cartridge filter cleaning

[notrub]

Here is a method to clean your filters that really works.

 

The chemicals:  TSP trisodium phosphate and Muriatic acid  (Hydrochloric acid)

The acid is pretty cheap (250 baht / 5 Gal?) and the TSP was about 1000 baht for 25KGs.  The TSP is a useful cleaning agent and handy to have around.

 

The equipment is just 2 barrels high enough to totally immerse your filters and a garden hose (no HP washer please)

 

Dissolve about 1/2 liter of acid in one barrel and a cup or so of TSP in the other.  Mix them up thoroughly.  Too strong and the filter glue dissolves.

 

Put the filter into the TSP for a few days lifting it up and down every day or so.  For really dirty filters gently hose it off and put it back.  No brushing.

 

After that hose it down and put in the acid solution for a few days.

 

Take it out, hose it down and leave in the sun to dry (this seems to make a difference)

 

I started off using a HP washer to clean but all that does is drive the particles into the filter and damages it too (see photo)

 

I bought 2 new filters from Lazada (I think) for about 1/2 or 2/3 the price from my local shop.  Buy 2 and get free delivery.  They are identical to the filter originally supplied with my Emaux unit including the absence of any brand name markings.

 

Having 2 filters make the cleaning cycle easy and I was even able to 'rehabilitate' my old abused filter too.  I still use it but it doesn't last too long b4 cleaning again.

 

Zoom in on the really dirty filter to see what you can achieve with this technique.  It came out just like the one on the left after a week or so.

 

I use muriatic acid in my pool too (salt) and almost (obviously 'almost' is a key word here) never have an algae problem.

 

You can see how we are managing self isolation too.