Pressure Won't Come Up On Sand Filter
by Robert Heit
I put sand in it and started the pump. I had difficulty getting started. When it did get going it surged with air bubbles and surged between 0 and 2 lbs. I backed washed for 10 minutes. It started a little better, but then back to 0 to 2 lbs pressure. I had put in the alternate sand. Thanks Robert Thanks for the question Robert I'm really not sure what you mean by "alternate sand". If you mean crushed glass or organic matter that doubles as pool sand or filter media, then you can go to this post: Sand Pool Filter..Changed The Sand With Something Like Sand For low pressure, you can check out these similar answered questions: PSI Gauge For Sand Filter Is Leaking And Not Working My Pool Sand Filter Has Low Pressure..Low Psi & Multiport Valve Is Leaking.. You need to know if you put in the correct amount of sand and what the "freeboard" is. This is the measurement of the sand from the top of the sand to the top of the filter. Change The Sand In Above Ground Pool Sand Filters Sand Returning Back To Pool After Replacing With New Sand Air bubbles obviously mean that air has entered the filtration system somehow. With new sand or a new system, you need to be sure some things are taken care of. Be sure the O-ring/gasket on the pump lid is on securely and is clean without any tears or rips. If the pump is having a difficult time drawing in water, you may need to prime it. Get a bucket with pool water and fill the pump pot with water. Secure the lid and start the pump. Be sure to release the air from the filter through the air release valve on top of the filter. Keep the water level up in the pool between 1/3 - 1/2 up from the bottom of the skimmer. This post is very good at troubleshooting low pressure: How Do I Fix Low Skimmer Suction? With new sand, just disregard the part about degreasing the sand. An easy way to find out if you have a suction side problem are these two methods. First, close the skimmer valve and open the drain valve. If you lose water pressure, your issue is in the skimmer. Next, open the drain valve and close the skimmer. If there's water loss, the problem is the drain. The above posts go into detail on what to do about those issues. Hope this helps and have a fun and safe swimming season. Robert |
