Sta-rite Filter 135tx

Pool pumps, pool filters and the plumbing of
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BrianW
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I'm new here
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat 06 Aug, 2011 19:15
My Pool: Older plastered inground pool. Approx. 17,000 gallons with spa.
Location: Las Vegas, NV

Sta-rite Filter 135tx

Postby BrianW » Sat 06 Aug, 2011 19:31

When sweeping debris from the pool it somehow bypasses the brand new sta-rite 135TX filter and ejects the debris directly back in to the pool as if there were no filter at all. I have spent weeks with pool companies that have verified I have the correct size filter and that it is seated firmly--checked and have found no leaks. The Sta-Rite base have no moving parts, just water comes in through the center of the filter and circulates and exits as the outside base of the filter.

I have had this system for years without any problem until now and I can't find anything visually wrong, nor can the pool "experts" I have had out to look at it. They simply say upgrade to a new filter which I will if necessary but I certainly want to put up a good fight to figure out why this "simple system" is such a mystery.

Your help is deeply appreciated.

BrianW


THS Tech

Sta-rite Filter 135tx

Postby THS Tech » Sun 07 Aug, 2011 00:27

You've already had several pool companies out to look at it?

This is the only possibility I can suggest to you; There is most likely a crack in the base of the filter stand. And being a typical Sta-Rite filter, it's black and you cannot see it. It is possibly a crack that opens itself when: a) the weight of the water logged filter presses on the stand and b) when pressure is introduced inside the filter tank thus creating bypass.

Only you can weigh the decision if you want to purchase a replacement filter base and see if that fixes it, or a whole new Posi-Flo filter of equal square footage to fit your already new 135tx cartridge.
BrianW
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat 06 Aug, 2011 19:15
My Pool: Older plastered inground pool. Approx. 17,000 gallons with spa.
Location: Las Vegas, NV

Sta-rite Filter 135tx

Postby BrianW » Sun 07 Aug, 2011 20:13

Thank you for your response. I also suspected as crack in the base, but I inspected it with a magnifying glass and couldn't find a scratch or any hairline cracks. I also purchased another new filter today to eliminate the possibility of having a one in a million torn filter even though it is brand new.

Same thing happened. The amount of debris that is returning to the pool is equal to what I am vacuuming. The filter has some debris on it but not much. It would have to more than a hairline crack to allow that much debris to return to the pool. It acts like it is plumbed without a filter at all. The new filter fit snug into the bottom and I made sure it was still that way when I checked it after seeing debris shooting back into the pool.

My frustration is that I would think the problem would be obvious and simple to fix because there just isn't that much to these canister filter systems.

Is it possible that the debris is so fine that it is just passing through the filter? Is there something like diatomaceous material or other stuff that might trap the particles?

BrianW
TSH Tech

Sta-rite Filter 135tx

Postby TSH Tech » Mon 08 Aug, 2011 00:17

A normal working cartridge filter, such as the Posi-Flo will stop DE. To help pool water get that extra 'polished' look, I occasionally add 1 cup of DE into a cartridge filter over 100sq ft of filtering area.

Check your filter to see if you accidently removed or lost this little part: Inside the Posi-Flo filters, there is a long, skinny plastic tube that rises up from the middle with a little plastic filter about an inch and a half long and just slightly wider than the tube itself. If the air-bleed tube is missing, debris will definitely blow through.
BrianW
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat 06 Aug, 2011 19:15
My Pool: Older plastered inground pool. Approx. 17,000 gallons with spa.
Location: Las Vegas, NV

Sta-rite Filter 135tx

Postby BrianW » Mon 08 Aug, 2011 16:03

The air bleed tube is firmly in place and I checked it length wise for cracks. I will certainly try the DE material but I feel that it will just be blown back into the pool with everything else.

I am open to any other suggestions you might have, as your thoughts have traced my thought process exactly.

Regards,

BrianW
TSH Tech

Sta-rite Filter 135tx

Postby TSH Tech » Mon 08 Aug, 2011 18:03

There's always somebody that knows more and I, and asked a Sr. tech I know who's been in the industry back in the days when they just dug a hole in the ground with shovels and added water.

His answer was less than what I expected, but definitely adds some insight to the problem. In short, he said: "it's the nature of cartridge filters to blow back fine dirt into the pool. They filter water, but they'll never trap that fine soil or dirt. DE filters never have this problem because they filter at a much smaller micron level, but with cartridge filters, there is some fine dirt that literally passes through the filter and blows right back into the pool. Other times you get lucky and it's larger dirt particles that stay trapped in the filter. If you're running into that problem, you don't want to vacuum through the filter anymore, you need to just let blow out into the yard or down the drain. If you want to make a quick vacuum discharge setup, what you do is take a 3-way Jandy valve and plumb it in between the pump and the filter. Make one outlet so you can connect one of those blue roll up hoses to when you vacuum. When you're ready to vacuum the pool, just move the valve over so it shuts off the filter, unroll the hose off somewhere away from your equipment and nice yard and that way none of the dirt goes back into the pool. Sure, you're gonna lose some water, but that's what you have to do if you ever want to get that fine dirt out if you own a cartridge filter."
~
Spoken from the expert "expert" :thumbup:
BrianW
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat 06 Aug, 2011 19:15
My Pool: Older plastered inground pool. Approx. 17,000 gallons with spa.
Location: Las Vegas, NV

Sta-rite Filter 135tx

Postby BrianW » Tue 09 Aug, 2011 16:45

Thank You! This is exactly the same solution I came to as well and I have already rigged the piping to dump directly into the drain as I sweep.

You have been very helpful and I appreciate your persistence to my ongoing questions.

Regards,

BrianW

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