Is there an ‘expert’ out there?
2 years ago I revitalised my ageing Hayward sand filter (I thought I had).
I removed it from its very awkward, virtually inaccessible placing after first scooping out the sand to lighten it. Still awkward to remove.
I stripped it down and checked the innards ‘lateral assembly’ etc. All looked intact and undamaged.
I cleaned it thoroughly and put it back into its dark place.
I refilled it with coarse and then fine sand as instructed.
After this it still emitted some sand into the pool but initially not an excessive amount.
Last year towards the end of the season there was a lot of sand appearing in the pool and I can only suspect that all is not well with filter. Should I assume the worst, that there must be a crack or breakage? I also cleaned the ‘multiport’ valve and changed the ‘spider’ seal. I also cleaned and checked the pump… I am really puzzled and I am contemplating just getting a new sand filter having seen the price of the Hayward replacement parts. I would not like to spend the money on the lateral assembly only to find more sand in the pool again.
Any help or Experts please?
If the laterals looked in good condition and no visible cracks in them or the pipe they connect to including the little air bleed pipe being attached (the number of times I have visited customers where it has become detached and caused issues). The next place is the multiport, somtimes the replacement gasket jumps out of position or is damaged. Sounds like you are on the right track even though you maybe going back over things again.
Edit, I remember one customers haward filter developed a crack in the very bottom of the lateral downpipe, it looked like a dirt mark until I gently tried to pressure test it and it opended up to reveal itself. Hopefully not a filter strip down again, start with the easiest bit first. Is it a top mounted or side mounted multiport?
Hello Corona
Thank you for getting back to me with useful suggestions.
It is a side mounted valve unit.
I can dig out the ref number or photograph it.
FYI. the laterals are not as described in the manual e.g. they do not fold down but as I remember, they are screwed in and have to be unscrewed before the central feeder tube can be removed from the filter body. I really took care and cleaned them thoroughly last time. Are you saying that there could be a minute crack anywhere within the filter to cause my problem.
I did have a problem making sure that it all went back together the top grey tube and the bleed tube kept falling off as I tried to fill it with sand and stop the sand going where it shouldn’t whilst working in the confined space…Are these common issues/mistakes?
How to solve? I am sure the multiport is not the issue.
Can you recommend a cheaper direct replacement filter, if it comes to it?
It does seem madness to have to replace the whole filter just to resolve this issue though.
The air bleed loves to fall off especially when you are almost done filling. Its tricky sitting at my phone but multiport gasket failures on subsquent replacements from new are sometimes a problem, equally a bit of wear can allow sand past. Just because its easier to get at I would start there. With a Hayward filter you get reasonable quality, the very low cost models you see generally the laterals dont extend to the periferal very well so they leave dead spots that dont backwash. Domestic filters dont backwash very well to start with. Its not just about getting the dirt from the pool into the filter, its very much about getting it out of the filter also. Any hiding place is a place that bacteria and virus’s will populate. I cant really help much more at a distance and new job will keep me in the UK until September so not much help. I have some folding lateral assemblies that are similar to the Hayward if that would help as I just want to get rid of them now. But you’ll be stripping the filter again to see if that is the problem.