When to Replace a Filter

How can I tell when a Filter Cartridge needs to be replaced?
With no moving parts or electrical switches to fail, Filter Cartridges do not have a defined end-of-life. Instead media will gradually plug up over time.

In a typical spa, the culprit that plugs the media is perspiration and body oils combined with soaps, chemicals, and very fine particulate. In a swimming pool, the loading is primarily debris along with suntan lotions and organic matter, such as, algae.

Assuming the Filter is properly maintained and correctly sized to the pump, determining when the Filter Cartridge is exhausted depends primarily upon three factors:

1. Shorter cycle time between cleanings
2. Low water flow rate and high differential pressure
3. Catastrophic failure such as a tear in the media or center core collapse.

All three are dependent upon proper pool or spa water chemistry and following a routine maintenance schedule. Filter elements are plastic and should be handled and maintained accordingly.