You don’t have to clean some filters. For coffee filters, you can simply throw out the filter media. In the pool and spa industry, cleaning filter media can be a tedious task.
We make the most of the situation and perform the task as efficiently as we can.
Additives and new technologies, like pre-filters or other additives, make filtration equipment more efficient or easier to use. Variable-speed pumps are one trend that is improving filtration.
The variable-speed movement has been around for decades, but DOE pump regulations, which came into effect in July 2021, eliminated all single-speed models except a handful, giving the switch to variable-speed a big push.
How can this help technicians clean filters? High line speeds are a major cause of premature filter death. This can also make it difficult to clean filters. This problem is eliminated by using variable-speed pumps that provide slower circulation speeds. They also reduce the amount of dead water in the pool, which helps to prevent algae growth.
As a result of the DOE regulations and the installation of more variable-speed pumping systems, in both new construction and replacement, the line velocity is slowing down throughout North America. Debris settles more easily on the surface, where it can then be rinsed away, rather than being driven into the filter media.
The VSP has also made it more difficult to determine when to clean. Many pros follow a rule of thumb and clean the filter once the tank pressure has increased by 8-10 psi from the previous reading. It was easier to do in the single-speed age, when there was just one speed. Variable-speed pumps operate at… variable speed, so now a single reference is needed.
Many service technicians today turn the pump up to the highest predetermined circulation speed (not on the highest speed of the pump) when comparing clean and dirty pressure.
TOO SOON
The timing is crucial. It is possible to clean too much. Filters perform best when a layer of dirt builds up on the surface. This is called the filter cake. It helps the filter to work better because it strains out more finer particles.
You may call it cake, but you shouldn’t eat. It’s not tasty.
If you clean the filter too late and too much debris is on it, then you will clog the flow, overload the pump, waste energy, consume chlorine unnecessarily, and put stress on the actual filter.
Filters that are dirty can cause all sorts of problems. Some of them you might not even have thought about. By preventing filters from becoming clogged, spa owners can avoid the headache of having to call out a technician to fix a heater which has stopped working due to a lack of flow.
SAND
The sand filter is easy to clean because it doesn’t require you to disassemble the filter or open the tank. Switch the valve on backwash, and then run the pump for three to five minutes until the wastewater is clear.
Sand filters compensate for the ease of cleaning when the media is changed. As the media reaches its end-of-life, you will notice a loss in performance. This can take anywhere from three to five or even longer, depending on the bather load.
It can be a tedious task to change the sand, because the old sand has a crust that needs to be broken. The sand then must be removed by vacuuming, scooping or pouring it through the drain port at the bottom.
The sand can be removed by reaching up through the filter hole and then awkwardly maneuvering the tank. Some techs will remove the tank (which can take extra time) and then try to rinse or pour the sand through it.
The simple method of scooping the sand out one scoop at a a time through the top hole and then dumping it into a bag is more grueling.
If you have a drain hole in the bottom of your container, you can use it to rinse out the remaining sand.
It’s important to keep “head space” over the sandbed when refilling your sandfilter. This space is designed to diffuse the turbulence in the water flow, and create a steady, even pressure on the sand bed. This will cause channeling if there is no headspace. Water will not be able to filter properly if it is forced through the channel.
CARTRIDGE
The cartridge cleaning process is more difficult and time-consuming than a sandbackwash, because the tank has to be opened. Cartridges are cleaned less often than in the past. Twenty years ago cartridge filter assemblies were small and required frequent cleaning. However, engineers at major manufacturers realised that larger filters would have more filter surface area. This would allow them to last longer between servicing. Cartridge filtration has gained market share over the years due to this factor.
Cartridges have a difficult surface to clean. Cartridge media looks like an accordion. It has deep pleats that are difficult to clean, even though they increase the surface area of the filter. To clean the filter, you have to use water to reach between the pleats.
A disciplined cartridge cleaning system can be used in areas where cartridge filters are the most common. This will make this task more efficient and thorough. Over the course of an entire year, a few extra minutes can be saved by a process performed hundreds of time. It is worth investing in your methods and/or specialized equipment to increase efficiency.
You can clean a cartridge filter by shutting down the pump, opening the pressure bleeder at the top, removing the top and band of the unit and pulling out the cartridges. Then, spray them with a cleaning solution. The service technician might spend about 15 minutes cleaning the cartridges. They would work slowly from top to bottom and rinse the brown gunk out of the white fabric.
Many techs prefer to use a commercial device that screws onto the end hose and has individual tines for directing the cleaning water into the pleats on the cartridge filter fabric. You save time by focusing the water where it needs to be.
If the customer does not have a hose in their backyard, the service professional can simply attach a hose with specialized head for cleaning cartridges and begin the rinsing process.
D.E.
Filters are cleaned in three steps: backwash, cleaning the grids and adding new D.E. Filters are cleaned in three steps: cleaning the grids and adding new D.E.
D.E. Filters should be backwashed the same as sand filter, but some professionals recommend dividing the cycle into three separate cycles, each consisting of a minute-long backwash followed by a minute-long filtration (make sure to shut off the pump every time you switch from backwash to filtration). This helps separate the D.E. This procedure helps to separate the D.E. After the backwash is complete, remove clamp holding the filter together. Pop off the lid, and remove each grid one by one. Rinse the tank with water and remove the grids. Capture the main parts of the D.E. Put them in trash bags and dispose of. It’s a mess.
Reassemble the entire tank, from the grids up to the lid. Clean and lubricate both the O-ring of the tank and the O’ring seat. Install the clamp and tighten to manufacturer’s specifications. Turn the system on again, insert the drain plug, and then bleed out the air. Close the air relief.
D.E. The D.E. This is done by using a 5-gallon pail and adding water and D.E. Together, create a slurry. Pour the slurry slowly into the skimmer as the pump runs. The grids and elements will be properly coated top to bottom.
The CRUSTY AND THE OILY
There are specific products designed to break down the grease and oil that is always found on filters.
Acid cleaners are effective against calcium crusts, but a basic cleaner (i.e. one with a high pH) is best for oily substances which block filtration and refuse to wash out. Oils of all kinds, including coconut oil and natural skin oils, are often found on pool bathers. Because oil and water do not mix, they are difficult to remove from a filter.
You can clean your cartridge filter more thoroughly by soaking it in a cleaning agent.
This process is organized by some service departments/companies so that dirty cartridges are changed on-site with clean ones, and the dirty ones are taken back to their base to be cleaned in mass, which includes a good soak and spray, and the chance to dry and fluff the pleats.
Water Maintenance – The Backbone
Filtration is at the core of any water quality program. This includes chemical treatment and possibly sanitizing equipment such as UV, AOP and ozone, physical removal of debris by skimming, netting, automated systems and pool covers, and even education on bather cleanliness.
Filtration will be weak at best without a disciplined, rigorous program of cleaning filters.
Water quality is the key to a successful industry. Water quality is the key to everything in this industry. If your customers don’t like the water, they won’t recommend you to friends and family. Customers who have sparkling water that is brilliant serve as constant advertisements for your industry.
This article first appeared in the April 2023 issue of AQUA Magazine — the top resource for retailers, builders and service pros in the pool and spa industry.|”}”=”” Subscriptions=”” The=”” To=”” Top=”” 1″:259 }””=”” –=””>This first appeared in April 2023’s issue of AQUA Magazine, the industry’s leading resource for retailers and builders.} All industry professionals can subscribe to the print edition of AQUA Magazine for free. Subscribe by clicking here.
