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Is It Ok to Run Pool Pump Without Filter Cartridge - How often should I clean my pool filter cartridge?

1/27/2020

 
Is It Ok to Run Pool Pump Without Filter Cartridge
Is It Ok to Run Pool Pump Without Filter Cartridge?
The cartridge filter is growing in popularity as a filter of choice for many spas and smaller above ground pool owners. When necessary, you need to check the pressure gauge and if it’s 8-10lbs above its clean reading you need to clean the cartridge from the tank and use a garden hose to hose it thoroughly from top to bottom. When cleaning, you may have to run your pool pump without the filter cartridge. So, is it ok to run pool pump without filter cartridge?

Is It Ok to Run Pool Pump Without Filter Cartridge

Cleaning your pool is important to prevent it from turning green. In this post, we’ll discuss whether it’s safe to run your pool pump without the filter cartridge. We’ll also address other issues such as cartridge pool filter replacement, maintenance and frequency of cleaning.

Cartridge Pool Filter Maintenance

Cartridge pool filters are easy to maintain.  With very few parts besides the filter cartridge and without a filter valve, you’ll rarely go wrong. Simply keep the belly and O-ring clean and well lubricated and be sure to replace the filter cartridge after cleaning it about 10-15 times. There’s little maintenance needed besides replacing the damaged filter parts.

Cleaning Your Cartridge Filter

Cartridge filters don’t have a backwash valve because they’re not built for backward flow. Instead, you shut off the pump, open the air bleeder to drain the tank, remove the lid and remove the cartridge before hosing it thoroughly from top to bottom then replacing it. It can be a hassle but it’s often a once or twice per year job. You also need much less water to clean your cartridge filter than typically needed for backwashing.
You can improve your cleaning by soaking the cartridge in trisodium phosphate (TSP) solution before hosing it.  Alternatively, you can use any other pool filter cleaner as long as it states that it’s suitable for cartridge pool filters.

Drying the Cartridge After Cleaning

This is a critical part of the cartridge cleaning process. If possible, place the cartridge in a warm spot for 24 hours so it can dry completely after cleaning. This will also allow any germs and bacteria to dehydrate and die. Consider investing in a second set of filter cartridges so you can replace it as you wait for the one you’ve cleaned to dry. In most cases, you can operate the cartridge pool filter without the filter cartridge inside the tank just to maintain circulation as you wait for the cartridge to dry. However, doing so requires you to ensure you’ve removed all the internal parts and reassembled the tank tightly.

Bottom Line

So, is it ok to run pool pump without filter cartridge? The short answer is yes. However, you need to confirm that all internal parts are removed and that the tank has been reassembled tightly. However, there’s no harm in investing in a second filter cartridge so you can replace it as you wait for the other one to dry after cleaning. To save you from starting a company, if you want to know more about pool repairs or services, our expert Jason can help you today!

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Pool service - water chemistry - TDS and calcium hardness

10/30/2016

 
TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids. This is the measurement of everything that has ever dissolved in your pool water. Chemicals, algaecides, sweat, hairspray, deodorant, body oils, dead skin, hair, dirt, leaves etc. A swimming pool is a closed system and as the level of TDS rises over time, it can cause problems, reducing chlorine efficacy, giving water a dull appearance and increasing the odds that algae will bloom more easily. Also contained in high levels of TDS are often high levels of phosphates and/or nitrates, which can increase the chlorine demand and provide nutrients to algae.

The TDS level should be under 2000 ppm. When it gets higher than this it can cause skin and eye irritation and metal corrosion of your pool equipment like ladders or hand rails. Cloudy water and scaly deposits also occur more easily when the TDS levels are high. Just like TDS, Calcium hardness is another measurement I like to test once a year, to make sure it does not exceed 1000 ppm. In other states, calcium hardness is considered high at 400 ppm, but in Arizona, water is very hard out of the tap and can be over 300 on a newly filled pool. I personally let it go to 1000 here before I contact a customer about it. Like TDS, high calcium hardness can cause issues with your pool. Cloudy water, calcification of filter cartridges (calcium build up) reducing water flow, and scale build up on tile or metal parts like ladders or hand rails.

When one, or both of these measure high, it is time to change the pool water. It is ideal to swap out the pool water every 3-5 years, but I do test for TDS and calcium hardness every fall.


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Pool maintenance - protect your vacuum breaker during a hard freeze

1/17/2016

 
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Vacuum breakers like this one are what feeds the pools auto fill of the pool. It is a one way valve, that is designed to prevent water from being siphoned back into the public drinking water system. Without it, in the event the city's water pressure drops, the drinking water could become contaminated. The blue valve handle that controls water flow is open, allowing water to pass to the pool deck, when inline with the pipe. It cuts the water off to the pool deck when it's turned 90 degrees and not in line with the pipe. I usually see 3/4" PVC pipe coming off of a vacuum breaker, but in the image above, it is a copper pipe.  

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The water from the vacuum breaker valve goes to the pool deck, to a float valve like in the picture above. As the water level in the pool drops, so does the valve. This opens the valve, allowing water to pass and thats what fills the pool. This is necessary to stave off evaporation.

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Inside the vacuum breaker, there is moving parts. There's a spring, and the other parts are made of plastic and rubber. When the water in the valve body freezes, it damages those parts and the valve will leak. Rebuild kits are available at sprinkler supply stores, but often, the plastic cap cracks, and you will have to buy the whole valve complete to get the cap. In that case you use the guts of the new valve, to rebuild your existing valve. 

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Covering your vacuum breaker with towels can insulate it and help it from freezing. Rebuilding a valve can save you about $50-$70 for new parts, possibly as much as $140 to $160 if you pay someone to fix it for you. Its worth it if you know there's going to be freezing temperatures. 

Update 07.07.2017

The best way to prepare the vacuum break for a hard freeze, or if you live in a state that has a hard winter, is to cover all of the exposed pipe with Polyethylene pipe insulation. Shut off the water to the vacuum breaker. Next, loosen the screws on both test ports on the side of the breaker. Allow the water in the vacuum breaker to drain out. This will keep it from freezing, expanding and ruining the internal parts. 

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Pool service - on deck auto leveler

5/5/2014

 
Jason the Pool Guy auto leveller swimming pool
Some pools were never built with an auto leveller, to keep the water level full as the water evaporates. I can make levellers out of 3/4" PVC pipe that hang over the edge of the deck to keep the water level up. This is important. If the water level drops too low as a result of evaporation, the skimmer will draw in air, the pump will loose prime and can overheat. 

When pumps run hot, the strainer basket can warp from the heat. Steam is generated in the pump when it runs dry and gets hot. If not realized soon enough, it can cause other problems like a warped shaft, a leak at the shaft seal, the electric motor can overheat and fail, the seal plate can warp, the steam can break down the joint stick that seals the threads on the pumps intake and return nipple, and the steam can debond the PVC glue on fittings near the pump causing leaks. Keeping the water level up is important and will save you money on costly repairs. With a set up like this, the hose used to connect the auto leveller to the spigot should be inspected often and replaced every year. When the hose is under pressure for long periods of time, it can fail at its joints and they do dry out from being in the sun. Hoses are not expensive in a 5/8" diameter and are often on sale. 

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I like to use a single hose faucet timer on a set up like this. This is simply a safety feature. The timer is a valve that takes pressure off the hose. It can be set to run up to 2 hours continuously, every 12 hours, supplying water to the float valve to top off the pool water each day. In case of an accident, the water cannot run any longer than 4 hours each day, minimizing flooding if the hose were to burst, or the hose connector fails. This is very helpful when my customers live out of state most of the year and I am the only one at the property once a week for months at a time, or if they will be out of town for a vacation and are simply not there to monitor the water top off during the week.  


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Broken pool baskets

3/31/2014

 
Jason the pool guy
Falling debris from a flowering lilac tree split this basket
jason the pool guy
A flowering Ash tree is responsible for this basket becoming overfull and warping from the pressure

It is always a good idea to keep your yard clean when you have a pool. Dead leaves, flowers and loose trash [like styrofoam and plastic bags] lying on the ground will get into the pool when the wind kicks up. Debris like this will clog baskets and suction side cleaners, effectively stopping your pools ability to circulate water and keep itself clean. All debris when there is enough of it can cause problems, but flowers, like those from the Bogenvia bush, a lilac, or trumpet flowers for example, are like paper pulp when wet. Keeping Bogenvia bushes from getting too big will help a lot to control debris when it flowers. A small amount of these flowers can line a basket, clog the holes and effect water circulation. One plastic bag from a grocery store, or a sheet of newspaper can cause a loss of water circulation and shut a suction side cleaner down. 

Even if your yard is spotless, remember that your pools cleaning system can easily be effected by a neighbours tree, or a city tree adjacent to your property. You should always check the baskets after a storm if you are able, even if you pay for pool service. I visit my accounts once per week and a lot can happen in just a few hours when a wind storm comes through. Trimming trees like Palms for example when they have dead fronds hanging and seed pods dropping onto the ground should be trimmed back.  

A pump basket splitting open will allow debris to get past the basket and into the pumps impeller. When this happens, water circulation will be greatly effected and the system will lose filter pressure. Floor head systems will not have the pressure required for the pop ups to function and suction side cleaners, if not clogged themselves, will not have the water circulation required to keep them moving. Sometimes a pumps impeller can be cleaned once the basket has been removed, but, depending on the pump, the motor may have to be taken off to access the impeller.

Making the effort to keep your yard clean and check the baskets after a wind storm is important and will save you from a lot of unnecessary problems. 
Jason the pool guy
An Ash tree has claimed yet another basket.
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What is a Skimmer Weir 

3/19/2014

 
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Inside of your skimmer, there is a plastic gate called the weir. The weir is a very small part that makes a very big difference in how clean your pool looks through out the week. Its amazing how often I see the skimmer missing its weir gate and how many people, including pool technicians who clean pools every week, that don't know what it is, or what it does. 


Jason the pool guy weir gate skimmer

The weir gate is simply a way to keep the debris that is sucked into the skimmer, from getting back out into the pool. While the pump is on, the weir gate will be pulled back as water comes into the skimmer and just like the name describes, the water skims over the top of the weir. Styrofoam makes the weir gate buoyant, so when the pump shuts off and there is no longer water pulling across the top of the weir, it stays upright in the skimmer trapping the leaves inside.  


Jason the pool guy weir gate
Here is a great example of the weir gate doing its job. This last week it has been breezy. Many trees in Arizona are flowering, or dropping leaves this time of year which can litter the surrounding yards for weeks at a time. What you see in the basket would have been floating on the surface of the water had the weir gate not held it back. Not only did the weir gate keep the pool looking cleaner during a breezy week and shedding trees, but the amount of time netting the pool has been reduced by a lot. 


Jason the pool guy


Weir gates can break when they become old and brittle, or from a lot of splashing when kids are swimming. If the weir gate is broken, or missing, it should be replaced. You will have a cleaner pool and reduce the time required to net each week as long as the weir is functional. 


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How to Maintain DE and Cartridge Filters

10/25/2013

 
DE filters and cartridge filters must be taken apart and cleaned as part of routine maintenance. DE filters once a year,  and cartridge filters once every 6 months, or whenever the filter pressure goes up 10 pounds. Depending on the amount of dirt, debris or the bather load, etc, it may be necessary to clean a cartridge filter 3-4 times a year. You can backwash a DE filter, but residual build up of dirt, DE and debris, gets compacted between the grids and that can easily damage the grids. Opening the filter and cleaning and inspecting the grids must happen in addition to back washing throughout the year. Doing this maintenance can save you from unwanted problems and help save you money. Manifolds, air breather screens, cartridges and grids will last longer if they are kept clean and not allowed to get 'caked up' with debris. 

Cartridge filter


If dirt and debris builds up too long and becomes compacted, it reduces water flow, basically acting like a cork. Floor heads may not 'pop up', or no longer have enough pressure to move dirt and debris toward the drain. Suction cleaners will not have the water flow required to move properly. Compacted dirt and debris can ruin cartridges prematurely and the weight of the residual DE in a DE filter, can cause the grids to collapse, breaking the skeletal plastic inside, or crack the manifold. 

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Anytime you have a filter apart, you should be inspecting the filter components for damage. Shown below, are some worst case scenarios. More than likely, if there are cracks, or tears to the degree shown in the images below, you may already have a green pool, or a dirty pool. Dirt and water would be bypassing the filter and blowing back into the pool. The idea of routine cleanings and inspections, is to discover potential problems early. What you will be looking for is hairline cracks in the manifold, or the cartridge filters rubber, or tiny tears in the DE filter grid material. If you see any kind of wear, or damage in the early stages, this is the time to replace the damaged parts before it becomes a bigger problem.  

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Look for a tear in the cartridge filters rubber. This started as a hairline crack and got worse over time. 

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Small tears in the DE filter grids, or broken plastic inside the grids are common when they get old, or have been neglected. 

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Cracks in the manifold like this one, can start as hairline cracks and get worse. It can also happen if you over tighten the nuts to the rods that hold the grids together. Always inspect the manifold for signs of stress.

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This cartridge filters lower collection manifold had cracked and has holes in it. The filter went too long between cleanings. The cartridges were clogged, and the water had no where else to go. 
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This DE filters air breather screen has frayed and must be replaced. Once a hole has worn through the fabric, DE will get into the pool. 
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Pool Pump Shaft Seal Leak

11/1/2012

 
jason the pool guy repairs pump


Its a good idea to keep an eye out on a weekly basis for any wetness under the motor, or around the pump. The picture to the left shows a lot of calcium buildup on the under side of the motor, from a leaky shaft seal that had gone unattended for quite some time. Shaft seals can cause unintended damage to a pump, by corroding bolts that become frozen in the threads of the seal plate. What would normally be a $15.00 fix by replacing a shaft seal, can cost well over $100 if the seal plate must be replaced. The calcium build up on the motor casing will also void the manufactures warranty.


In more extreme cases, even after using 1/2 a can of WD40, or Liquid Wrench, I still could not get the seized bolt out of the pump pictured to the right. The threaded brass insert, which is moulded into the pump itself and is how the motor/seal plate attaches to the pump, popped out attempting to free the corroded bolt. This cannot be repaired.

In the case of this old Hayward Super II pump, the brass inserts are in the pump itself, not a seal plate that can be replaced like the Pentair Whisper flow pumps. With Title 44 being the law of the land here in Arizona, this neglected shaft seal will end up costing the individual about $1000, or more, with the installation of a new, two speed pump and digital time clock, capable of running the two speeds, or a variable speed pump. 
Jason the pool guy repairs pump
Dont let this happen to you! Check your pool equipment each week and look for any wetness under, or around the pump. Catching things like this early and staying on top of small repairs will save you time and money in the long run, allowing you and your family more time in the pool enjoying your investment.
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How Often Do I Check My Pool?  Bi-weekly Checks Are Not a Good Idea

10/7/2012

 
Jason the pool guy pool maintenance
I'm often asked if I provide bi-weekly service, or if I come less in the winter for a lower rate and my answer is always no. When you have been around pools as long as I have, you know better. 

Arizona Monsoon season is July-September. However, wind storms and rain storms are not limited to these months alone. In the example illustrated on the left, there were city owned trees next to the property on the other side of a retaining wall. I had to take a picture of the amount of plant debris I pulled out of the strainer basket, because it was as full as it could possible be after a storm...in January. 






Baskets that are full of debris restrict water flow, which in turn does not cool the motor, or filter enough water from the pool. Excessive heat can cause a lot of unwanted and expensive problems, which can easily be avoided with weekly maintenance.

Through out the year, I find dead birds, rodents and even reptiles getting into the skimmer. In the image to the right, I found a small rabbit stuck in the intake of this Vac-Mate. The rabbit was starting to decay and had plugged the intake hole. The water flow was restricted, the pump was running hot and there was no filter pressure. 


Jason the pool guy pool check skimmer basket vac mate

Jason the pool guy pH swimming pool calcium build up hard water scaling
Tile with hard water build up
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Salt cell with hard water buildup
Arizona has very hard water and calcium build up is unfortunately a common site around the valley. It is very important to keep the pH between 7.2 and 7.8 consistently. Copper elements in pool heaters can become crusted with scale buildup when the water is too hard, restricting water flow and ruining the heater. Hard water scale build up will increase on tile with a high pH and build up on salt cells, restricting water flow and reducing the life if the cell. Chlorine is more effective as a sanitizer if the pH is kept balanced. In hind site to having a high pH, if the pH is too low, the water is acidic. When the water is acidic, it will leach calcium from the plaster and the grout between tiles, eventually ruining the pool surface and loosening tile. Acidic water can damage copper heating elements in heaters too.
Bottom line? It's important to keep checking on your pools equipment and the water chemistry consistently through out the year. Reduce unwanted problems and damage to the pool and pool equipment, by dedicating 15-30 minutes each week. It is never a good idea to neglect your investment over the winter months simply because its too cold to swim. 

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