By the first sentence, are you a builder or service tech? You mentioned backwash, so what type of valve? Slide?

Did you plumb it correctly. First clue on a slide is that if you plumbed it as usual, it's wrong. It need to plumb like a sand filter.

Check that first.

Yes, builder.
Yes slide (push pull).
And it is plumbed correctly. (backwash on top and I run the filter with the valve in the the up position).
Thanks for the quick response.

Hey Natural,
Its fun playing with new stuff. I have a quad on my pool, and it never coats evenly. What speed were you running when you added DE, I would think that higher is better, keep it from falling to bottom.
I am not sold on the VF pumps yet for filtration. I like them for water features. With our cheap off peak electric prices, and the fact that you have to run on almost full, or full speed for infloor, the extra cost doesnt make sense.

Anything short of full speed for an in-floor is usually not effective. I don't advise variable speed for these pools for a variety of issues. You mention running at full speed but you do not say what you actually have. I have found that slightly less DE in the QUAD works better, but that would not be your cause here.

What size did you get? 32 kinds tells me you're undersized for your pump. You really can't get any filtration at that psi.

As for the idea of filtration being worse on variable speed, the results are just the opposite. Pass it through gently and you get way more effective filtration than shoving it in. I run a VF on a SMBW2072 at 22 gpm for 11k and with the use of PRS, the pool is like glass day or night. It never looked that good with a 2.0 WhisperFlo.

sorry... It's the intelliflo VF with a quad 80.

"Anything short of full speed for an in-floor is usually not effective". Well, my rep had told me that 3450rpm is equivalent to a 3hp whisperflo. If thats the case, I could not imagine running a 3hp pump on an infloor cleaning system. We usually have a 1.5 or 2hp for infloor depending on the head loss and that creates sufficient pressure at the cleaning valve and heads themselves. Maybe this is what it is, but I swear Ive lost a ton of pressure after the filter than I originally did.
Thanks for the help....

just-a-pb... It is fun. Im having a blast. I just got my last piece for my screen logic the day I left for Montana. My rep had goofed up on the order and I hadnt opened my boxes until now. I cant wait to play with the pda and all the settings. Should have that up and running by Tuesday.

Id like to say I was maybe at 2500rpms for the charging of the filter. I have a good 3-4inches of de in the bottom of the filter though....?

Follow-up questions related to this thread. Help as I am getting confused and want to make the right choices. (1) PUMP: The rep for the in-floor system (A&A) our PB uses said you can use the IntelliFlo VF pump with their system. Are you saying it works, but just isn't cost effective or does it not work as well as some other pump you would recommend? Our PB actually uses a Sta-rite IntelliPro VS, but I was thinking of asking for the IntelliFlo VF based on what I read about it on this Forum. (2)FILTER: In another discussion with an A & A rep I was told not to use a DE filter with the in-floor system (or at least theirs) as it could cause problems with the heads sticking. The PB sells a cartridge filter the Sta-rite Mod Media 3 with his installs. Is this a good way to go with these in-floor systems? The actual operation brochure I read for the A&A system mentions what to do if you have a DE filter, so I am confused. Is DE less desirable for any reason with in-floor cleaning systems? Am I sacrificing too much in regard to sanitation and water clarity to go with the cartridge filter as recommended? What would you recommend from experience? Help. . . Please.

with 2.5 suction and 2.0 return, that pump is overpowering the system in most cases. You've got a motor trying to hit 3.65 HP on a 2" line. I'd step it down to a 2HP and see if the in floor improves. Most in floors don't use a VF due to the system block issues on the pump.

Maybe you have a good rep but in reality, most reps know little about the actual working dynamics of the pump. I've only heard of a few. Shoving 3.65 in that filter and a 2" pipe is going to slow things down and not run at the desired wattage for which you purchased this pump.

I would not worry about what's on the tank bottom as long as the cartridges have a good coat.

repair guy,
Thanks... I will look into that and see how the pressures read. My VF runs waterfeatures too (deck jets)....I love the fact that I can trim up or down the height of my deck jets with the touch of a button. I completely understand what you are saying regarding reps, and even more understand the high horsepower vs. line size. I actually never thought Id have to get near the 3hp range so I didnt plumb for it...thanks again.