20 Most Recent Hayward SAND FILTER, PRO SERIES Questions & Answers

I've had the same problem every year since I bought this house 10 years ago with my Hayward filter drain and finally MacGyvered a great solution. Went to Home Depot and bought a 1" PVC shutoff valve. The Hayward drain has an outside 1 1/4" thread. The part I got was an 'Aqua-Dynamic' 1" PVC Schedule 40(I can't find a picture of it on the internet). It is a white PVC valve with an inside thread that mates with the Hayward and a red shutoff winged knob. You need to hacksaw the red wings off the knob in order to be able to screw it onto the drain because the filter's base gets in the way. Leave the valve in the open position(especially if water is still draining with filter off) and put PVC cement on the outside of the drain thhreads and a bit on the inside of the valve and screw it on. When the glue dries(5 minutes), you now have a drain that you can open and close every year with ease(you need a pair of pliers because the wings are off the turn knob but it works great!)

The greatest odds are that you have a broken lateral or a few broken laterals. Another less likely cause for getting sand in your pool on filter setting is a cracked/broken stand pipe. This is the vertical pipe running through the center of your filter. Open, clean, rinse, inspect, repair/replace, fill halfway with water, add correct sand weight, and close back up. Always start back up with the key assembly(star valve) in the backwash position so that you don't pump any residual sand back in the pool. After running 15-25 seconds, turn off pump and set to filter position.

Always vacume on waste when you have algea

Vacume on waste

you dont loose sand back wash filter also put on recirculate if you have pressure you might have plugged filter you might have to change sand

The back pressure at which it's time to backwash a sand filter is about 6-8 psi above the baseline pressure of a clean filter. Just after following the procedure to backwash and rinse your filter, check the sand filter's back pressure at the time you return the pump and filter system back into filter mode. This is the baseline pressure of your clean filter. As the filter gathers particulates from the pool water, the back pressure will rise over time, as indicated on your pressure gauge. Once the pressure reaches 6-8 psi above the baseline, it's time to backwash. Some advice: Don't assume the baseline pressure will remain the same for your sand filter. The baseline pressure will change over time and when the sand media is replaced. Typicallly baseline pressure will go up slightly over a season due to captured particles that are difficult to backwash out. Use of a filter cleaner will help remove these captured particles. More advice: Even with the use of filter cleaners and proper backwashing, sand media will not last forever. The constant water flow and movement of particles in the sand over time shears the surface of each little sand grain. Like a river flowing over rocks, over time each sand grain surface is smoothed, and thus its effectiveness for capturing small particles is reduced with ongoing use. A typical rule of thumb is to replace the sand media +/- 5 years. Some pool owners do it more often, some less. It depends on how long your pool season is each year and how much debris the filter much extract from the pool water.

you dont need a lot of pressure to backwash just make sure water is clean coming out then rinse for 30 sec then put back on filter do not turn valve while filter is running you will ruin multiport gasket

All hayward stickers are replaceable at you local hayward retail store but easy way to know where backwash is usually the bottom of dial usually patent number is at bottom, Filter at 12 o'clock, waste at1 o'clock, backwash at6 o'clock, recirculate at8 o'clock rinse at10 oclock

Hey!
Mine was doing the same thing. I had the hoses switched up. I had the hose from the pump connected to the port marked RETURN (on the Hayward vari pump valve). Not good! I also had the return line hose (from pool) connected to the port marked pump. It happens! The problem is I tried EVERYTHING ELSE before I found my error. This includes a trip to Leslie's to buy a brand new multi port valve (good thing they have a return policy) AND changing out my relatively new sand in the filter AND taking apart the vertical tube and each individual flange at the bottom to clean them out. Please check your hoses FIRST if it won't backwash! By the way...I've been a pool owner for 17 years. I think my experience worked against me since I didn't recheck my work at setup.
NOTE:
It might SEEM like your filter is working because you get suction at the skimmer and water rushing thru the return line into the pool. It's not working if your lines are backwards like mine were! My water started turning green!

Hello, 1 You need to unscrew the drain plug and screen (if it is still there!) at the base of the filter. 2 You can reclaim most of the sand by letting the filter drain through a sieve (lots of work) or use new sand. 3 Uncouple union joints or couplers that attach to filter head. 4 Remove filter head. 5 You can try pulling some sand out of the top. However, do not damage the filter fingers in the sand. 6 Use a hose to blast the sand out the bottom drain. 7 Inspect all fingers, replace if necessary. 8 After all is cleaned out, place finger mount inside filter. Cover top of mount with a cup or similar to keep the new sand out of the finger assembly. 9 Replace drain plug and screen. 10 Fill filter halfway with water. 11 Slowly pour sand in and spread evenly. 12 Remove mount cover. 13 Reinstall head, unions and couplings. 14 Prime pump and test for leaks.
Good Luck

You can try different epoxy's but they usually won't hold as the filter expands when running this will break any seal where you put it.You can check into warrentys. A lot of these filters had good warrentys on the tanks that went longer than valve or internal's. if you have install dates and model #'s. Check on line with Hayward.
http://www.haywardnet.com/inground/products/manuals.cfm

Worse comes to worse you can drill out a small hole amd using stanless steel go with a bolt and nut with washers and rubber washers in the middle. when you set it seal it all with silicone and after it is tight let it set for eight hours or so. Good luck.

i always start a new filter in backwash mode. that way, any dust will be washed away and not into the swimming pool

from what i can find, it will take 350lbs of sand. there should be a chart on the actual filter housing

put the housing on the base (level) and make sure the three 'locators' on the bottom of filter housing are resting inside the base ring. put the standpipe into the housing and install the 8 laterals. make sure the standpipe is straight and centred in the housing (i use duct tape to block the top of the standpipe and secure the standpipe to the housing. fill the housing roughly halfway with water. slowly pour sand into the housing making sure to keep the standpipe centred. once you have installed the correct amount of sand, install the dial valve and secure it with the supplied clamping system.

pool manuals are available on amazon

I believe that the owners manual has a parts listing to help you distinguish the part that you will need to buy. However, if your pool filter was purchased in 1990, you are probably going to need a new filter. Most do not last over 20 years.

http://www.backyardcitypools.com/images/hayward/pro-series-manual.pdf

The spider gasket inside the 6-position valve is probably leaking. Take the model number of the valve to a local pool store and they can order a replacement. You will also need a special sealant to install the new gasket.