manual help????

[wild geese]

 

Hi pool people,

    I'm a retired plumber

     Now with my plumbing experience I’m no stranger to water systems.  But I have yet to cross swords with the swimming pool circulation system.

Common sense tells me

1. When the pool is full or just covering the outlets
2. The over flow/spill-ways at the side of the pool should self prime the pump and filter system

That’s about as far as I’m willing to speculate on the subject. 

At the present the scene I was and am confronted with was and is 

     It was frosty when I got here in December so the pool cover was on and is still in place.  This last few days it has been warm enough and OK to go investigate the pool and pool house.

 Upon opening the door and clawing my way through the cobwebs and the amazing population of big through to small spiders, I find I possess a big blue tank/drum (which I’m assuming is the filter vessel) and a water pump.  With a wall mounted electric power supply connected for the pump. The blue drum thingy is a part from www.hydrosud-direct.com information as below :-   

 

Modele                   Debit                   Sable 

                          en cubic m/h             en kg

 

Cristal 14                  14                      150

 

There is also a lift at one end, and select a position lever, with about a 6 positions on it I think?

 There is also a glass made filter about 1½  litre capacity beside the selection lever

There was a black drain cap taken off and lying beside the base of the blue tank (I’m assuming that was drained for frost protection)

The cap on the glass filter was also off (and again I assume it was for frost protection

The two plastic pipes coming from the direction of the pool have two big quarter turn plastic isolation valves fitted and in place and turned across the flow which I know from  plumbing means the flow from that direction is stopped

    

The previous owner from the north of England left instructions of sorts. 

As I have no knowledge of pool related data I can only assume he must be right.

Written on the back of an old envelope was:-

 

To backwash the pool

Steps

1. Switch off the system
2. Set handle to backwash
3. Switch on system
4. Backwash for 2 minutes
5. Switch off system
6. Set handle to rinse
7. Switch on system
8. Rinse for 30 seconds
9. Switch off system
10. Set handle to filtration
11. Switch on system and let run.

 

I’m assuming that:-

a.      The lid goes back on the glass filter.

b.     The drain plug will screw back onto, the blue tank

c.      The quarter turn isolation will need to be turned in line with the pipes

d.      And then do the above numbered procedure

 

Anything over and beyond these instructions.  I just haven’t got a clue.  The system  has been working last year or the year before so I don’t want to mess things up on the overall set up.

     With the limited information I’ve supplied to you and the brand names of the things I have fitted and have in place could anyone help with an English instruction book or things to do and not to do manual?

I need help.  Well HWMBO (her who must be obeyed) has always known and maintained that.

     Seriously I think if I was able to plan, install (commission fancy way to say fit) and plumb in a pressurized central heating system for a block of flats I should be able to figure this out.  A few do’s and don’t is all I need to get started

Thank you in advance for any help offered

Regards Geoff   

 

 

 

 

[Northender]

Hi Geoff

The 11 steps you quoted are only the method for backwashing the filter , which is usually done 3/4 times a season depending on useage.

If you just want to run the pump and filter for a couple of hours a day during a warm spell you don't need to backwash the filter.

Refit the drain plug to the filter , replace the glass cover on the pre-filter and open up the valves from the Skimmer/Fond/Prise and the Return.Check the skimmers to see if there are any plastic bungs in first.You should see water passing through the glass filter.

There should be an air vent on top of the blue filter , usually incorporating a pressure gauge , you may need to open this.

Don't run the pump until you have water in the system.When you switch on the pump watch the water flowing through the pre-filter and make sure it does'nt "dry up".Once you have a decent flow most of the air will be pumped through into the pool.

Make sure you don't switch any of the valves with the pump running.

[Jonzjob]

Hi Geoff. First, welcome to the forum.

You don't say which part of France you are in or if you are permanent or holiday homing? If I were in your position I would seek professional help. From what you have said about how much you know about pools you could save yourself a load of money. Poolguy may be able to give you the full griff. When we moved into our own house, from rented, I bought a book called The Ultimate Pool Maintenance Manual by Terry Tamminen. It's still available via Amazon, but it's gone up since I bought my copy. It's a mine of info and I would not be without it!

Notrthender is correct about running the pump dry. If you do then you will quickly need a new one. The advice about changing the valves should apply mainly to the multi port valve, the one with the 6 positions. If you do there is a fair chance that the water flow will lift the rubber seal and it's a swine to change and costs about 30€. I had to do ours because of the age of it and I think the previous owner had the habbit of moving it with the pump running?

What is the level of the water in the pool? Is it full or has it been winterised by draining it down below the level of the inlets and outlets?

Edit :- I just noticed. The backwash is only backwashing all of the muck out of the filter, not the pool. The rinse is to get rid of the muck in the pipe work after the back wash otherwise if you miss that out all of the muck gets dumped back in the pool again[:)]. Not what you want! When you do a back wash you will see a small glass cupp like thing on the side of the multi port valve. The idea is to run the back wash untill the water in that glass cup goes clear. You may well need a torch to see it properly.

Good luck, but think about that pro!?