Commercial Hot Tub Perlite Filter Problems!

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Z

z.zeschin

In The Industry
Dec 11, 2024
2
Estes Park, CO
Pool Size
45000
Surface
Plaster
Hello-

First time poster here. I am looking for some information if anyone has experience with Neptune Benson Defender filters in a commercial setting. We had very cloudy hot tub water. Usually, we are saturated with bicarb and it would be time to change out the filter media. I did this yesterday, with a complete drain and fill. The water ended up crazy cloudy after. When I came in the next morning, I had about 1/2" of Perlite sitting on the steps of the hot tub. I suspect that I have a mechanical failure with the flex tubes, or whatever ring is around the bump mechanism against the wall of the filter.

Has anyone else had a similar failure? I have looked at some diagrams of the filter internals, and those two points seem to be the only likely failure points that would allow the filter media to enter the return water stream.

Thanks!
 
I have never seen one of them but I just watched/listened to a clip of all the cycles and how it works. As you said is the possibility of a leak in the flex tube but I also caught something while listening, that while the bump and re-coating process of the tubes there is a valve that shuts the filter water from going back to the pool/spa and recirculates it back around and then when the re-coating is done the valves reverse. I'm thinking the valve isn't closing completely while re-coating and letting some of the Perlite into the water stream.
 
All-

Just wanted to provide some follow up in case anyone else has a similar situation with their filter. I worked with the manufacturer a bit, and also our local rep. One possibility could a a tear(s) in flex tubes, or, there is a felt gasket that goes around the steel plate that the flex tubes attach to. The felt gasket and metal plate separate the "filter chamber" from the "clean chamber". When one of those is compromised, the media leaches into the body of water. Additionally, the pneumatic valves that control the precoat cycle and effluent flow can sometimes fail. That would also cause our problem. However, all our pneumatic valves are functioning as intended, so flex tubes or gasket it is.

At this point, it just made sense to schedule a 10-year maintenance service on the unit. The felt gasket is replaced during that service, and many parts of the bump mechanism need removed to access, so those will be replaced as well. That repair estimate definitely hurt a bit, but I understand the complicated and specialized nature of these repairs.

Overall, I have a fairly substantial knowledge of these DE filters and would be happy to share other information in the future.

Thanks for the replies!
 
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