DE with h2o first) and/or you'll add some D.E. powder in the pump strainer and the rest in the skimmer. Again cheque the manufacturer's instructions.
   3. Run the pump on the FILTER setting for 30 minutes or more to let the D.Due east. pulverization to coat the filter grids again.

How to Backwash DE Filters (With Push-Pull Valves):

The backwashing procedure for DE filters with push button-pull valves is virtually the same as backwashing a DE filter with a multiport valve.

1. Switch off the pool pump.
2. Open up the valve to Aftermath.
3. Turn the pump back on and backwash until for ii minutes or until the h2o runs clear (y'all can check this in the sight glass on the side of the filter).
4. Turn the pump off.
5. Close the push/pull valve.
6. Refill the D.E. powder.
   1. Check the manufacturer'due south instructions as to how much. It will likely be 3-vi lbs (or nearly 80% of the full chapters of the filter).
   2. Usually you will add this to the skimmer (mix the DE with water start) and/or you'll add some D.E. powder in the pump strainer and the residual in the skimmer. Again check the manufacturer's instructions.
   3. Run the pump for 30 minutes or more to permit the D.E. powder to coat the filter grids again.

Can You Aftermath a Cartridge Filter?

Replacement cartridge element from a pool cartridge filter.

Pool cartridge filters cannot be backwashed unlike their cousins sand filters and D.East. filters. Cartridge filters are not designed to run "backwards".

Nevertheless cartridge filters tin can and should be cleaned on a regular basis. To clean a cartridge filter you'll need to open the filter up and remove the cartridge. Rinse and spray the cartridge with the hose every 4 weeks and give it a deep clean every few months.

We have full instructions to deep make clean your cartridge filter in our blog hither:
How to Clean Puddle Cartridge Filter (Using Hydrochloric acid)

How Often to Aftermath Pool

As a dominion of pollex, regardless of if you have a sand filter or DE filter, you should aftermath your pool nearly one time a week during swimming season. The optimal time is right after yous vacuum the puddle. If your pool has had a lot more use than normal, it may be necessary to backwash twice a week.

We recommend this suction cleaner and this robotic cleaner.

Also, if your puddle is particularly prone to leaves, more than frequent backwashing may be necessary since leaves, other debris from trees, and contaminants from birds etc. volition be entering your pool.

You can also tell when it is time for a backwash by checking the filter'south pressure approximate. Normal operating pressures are betwixt 50 and 170 Kpa (kilopascal) or 10 – 25 psi. When the sand gets muddy and clogged up, however, the pressure reading rises.

When to backwash your pool? Use the filter pressure guess as a guide. It's fourth dimension to backwash when the pressure rises 8-10 psi above normal or above fourscore Kpa.

If the pressure on the gauge is showing 5-x psi higher than normal, information technology'southward fourth dimension to backwash.

If you have already backed washed your pool and the pressure is still high, check out our article: viii Reasons Filter Pump Pressure is High (And How to Fix)

When Not to Backwash

If your pool contains an unusually loftier level of dirt (for instance, as a result of a nearby construction site, a protracted menses of being untended and uncovered, or possibly from runoff caused by flooding) it may exist advisable to past-laissez passer the filter entirely.

This is too the case if your water had, or has had, an algae problem. Alive algae hands laissez passer through the filter sand and re-enters the pool. And the aforementioned goes for dead algae following a shock treatment. You tin can read more than on preventing algae here.

In these cases, instead of vacuuming and backwashing, information technology may be better to vacuum directly to Waste matter, and to ship the vacuumed water straight downwards into the drain.

Where to Get Rid of Aftermath Water

When you backwash your puddle there will be quite a chip of h2o to deal with. You lot need to take a programme earlier you start. A few hundred gallons of water flooding onto your neighbors' properly will likely result in you not being invited to their next Christmas party.

Your Grand

Disposing of pool backwash water in your ain yard is the recommended choice. You'll observe in many states and councils that it is illegal to dispose of pool water in the drain or sewer.

Make certain you keep the water on your property, though. Some councils result fines if poolwater runs off.

Will information technology kill the grass or plants? In nearly cases, your grass should be fine if you route your backwash water in that location. You may consider moving the hose around as you lot are discharging the water, and so the h2o doesn't accumulate in one spot.

Besides, brand certain it's not going to see your house or anywhere else.

Every bit for plants, pool h2o volition kill some plants but many of them will be fine, as long as they don't have also much pool water on them.

Gutter or Storm Drain

In many places, it's illegal to discharge pool water into the street, gutter or stormwater drain unless information technology's been decontaminated. This water will frequently end up in rivers, creeks, lakes and oceans. Puddle water typically contains a range of chemicals that could exist detrimental to the local environment.

Sanitary Sewer via Cleanout

In some areas, it's OK to dispose of puddle h2o here. It's not normally OK to have your puddle permanently plumbed into the sewer though. Cheque with your local council to find out if this is an option for you.

Of import Backwashing Tips

• The i downside of backwashing is that, because water is expelled from the organisation and sent into waste, is that it…well…wastes water. While this is unavoidable, the central to non overdoing the backwash process and flushing out more than water than strictly necessary is to go on a careful eye on the colour and quality of the water in the sight glass.
• Don't backwash more than necessary, or for longer than necessary. Sand filter systems operate most efficiently during the heart of the filtration cycle. This is partly due to the positioning, at any given time, of the sand in the filter, and partly because of the cyclical build-up of collected clay and droppings in the filter. The net issue is that too much or to frequent backwashing really reduces the sand filter's efficiency.
• Because backwashing inevitably washes out some of the sand along with the dirt and debris, from time to time it will exist necessary to height upward the amount of sand in the filter. When you exercise add extra sand, run the filter organisation on RINSE for a infinitesimal or so to reduce the amount of sand blowback into the puddle. Nosotros recommend this replacement filter sand here.
• Finally, admittedly make certain yous always turn off the pump before you either move or reset the filter valve setting. If you don't, you're going to impairment, and maybe destroy the system.

Recommended Products

Puddle Sand Filter

Replacement Filter Sand

Swimming Pool Vacuum – Automatic Suction Cleaner or Robotic Cleaner

Related reading:

How to Get Sand Out of a Pool

Cloudy Pool Water: Why & How to Remedy

How Long To Backwash Intex Sand Filter,

Source: https://www.myperfectpool.com.au/backwash-pool-sand-filter-often.html

Posted by: bookerestinabot1938.blogspot.com

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