For anyone looking to maximize the time between filter cleanings, whether we are talking about sand, cartridge, or DE, a MultiCyclone Pre-filter is a must have.
It saves on both water and time. It works on the basis of centrifugal force. Because of this, it has no moving parts that will wear and tear, and no filter medium to clean or replace.
Waterco, its Austrailia-based manufacturer, states it filters up to 80 percent of the pool’s dirt load before it reaches the filter, while only requiring 4 gallons to clean it. As the MultiCyclone removes more dirt, because there is no filtration barrier, the flow rate remains unchanged, easing the filter’s workload.
Because of this, the unit increases the performance of automatic pool cleaners and allows for more effective pool vacuuming.
Waterco states it can reduce the backwash frequency of sand filters to once per year, which can save about 1,850 gallons of water for an average residential pool. For cartridge filters, they say it can reduce cleaning or replacement intervals to once per swimming season.
And with its totally transparent collection base, you can see it working to collect the dirt. To clean it out, there’s a valve at the bottom that twists to open, allowing users to dump out the dirt in seconds.
For those interested in understanding how it works, basically the MultiCyclone Pre-Filter diverts the water from the pump and sends it through multiple chambers creating mini “cyclones” of spinning water. These mini-cyclones use centrifugal force to separate dirt and sediment from the water. The spinning motion separates sediment and dirt from the water, throwing the dirt against the side of the chambers, forcing it to the bottom of the chamber while leaving relatively cleaner water to flow upward toward the filter.
To illustrate this point, consider the following example of this principle in action.
Most of us have ridden a playground-merry-go-round, a spinning disk with handles. One or more people stand on the disk holding or leaning on the bars, while someone not on the ride runs around the outside, pushing or pulling on the handles to get it spinning. You have probably noticed that the further you are from the center of the disk, the more you feel the force – that feeling of being thrown outward. That’s centrifugal force in action.
In the MultiCyclone, centrifugal force acts on the dirt particles because they are heavier than water and pushes them to the outside of the vortex. It pushes the suspended particles against the sides of the prefilter so that they can settle down into the collection base of the unit, leaving only the ultra-fine particles for the sand or cartridge filter to handle.
The multicyclone can be added to any pool or spa configuration at any time in the pool’s life, and it operates between the pool’s pump and filter.
It is a perfect add-on for anyone who wants to maximize the time between filter cleanings, or anyone who has troubles with undersized filters.
At just over $300, it is not terribly expensive, and is covered by a 2-year warranty. It is designed to work between 32°F and 113°F, and steps should be taken to properly winterize the unit or damage may occur.
MultiCyclone Pre Filter
