Black sand

Adding chemicals, vacuuming, backwashing,
brushing, filter care, filter cleaning, replacing
worn or broken pool parts
dalehileman
Swimming Pool Wizard
Swimming Pool Wizard
Posts: 72
Joined: Sat 25 Jul, 2009 12:17
My Pool: 15 x 40 ft inground fiberglass
Location: Apple Valley, CA

Black sand

Postby dalehileman » Fri 01 Apr, 2011 14:57

In switching over from conventional to Intelliflow we also found it necessary to bring flow up to half speed during sweep of the Polaris 380 lest its booster suck air and self-destruct. Since the entire purpose of the conversion is to save electricity we therefore cut back on sweep time from 3 hrs to 1 hr

[I hasten to concede that this requirement might be averted by connecting the booster at some other point in the system, for instance at the input of the sand filter instead of its output but we're reluctant to experiment (a) in case we're wrong and (b) conversions of this magnitude often entail unexpected disadvantages up with which we aren't willing to put]

As removal of these larger particles is accomplished only by the Polaris tail grinding them to a size that can be carried away by flow toward the drain and skimmer, With slower flow and shorter sweep time we note an accumulation of black sand and perhaps other heavier particles. Tho of course it's all sterile it's nonetheless a bit unsightly So,

1. Do you have any general comments or alternatives, especially if you have encountered this difficulty in your own conversion, aside from increasing sweep time; preferably skirting costly revisions or attachments; and

2. Incidentally this detritus accumulates almost exclusively at the deep end, esp in the corners and wondering why. True the 380 seems to spend more time at the shallow end but its navigational habits are very difficult to alter, short of pulling it out frequently to readjust the rear jet

[Edited to remark the probable reason being, when sweep is in shallow end as it stirs up those heavier particles, with each excursion those encountering the slope (necessarily migrate toward the bottom but of course they can't as easily climb back up]


3. To anyone familiar with the technicalities: Given 2800 rpm as half speed what would be the effect on or electric bill @ $0.25/kwh doubling sweep time as I had proposed

Thanks all


dalehileman
Swimming Pool Wizard
Swimming Pool Wizard
Posts: 72
Joined: Sat 25 Jul, 2009 12:17
My Pool: 15 x 40 ft inground fiberglass
Location: Apple Valley, CA

Black sand

Postby dalehileman » Sat 09 Jul, 2011 10:17

Can I conclude from the dearth of response that others might deal with sand by a different means altogether

..or is it that in my retirement I devote undue attention to otherwise trivial issues

…or possibly the season but things pick up with cooler weather…..

..Thanks all

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