Making peace with the pool

This post is about lessons we've learned as we've installed new equipment.

Text rendered this way is obsolete for our system, but has been retained to help explain prior decisions or in case we revert back to a prior configuration.

Our system now includes an inground pool with a volume of somewhere between 30,000 and 36,000 about 24,000 gallons.  It was put in by the previous owner, and we don't have the original paperwork.  It is 10 8 feet deep at the diving board end and 3 to 3.5 feet deep at the shallow end.  It has one skimmer and no bottom drain.  It has side returns and a return at the bottom of the deep end.  All the other circulation components are mounted lower than the prevailing water level.  We have a Pentair IntelliFlo VF pump, a Pentair HiFlow 6WAY VALVE 1-1/2" multiport, a Nautilus FNS 60 Diatomaceous Earth (DE) Sparco Hi-Rate SD-60 sand filter (apparently comparable to a Pentair Tagelus TA60), and an AutoPilot SC-60 a Pentair IntelliChlor IC40 salt chlorine generator system with a Pool Pilot Digital controller.  Before going back underground to the pool, the return pipe splits, and on one side of the split we have a booster pump for our pre-1996 Letro Legend robotic cleaner.

We bought the IntelliFlo pump in 2008 and put a new digital control head on it in 2016, and we bought the multiport in 2008 and replaced it in 2016.  So far they both seem like huge improvements, but we've had to learn about them by trial and error.

The new algorithm for opening the pool now seems to be as follows:

BEGIN // opening of the pool

Clean as much debris and dirt off the pool cover as possible.

Remove the pool cover.

Set up the pool-filling garden hose and the level-sensing flow controller.  Turn water on to that hose.

Use the pole net to remove all coarse debris that may be floating on the water's surface.
Clean the skimmer and the pump strainer baskets.

Open the ballcock ahead of the pump, and open the return splitter valve (by moving the "OFF" indicator away from all pipes).

Set the multiport to Recirc.  This takes the filter out of the loop.  The filter is only for removing fine particulate matter, but first we must remove all coarse matter.

Set the pump to Filter mode and run it.  This is appropriate even though we are not using the filter, and the reason is that the IntelliFlo's Filter mode enables all of the pump's self-protection sensors.

WHILE (water is circulating) and (the bottom is not visible) DO

BEGIN 

Shock it relentlessly.  Use shock that provides chemically-free chlorine and that includes chlorine stabilizer.  Shock it until you can see what's at the bottom of the pool. 

Clean the skimmer and pump strainer baskets frequently. 

Get the water tested and make any necessary pH adjustments and salt additions.  Also throw in some algicide. 

Use the pole net to collect coarse matter from the pool bottom. 

IF you haven't already completely cleaned the filter THEN

BEGIN 

Open the air purge valve. 

Direct the drain sump hose to keep the foundation of the house dry. 

Open the drain and let the vessel empty. 

Open the pressure vessel. 

Hose off all accessible DE and dirt. 

Remove the air bypass stem. 

Wrangle the entire filter assembly off of the upright return pipe and out of the vessel.  Lay it on its side, out of the way. 

Hose out the pressure vessel.  Create a vortex to flush the maximum amount of DE and dirt out. 

Remove the metal retaining rods from the filter assembly. 

Remove the upper and lower plastic framework parts. 

Hose off each filter element.  Check it for tears and broken ribs and replace it if necessary. 

Hose off the plastic framework parts (inside and out, for the upper one). 

Put the upper plastic framework part upside down on the pool deck. 

Insert the clean filter elements into the upper plastic framework part one by one. 

Finagle the lower plastic framework part, upside-down, onto the filter elements. 

Secure the metal retaining rods. 

Stage the filter assembly next to the vessel, right side up, and hose it off again. 

Place the filter assembly back into the pressure vessel, using a rubber mallet to attach it to the upright return pipe. 

RE-ATTACH THE AIR BYPASS STEM! 

Close the pressure vessel. 

Close the pressure vessel's drain. 

END;

END;

Verify that the green is going away and the water is clear enough for the bottom to be seen.

IF (the water is too cloudy for the bottom to be seen) THEN

BEGIN

Turn the pump off. 

Set the multiport to Filter. 

Turn the pump on.

Add a loading dose of PHOSfree.

Skim aggressively until the water is clear.  This means adjusting the water level (using the automatic filler and the multiport's Waste position) so it's just above the skimmer "sill"; running the IntelliFlo pump in Manual mode; and setting the pump to an RPM that moves as much water as possible without also sucking air into the skimmer.  Try 1600 RPM.

END;

Turn the pump off.

Set the multiport to Waste and direct the waste/backwash/rinse hose to keep the foundation of the house dry.

Attach and manually prime (by hand-over-hand hose submersion) the vacuum equipment.

Set the IntelliFlo to Vacuum mode.

Start the pump and vacuum as much coarse matter from the bottom as possible.  DO NOT VACUUM SIGNIFICANT COLLECTIONS OF LEAVES, TWIGS, OR OTHER LARGE DEBRIS -- IT WILL CLOG THE INPUT PIPE JUST PRIOR TO THE BALLCOCK AHEAD OF THE PUMP!

Turn the pump off.

Clean the pump strainer basket.

Remove the vacuum equipment.

Clean and replace the skimmer basket.

Clean the chlorine generator cell manifold's union screen.

Set the multiport to Backwash, set the IntelliFlo to Backwash mode, and start the pump.

When water starts streaming out of the air purge valve, close it.

The pump will turn itself off when the programmed amount of time has elapsed.

Set the multiport to Rinse.  The IntelliFlo will know that this is a Rinse cycle.  Restart the pump and let it run for the programmed duration.

The above Backwash/Rinse procedure triggers the IntelliFlo to reset some of its monitoring parameters.

Bring fresh DE to a position adjacent to the skimmer.  DE charging must begin within two minutes of completion of the next step.

Set the multiport to Filter, set the IntelliFlo to Filter mode, and start the pump.

Slowly (at the rate of one pound per minute) dump six pounds of fresh DE into the skimmer.

When all DE has been added, wait five minutes, then Make a note of the pressure on the filter.  This is the optimum pressure.

Stow the drain and waste/backwash/rinse hoses.

Add a loading dose of PHOSfree.  Skim aggressively until the water is clear.

The robotic cleaner system includes a little screen where the system plugs into the pool wall.  Clean that screen.

Attach and activate the robotic cleaner.

Set the AutoPilot controller Intellichlor so that it knows the pump is on, and so that the chlorine generator's normal duty cycle will be 40%.  Put it in Boost mode (24 hour constant-on) by pressing both the Less and More buttons simultaneously or Superboost mode (72 hour constant-on, activated by pressing and holding the Boost button).

Bring a water sample to the pool shop and treat the water as necessary.

Swim!

END // opening of the pool

If only that were all there were to it.  Alas, the filter will collect dirt, and eventually it will need attention, as follows:

When filter pressure reaches optimum pressure + 14 PSI, the IntelliFlo will display warning indications.  Perform a backwash/rinse procedure, recharge the filter with three pounds (not six!) of fresh DE, then resume normal filtered circulation, and after five minutes, note the new pressure on the filter.  If the new pressure is at least optimum pressure + 45 PSI, the next filter cleaning must involve thorough disassembly, etc chemical cleaning (see manual) -- not just a backwash and rinse.