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How To Backwash Your Pool Filter
http://www.poolwarehouseuk.com/
The purpose of your swimming pool filter is to remove suspended solids from the water. Filtration combined with good chemical treatments should ensure a clean and safe pool with sparkling water.
Backwashing and rinsing of the filter are important steps to remember when vacuuming your pool. As the name implies, sand filters trap dust and dirt in a bed of sand. When the filter has accumulated a large amount of dirt, the water cannot pass freely through the sand and the filter loses efficiency as the pressure increases. Backwashing sends water backwards through the filter and flushes the trapped dirt out. After backwashing the pressure inside the filter should read lower than before as there is less restriction to the flow of water. Backwashing a sand filter is required when the pressure is 8-10 psi above the standard operating pressure, or at least once every 10 days. See you filter details for standard operating pressures.
Backwashing Procedure.
Warning: The filter pump must be switched off before changing the setting of the multiport valve.
1.Turn the pump and filter off.
2.Turn the multiport handle from 'filter' to 'backwash'.
3.Remove the leaf basket from the pump, clean and replace it.
4. Backwash for 2 or 3 minutes by turning the pump back on. If you have a sight glass on your filter you should backwash until the water in the glass turns from dirty to clean.
5.Turn the filter pump off.
6.Move multiport handle from 'backwash' to 'rinse'. This cleans out the pipes and prevents any dirt from returning to the pool. It also settles the sand in the filter which has been stirred up by the backwashing.
7.Turn the pump on and rinse for 20-30 seconds.
8. Now turn the pump off.
9.Move multiport handle from 'rinse' back to 'filter.
10.Open the leaf trap near the pump, remove the basket and clean out all the leaves, twigs and rubbish it may have collected, then replace.
11.Turn the pump on and operate as normal.
As the backwashing process removes water to waste, away from the pool. It may be necessary to top up the water level in the pool.
If using sand as the filter media it should be replaced every 4-5 years. The sand gradually breaks down, becoming finer and finer, and will eventually create a solid block, with no gaps to trap the dirt.
When you are doing a filter sand change, be very careful not to damage the laterals which are at the bottom of the filter. If the laterals become damaged then sand can enter the filtration system and end up back in the pool.
If you replace your sand with more sand, then either use specialist filter sand from your pool supplier or washed sharp sand of 0.3mm - 0.5mm grade.
An alternative to sand is Durafilter Glass Filter Media, which is longer lasting and can last up to 10 years, in addition to which it also removes finer particles and requires 10% less volume than sand.
Francis Lowe is a leading expert in swimming pool maintenance with a huge wealth of experience developed from 40 years in the industry.
To see a full range of pool equipment, including pool supplies and swimming pool supplies please see the website of specialist supplier poolwarehouseuk.com
Article submitted Thursday, January 26, 2012 & read 2 times.
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