High pressure on Caretaker System

[Jim AHS]

I have a smallish pool with a Caretaker pop up cleaning system, and a sand filter. Recently I noticed extremely high pressure on the filter when the cleaner is set on the pop-ups only, and relatively high pressure when I keep the cleaner on a mix of pop-ups and side jets. The pressure is only normal when I keep only the side jets on.

A year or so ago we actually had the sand filter spring a leak and it had to be replaced. I can only assume that was because of the high pressure, but I hadn't noticed the pressure until a few months ago. I keep the cleaner set on the mix of pop-ups and side jets, but the pop ups don't really do their job as well in this setting. All the pop-ups seem to work fine, they all pop up and appear ok. I just don't want to spring another leak.

Any ideas?

[JimAHS]

By the way. The max pressure stated on the Hayward sand filter is 50psi...which seems high in any case....should be around 20? Its running at 55 psi and would go off the gauge (70 psi?) when I use the pop-ups on full. And the pop-ups blow out a lot of bubbles when they first come on.

I forgot to mention that the pump (Pentair Whisperflo 3/4hp) has a small leak at the pipe fitting. Don't know if this is a cause or effect of the high pressure.

I broke down and called a pool company yesterday to have someone come out...just left a message so far. I'd appreciate any ideas from the group.

Thanks!

[caseyzdenek]

hi jim
i am also having a similar problem, it seems the caretaker system is putting a ton of back pressure on my filter. to me it seems that only a certain amount of water can flow through the screen "strainer" to get to the caretaker valve system and anything over that amount is just putting unnessisary back pressure on filter and pump. my pump is a 1.5hp pump. any info or insight would be great!