Pool Filter Running At 30-35 Psi. Help!

[kramer840]

hello all. first time poster. 5 year pool owner. normally, my pool's filter (a leslie's crystal clear II DE filter) will run in the 15-22psi range. when it gets above that, i'll backwash and add the DE. in the last couple of days though, i've run into a potentially serious problem. when running the pool vacuum, the pressure got up to almost 35psi (it's never gotten above 15 before). i turned it off and took out the vacuum. i ran the filter like normal, and it still ran very high. i did a backwash hoping that would work (we had a ton of rain in SoCal recently, and the water level was high). this helped for maybe an hour, and then the pressure went from about 15 back to 35psi. something else that has been happening is that the filter sounds like it's ramping itself up. it'll be at 30psi, and then rev up to 35 for a few seconds, then rev down to the high 20's, and then back up to about 35, but not staying on a constant pressure. i made sure the baskets were cleared and there were no blockages. i haven't been able to check the main pool drain as it's about 8 1/2 feet down, and i'm planning on cleaning the inside of the main filter (i do this 3-4 times a year). has anyone else had this experience or heard about something like this? i'd like to avoid bringing in a professional and spending big money.

[PoolsRMyLife]

Based on your description, it sounds like you need to clean the filter. If you haven't done this before, you may want to call a pro. If you want to tackle it yourself, you probably want to have a new tank o'ring and DE on hand. Also, be careful with the drain plug. They sometimes break easily if they are old. When you get the filter top off, you will see the grids. If you are not sure if you are comfortable getting the grids removed from the top and bottom manifolds, cleaned, inspected for tears/replaced, and reassembled, then you want to stop and call a pro. I can't tell you how many calls I get saying, "I can't reassemble my DE filter." Hope this helps.

[kramer840]

Based on your description, it sounds like you need to clean the filter. If you haven't done this before, you may want to call a pro. If you want to tackle it yourself, you probably want to have a new tank o'ring and DE on hand. Also, be careful with the drain plug. They sometimes break easily if they are old. When you get the filter top off, you will see the grids. If you are not sure if you are comfortable getting the grids removed from the top and bottom manifolds, cleaned, inspected for tears/replaced, and reassembled, then you want to stop and call a pro. I can't tell you how many calls I get saying, "I can't reassemble my DE filter." Hope this helps.

thanks for the reply. i'm hoping that this is all the problem is. i am able to remove the top of the filter tank and clean the insides, and do so 3-4 times a year. one more thing i noticed today while running the filter is that the main control where you determine what the filter does (filter, backwash, rinse, etc.) has a small leak in the crease where the top gets screwed onto the bottom. it's not huge, but it's there. i didn't know if this might have something to do with my problem. and when the filter runs, there's very little water going back on into the pool. the little basket next to the filter is getting plenty of water though.

[kramer840]

quick update:

i cleaned the main filter. it got very dirty in the 3 months since the last cleaning. when i started it back up in the early afternoon, the filter was running at 15psi. i thought things were looking up. a couple hours later, it was at 22psi. last night, it was back to 32psi. the water was flowing both into the filter and back out to the pool without a problem. there were no blockages. there are no leaks in the filter equipment that can be seen. is there something i'm missing?

[waterbear]

quick update:

i cleaned the main filter. it got very dirty in the 3 months since the last cleaning. when i started it back up in the early afternoon, the filter was running at 15psi. i thought things were looking up. a couple hours later, it was at 22psi. last night, it was back to 32psi. the water was flowing both into the filter and back out to the pool without a problem. there were no blockages. there are no leaks in the filter equipment that can be seen. is there something i'm missing?

You said you cleaned the filter. Did you break the whole think down or just hose off the grids? Did you remove the grids and soak them? It sounds like you might have fouled grids. If soaking them in cleaner does not solve the problem the grids might need to be replaced.

You also mentioned that your multiport valve is leaking. You need to check the spider gasket in the valve and see if it needs to be reseated or replaced.

BTW, your filter is a private branded Hayward Micro Clear sold by Leslies.

[kramer840]

quick update:

i cleaned the main filter. it got very dirty in the 3 months since the last cleaning. when i started it back up in the early afternoon, the filter was running at 15psi. i thought things were looking up. a couple hours later, it was at 22psi. last night, it was back to 32psi. the water was flowing both into the filter and back out to the pool without a problem. there were no blockages. there are no leaks in the filter equipment that can be seen. is there something i'm missing?

You said you cleaned the filter. Did you break the whole think down or just hose off the grids? Did you remove the grids and soak them? It sounds like you might have fouled grids. If soaking them in cleaner does not solve the problem the grids might need to be replaced.

You also mentioned that your multiport valve is leaking. You need to check the spider gasket in the valve and see if it needs to be reseated or replaced.

BTW, your filter is a private branded Hayward Micro Clear sold by Leslies.

i took the whole inside into the side yard and washed out the grids. i've never taken the grids off though. the way they're situated, i'm afraid i might not be able to get them back on correctly. now something else i did notice with the grids is that water collects in the bottom of them and then leaks out slowly. is that normal? we've had this pool for about 5 years, and the previous owner didn't mention anything about them. and what kind of cleaner would you recommend i soak them in? and if i did need to replace them, would my local leslie's carry them?

as for the multivalve, it stopped leaking after i cleaned out the filter, but i'll look at that too. how can i tell if there's something wrong with it?

[kramer840]

quick update:

i cleaned the main filter. it got very dirty in the 3 months since the last cleaning. when i started it back up in the early afternoon, the filter was running at 15psi. i thought things were looking up. a couple hours later, it was at 22psi. last night, it was back to 32psi. the water was flowing both into the filter and back out to the pool without a problem. there were no blockages. there are no leaks in the filter equipment that can be seen. is there something i'm missing?

You said you cleaned the filter. Did you break the whole think down or just hose off the grids? Did you remove the grids and soak them? It sounds like you might have fouled grids. If soaking them in cleaner does not solve the problem the grids might need to be replaced.

You also mentioned that your multiport valve is leaking. You need to check the spider gasket in the valve and see if it needs to be reseated or replaced.

BTW, your filter is a private branded Hayward Micro Clear sold by Leslies.

i took the whole inside into the side yard and washed out the grids. i've never taken the grids off though. the way they're situated, i'm afraid i might not be able to get them back on correctly. now something else i did notice with the grids is that water collects in the bottom of them and then leaks out slowly. is that normal? we've had this pool for about 5 years, and the previous owner didn't mention anything about them. and what kind of cleaner would you recommend i soak them in? and if i did need to replace them, would my local leslie's carry them?

as for the multivalve, it stopped leaking after i cleaned out the filter, but i'll look at that too. how can i tell if there's something wrong with it?

another update.....when scrubbing the walls, i took off the cover to the drain in the bottom of the pool. i put a leaf up to the pipe to see if it would suck it in, and nothing happened. isn't that drain supposed to intake water? i can't check for blockages without a wetsuit (pool is at 50 degrees, even though i live in SoCal).

[waterbear]

another update.....when scrubbing the walls, i took off the cover to the drain in the bottom of the pool. i put a leaf up to the pipe to see if it would suck it in, and nothing happened. isn't that drain supposed to intake water? i can't check for blockages without a wetsuit (pool is at 50 degrees, even though i live in SoCal).

I assume you have a main drain and a skimmer. Is there a valve that adjusts the flow between the two? If so is the main drain tuned on? (It is common practice to turn off the main drain when vacuuming and it is almost as common to forget to turn it back on afterwards).

Does your pool only have one main drain or is there another, possibly smaller, one on the side wall near the bottom? If so this is a safety feature and the suction to the drain will be minimal while both are running but it does take in water.

[kramer840]

another update.....when scrubbing the walls, i took off the cover to the drain in the bottom of the pool. i put a leaf up to the pipe to see if it would suck it in, and nothing happened. isn't that drain supposed to intake water? i can't check for blockages without a wetsuit (pool is at 50 degrees, even though i live in SoCal).

I assume you have a main drain and a skimmer. Is there a valve that adjusts the flow between the two? If so is the main drain tuned on? (It is common practice to turn off the main drain when vacuuming and it is almost as common to forget to turn it back on afterwards).

Does your pool only have one main drain or is there another, possibly smaller, one on the side wall near the bottom? If so this is a safety feature and the suction to the drain will be minimal while both are running but it does take in water.

there is only one main drain at the deepest part of the pool. the skimmer has 2 holes, and i've only ever used one to connect the vacuum. i don't even know what the second one is for. and where would the valve be?

[Pool Clown]

If you want to perhaps see if it is the filter. Put the multi port into recirc. I realize that this will give you little or no pressure on the filter gauge as this removes the filter from the flow, but you may be able to see a difference in flow either at the return lines, or visually see increased flow through the pump lid (clear).

[waterbear]

there is only one main drain at the deepest part of the pool. the skimmer has 2 holes, and i've only ever used one to connect the vacuum. i don't even know what the second one is for. and where would the valve be?

Usually on the equipment pad near the pump and filter.

[B/B Ford]

there is only one main drain at the deepest part of the pool. the skimmer has 2 holes, and i've only ever used one to connect the vacuum. i don't even know what the second one is for. and where would the valve be?

Usually on the equipment pad near the pump and filter.

I am also a newbie here, and I was browsing the forum searching for a solution to the exact same problem. My system started running at a high head pressure (measured at the filter) about two weeks ago. After backwashing didn't help I pulled the filter grids out(as a unit) and rinsed them thoroughly. after re-installing them and putting in new DE it didn't help so I removed the grids again rinsed again. This time after reassembling I didn't put any DE back in and ran the system for about a week. It stayed about 25lbs pressure. I asked my local pool supplier (leslies) about the problem and he said "Your pressure is high because you have to have the DE in the system for it to work right."So home I go and put DE back in the filter and the pressure immediately jumped up 8 to 10 lbs back to around 32psi. When I start the pump manually I can see the filter canister bulge and it sounds like it wants to explode. All of my supply lines to the pool seems to be working good with just a little less flow than normal.

I am now suspecting the pool heater of being clogged up. Do you guys have any suggestions or ideas maybe as to how I can take the heater out of the system temporarily to check?

Thanks

Wayne

[waterbear]

there is only one main drain at the deepest part of the pool. the skimmer has 2 holes, and i've only ever used one to connect the vacuum. i don't even know what the second one is for. and where would the valve be?

Usually on the equipment pad near the pump and filter.

I am also a newbie here, and I was browsing the forum searching for a solution to the exact same problem. My system started running at a high head pressure (measured at the filter) about two weeks ago. After backwashing didn't help I pulled the filter grids out(as a unit) and rinsed them thoroughly. after re-installing them and putting in new DE it didn't help so I removed the grids again rinsed again. This time after reassembling I didn't put any DE back in and ran the system for about a week. It stayed about 25lbs pressure. I asked my local pool supplier (leslies) about the problem and he said "Your pressure is high because you have to have the DE in the system for it to work right."So home I go and put DE back in the filter and the pressure immediately jumped up 8 to 10 lbs back to around 32psi. When I start the pump manually I can see the filter canister bulge and it sounds like it wants to explode. All of my supply lines to the pool seems to be working good with just a little less flow than normal.

I am now suspecting the pool heater of being clogged up. Do you guys have any suggestions or ideas maybe as to how I can take the heater out of the system temporarily to check?

Thanks

Wayne

Have you soaked and cleaned the grida or just rinsed them? Have you broken down the filter completely to make sure that there are not any DE "bridges"?

If the filter pressure is rising fast after adding new DE then it is possible that the grids are fouled and need to be replace.

When you back wash how do you add new DE to the filter. If you do not mix a slurry and add it SLOWLY it is very possible for DE to clog the plumping and restrict water flow.

Finally, the most obvious and easiest last. Have you replaced the pressure gauge? They do go bad and are inexpensive to replace (around $6 in my area and from many online retailers like Amazon) You just unscrew the old one and screw in the new one. Back mount gauges are often a bit higher in price than the side mount ones.

[MikeB8724]

I opened my pole today and I can’t get the pressure to stay below 45 psi ! All of the plugs are removed and I cleaned the filter! What could be causing this??

[prinzlmeisl]

On 5/27/2019 at 7:57 PM, MikeB8724 said:

I opened my pole today and I can’t get the pressure to stay below 45 psi ! All of the plugs are removed and I cleaned the filter! What could be causing this??

Are you skimping on the DE, maybe? I found that the Hayward filters can clog up really fast, in a matter of hours, with algae or pollen in the water if there is not enough DE on the grid.

http://cdonner.com/trying-figure-hayward-ec65-de-pool-filter.htm