Backwashing can take only a few minutes to complete, but for a typical pool, it consumes approximately 200 to 300 gallons of pool water! So, while your filter is losing unwanted dirt and debris—your pool is losing a ton of water. And that's for a single backwash.
Another reason for a leak through the backwash hose is if the spider gasket (spoke gasket) is damaged or worn out. A damaged spider gasket will be unable to carry out its functions. Also, it will take very little water pressure to move a damaged or worn-out spider gasket out of place.
After you get the correct amount of water out of your swimming pool, turn the pump back off. Rotate the multiport valve from the "Waste" position, in a clockwise direction, back to "Filter." Pick the backwash hose up to help drain all the water out and roll it back up.
Any backwash water is to bypass the septic tank and be discharged to the drain between the septic tank and the common effluent drain. Under no circumstances should backwash water be discharged into the septic tank.
Typically, pools lose water for one of two reasons: Evaporation or a leak. Evaporation naturally occurs in any body of water, but it may increase under certain conditions, such as hot, humid weather. Leaks, however, indicate a bigger problem that a professional may need to address.
Most pools experience between 3mm - 7mm of water loss each day, depending on where you live.
Backwashing can take only a few minutes to complete, but for a typical pool, it consumes approximately 200 to 300 gallons of pool water! So, while your filter is losing unwanted dirt and debris—your pool is losing a ton of water.
Open the air bleeder assembly on your filter and turn pump on. Watch the pressure gauge for spikes. After the hose fills with water, backwash your sand filter for 2 - 3 minutes, or until water runs clear.
Can You Backwash Too Much? If you backwash your pool too much i.e. time duration and/or close frequency then yes you can cause a lot of problems. Some problems that can arise from backwashing your sand pool filter too much are: Loss of water – 500+ litres of water can be lost in each backwashing cycle.
Well, as the name suggests, backwashing involves reversing the flow of water through your filter media, be it Zeoplus, sand, glass pearls or diatomaceous earth (DE). This dislodges dirt and debris that may have become trapped, and flushes it out through your multiport valve waste line.
The process of backwashing dislodges trapped debris and contaminants, flushing them out through your value's waste line or a hose that is connected to the pool pump. When the filter media is clean, the pressure gauge is lower and water can easily flow in and out of the system.
Rinse runs water in the same direction that normal filtering does. Backwash runs it through the sand in the opposite direction. Rinse is to clear any dirt out of the clean side of the sand before you start sending it back to the pool.
If your pool lost water overnight and it is more than the quarter-inch due to evaporation, you probably have a leak. Evaporation accounts for a minor amount of water lost each day. Losing a half-inch or more overnight indicates a problem.
If the pool is leaking without your equipment running, you could have a suction-side leak. With the filter pump ON, the plumbing on the suction side is utilizing a vacuum action. Air is often drawn in through leaking voids which keeps the pool from leaking.
There is an air leak (suction leak) in the underground pipe between the weir (skimmer box) and the pump, causing the swimming pool pump to lose pressure. The connector fitting at the weir or the pump could be loose or perished. The shaft seal in the pump could be cracked and leaking. The filter sand could be clogged.
Turn the lever to RINSE, start the pump and rinse for about 15-30 seconds. Stop the pump and turn the lever to FILTER. This is the normal operating position. Close the drain outlet valve and start the pump.
Bottom line, the filter must be backwashed on a regular basis to ensure that your pool water is clear. "When do we need to backwash?" - It is recommended to backwash your filter once every 4-6 weeks of regular use.
Backwashing a sand or DE filter is a simple task. Shut off the pump, set the multiport valve or slide valve handle to the backwash position, roll out the backwash hose and turn the pump on again. Backwash for 3-4 minutes or until the water runs clear, then shut the pump off and return the valve to the filter position.
Each time you backwash you use between 250 to 1,000 gallons of water depending on your pool and equipment size. When backwashing your filter, keep an eye on color and quality of the water and stop the backwash process as soon as you can.
The process of backwashing dislodges trapped debris and contaminants, flushing them out through your value's waste line or a hose that is connected to the pool pump. When the filter media is clean, the pressure gauge is lower and water can easily flow in and out of the system.
This will vary depending upon several factors including: weather, if the pool is covered or not, bather load, and if it is heated or not. With pools that are covered, a good rule of thumb is that they should not have to be refilled more often than once every 2 weeks.
A pool leak isn't typically an easy-to-find issue but they most commonly occur in corners, at the tile line, near pipe openings, around lighting or at the throat of the skimmer.