Let's start by
creating your signature with details of your pool and equipment.
What model pump and DE filter do you have?
What type of pool?
When did you last open up and clean your filter or backwash it?
Allen,
Thanks for your response. I updated the signature for future reference, so thank you for that guidance.
Pump is Hayward SP-2610X15, Filter also Hayward DE3620
I last backwashed middle of June after the initial opening end of May. Can't say I've ever cleaned the filter myself. I inherited the pool when I bought the house end of summer 2022, I use the Taylor 2006C to test and have it professionally opened and closed, and was my impression they clean the grids at opening.
I've paid attention to the pool when the pump turns on recently and some background which may help.
When the pump turns on the water at the returns sputters almost before flowing smoothly. Is this common? It normally fixes itself and runs normally. Last week it wouldn't stop sputtering, and I had to fill the basket with a ton of water with the hose. Whenever the unit stops running, or like when I need to clean out the basket, the water runs out of the basket into the unit. At times I'm standing there for a long time with the hose, then quickly trying to seal it tight before it loses too much water. I've read some people just put a little water in a bucket to keep prime and fill up the basket, I'm definitely using the hose for longer than a little bit of water in a bucket would have in it. I can also hear some rattling/cavitation in the multiport area while running. I have receipts and manuals from the previous two owners and from what I gather, the pump, filter, and multiport were first installed in 2003.
My hypothesis is the filter may need to be cleaned, or there's a bad check valve somewhere allowing the de to filter out after the unit shuts off. Or the unit self is going given how old it is. The fact that I have to fill it for awhile with the hose and quickly close it before the water level lowers tells me there's air in the pump somewhere causing all this as well. I'm not apposed to upgrading, I have some money set aside for it as I knew the unit was on the older side when we bought it but overall it's worked well up until recently and I'd like to try and solve the problem before resorting to a new unit. Outside of the first year hiccups of pool ownership I've been able to avoid algae blooms and the water has been pretty clear and well balanced. I hope this accurately explains the situation. It does have a chlorinator attached as well, it's a Hayward CL200. I have noticed the lid needs to be tightened periodically, there is a plastic tab that appears to be a locking feature that looks like it snapped of years ago and I could be getting air in through the chlorinator as well? Lastly on the multiport: I wanted to run the recirculate setting just to get water moving early in the season without the filter and water was coming out and filling the backwash hose. I'm thinking the multiport valves could be bad as well.
So in retrospect there's a few things causing the issue and the question is where to start to avoid upgrading the entire unit if I can avoid it.
