How To: Clean Your Pentair Clean and Clear Plus 420 & 520 Swimming Pool Filter

[@duanesolem178]

Thanks for this!! Really gave me the impetus to just get out and do it. Thank heavens it's the biggest filter Pentair made and a fairly small pool (8000) and hot tub so three years use didn't TOTALLY plug it up. The hardest part, surprisingly, was getting the ring to stay while trying to get the bolt thru the ring hole and start the nut!

[@mandyneely0411]

I am confused it appears you are turning the drain plug to the right to remove and to put it back on 🤷🏼‍♀️. Which direction do you turn the channel lock to remove the plug?

[@Sevenseaspoolsandspas]

Hi, Mandy. Sorry for the confusion. You turn the drain plug to the right to tighten and to the left to loosen.

[@rudianger123]

The bottle of soaking solution I got from Leslie's says to soak at least 4-6 hours, but preferably overnight. I see in this video its preferable to do 48 hours. Does it make that much of a difference in cleaning? Thanks!!!

[@Sevenseaspoolsandspas]

Thanks for your question. The instructions in this video are based on the filter cleaner that we use. We suggest that you follow the instructions that came with your filter cleaner for the correct soaking time to use.

[@rudianger123]

@@Sevenseaspoolsandspas Will do. Thank you!

[@caltagironem]

This is a great How-To-Video that has saved me a lot of time. Easy to understand and worked out great!

[@Sevenseaspoolsandspas]

Thanks, Maurizio! We have more on the way.

[@dabbler8731]

Hi, my "top" doesn't want to sit properly on the o-ring/bottom. It seems to float/hover about a half-inch over it. Any ideas on why it might be doing that, and a potential fix? Thanks!

[@Sevenseaspoolsandspas]

Hi, Craig. We would be happy to help with the trouble you are having. Please visit our website and send us a message in our customer service chat window, and we can offer some suggestions. sevenseaspools.com/ Alternatively, you could reach out to our service team for assistance by calling 814-229-7008.

[@SuperCuttysark]

I have something similar from this brand. I opened mine for the first time and found sand at the bottom in my cartridge filter. Me not knowing better thought it was part of the system , but after watching this I can see it's just really dirty

[@sarwanaMAN]

Please tell me what size is that clamps

[@CitizenPerkins]

Nice video and Kim did a great job explaining and demonstrating things. Not sure I'd do it in white clothing, though! :D

[@weipingshi77845]

How to tell if a Pentair is 320, 420 or 520? I can not find any marking on the system. Are the filters the same size?

[@chrisfazio6201]

Thanks y'all! Great content!

[@Sevenseaspoolsandspas]

Thank you so much, Chris. Happy you enjoyed the video! You can learn more about our latest news, services, and products by following us on Facebook facebook.com/SevenSeasPoolsAndSpas and also be sure to visit our website at sevenseaspools.com/

[@boppinbob]

Doesn't the filter need to be recharged after cleaning with diatomaceous earth?

[@Sevenseaspoolsandspas]

Hi, Robert, great question! These two particular models are cartridge filters that do not require diatomaceous earth. The Pentair Quad 60 or Quad 80 would be a diatomaceous filter. They require being recharged with the diatomaceous earth after cleaning, but we do not sell them, so we don’t have cleaning instructions on our website. Let us know if we can help you with anything thing else.

[@chiggedycheckyoself]

Immigrant here. Is the filder the lady keeps referring to the same thing as a filter?

[@frankortolano5886]

Great video

[@amnika2536]

Thank you for this video!!

[@909One92]

Good information. Does anyone REALLY have 1. A garbage pail 2. An extra set of filters to soak for 48 hours? 3. A filter flosser??

[@Sevenseaspoolsandspas]

Hey Bruce - A garbage pail, I'd say most folks have one or can get one relatively easily. As far as the filters & the flosser, our sales team would be happy to get those bundled up for purchase. Some of our clients prefer to hire out for cleaning services, we're always happy to help in this area as well. :-)

[@alexandertheone311]

I don't know how much soaking helps, maybe it does if you don't clean your cartridge for very long time, otherwise I think it would not be significant, because you still have chlorine in pool which should kind of clean it while filtration. Ok but the flosser is just ridiculous, you don't need that, you can floss well enough with a hose tip or by putting a finger in hose to create stream.

[@cesarebeccaria7641]

@@alexandertheone311 The filter flosser works. About a dozen pinhole-sized high pressure streams help speed the process. I wiggle the flosser back and forth as I move it down, and it does a great job. If you happen to need a concentrated blast, the dozen streams converge about six inches out, into a big blast. I've read complaints about the chrome plating coming off, but that hasn't happened to mine...and it won't matter if it does. The on/off lever on the flosser is also handy. I don't do a soak, though. I figure the filter's been soaking all along in chlorine, and in my case also in ozone. What I'd really like to find, though, is a way to back-flush the filter.

[@salbiazzo]

Great how-to video!

[@Sevenseaspoolsandspas]

Thanks, Sal! Great to know folks are finding it useful.

[@bradhenderson5201]

Great job on the video, thanks!

[@alexandertheone311]

Good video, is lubricant for "o" ring not required?

[@Sevenseaspoolsandspas]

Thanks, Alexander -- Yes the o-ring should be lubricated, this makes it easier to set the lid back down in place to secure it and keep it from leaking. It also makes it easier to remove the filter lid. The lubrication also extends the life of the o-ring.

[@cesarebeccaria7641]

@@Sevenseaspoolsandspas It's probably not obvious with your demo filter, but the top and bottom of the filter shell can get dirty too. I wipe the O ring clean and coat with pool lube and I also wipe the O ring track in the top and bottom. Extending the life of that expensive O ring is worth a couple minutes.

[@lanetteramey3586]

how do you keep the o-ring from rolling back up and off the lid. I finally got it on but having to try to hold it on with one hand and put the filter top back on with another hand. And even doing that the o-ring rises up on one side. Is something wrong with the o-ring that it does not want to stay on? I even wiped it off with a dry cloth, as well as wiped the area it sits on so nothing is wet.

[@Sevenseaspoolsandspas]

You will need to get the pool lube (o-ring lubricant) and put in on the o-ring. It is a sticky substance that will hold it in place, however, if the o ring is stretched out (too big for the track where it sits in) you will need to replace the o-ring with a new one and apply the lubricant before putting the lid back on. Do not use anything other than pool o ring lube because if you use anything that has petroleum in it, it will ruin the o-ring.

[@CitizenPerkins]

+Lanette Ramey -- When your filter lid is removed your O-ring should sit nicely on the bottom half of your unit. Part of my filter cleaning routine is to pick up the O-ring, clean it off with a sacrificial cloth, and inspect it for cracks or aging. Next, I set the O-ring down on something clean and proceed to clean the track where the O-ring sits (on both halves of the filter unit) so that I know that there isn't any grit or grime there. I then put some new O-ring lube on the O-ring and spread it around the O-ring using my (gloved) hands. Lastly, I place the ring on the bottom half of the filter unit. When it's properly placed it stays in place without anyone holding it. If your O-ring doesn't "sit and stay" you may have inadvertently twisted it a bit. Pick up the ring and make sure there are no twists, then lay it back down on the bottom half of the unit. Once you manage to get it around the unit without twisting it, it should behave for you. If it doesn't behave then you may need to replace it due to wear and tear. Lastly, you correctly "cleaned off" your O-ring but you didn't mention applying fresh O-ring lube to it before putting it back. You risk having your O-ring dry out and your filter leak water if you don't use the lube!

[@Bitcoin-Busa]

Never remove cartridges out before you unplug the drain to let the dirty water out. If you remove cartridges while they are in the middle of dirty water all the dirt will go into the pipes.

[@Sevenseaspoolsandspas]

In the video, we have removed the drain plug after opening the filter but we also have removed it prior to opening the filter. We have found that the dirty water has never gone back up into the pipes and the debris has stayed on the bottom of the tank because of the way the filters are sitting inside - if you do it the way the video shows. If you are more comfortable removing the drain plug prior to opening the filter and removing the cartridges, then that is fine too.

[@Bitcoin-Busa]

@@Sevenseaspoolsandspas You can open the filter unit before or after draining it. I’m talking about not to pull out cartridges before it’s drained. If you pull out cartridges with dirty water still sitting there where do you think dirt goes? Into bottom manifold pipes.

[@Bitcoin-Busa]

@@Sevenseaspoolsandspas In your video you pulled out cartilages and only then you drained dirty water. You’re supposed to keep cartridges in place until dirty water is drained. Then pull out cartridges because there will be no dirty water go into pipes where cartridges sat plugged.

[@GLW675]

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