Specifications for a Hayward S244T Sand Filter

The S244T has an effective filter area of 3.14 cubic feet. It operates at a maximum working pressure of 50 p.s.i. Pressure readings are relevant in sand type pool filters because they reflect the internal state of the filter media and signal when backwashing is required. Over time, increasing amounts of dirt and debris are trapped by the sand media and pool water flows less freely through the filter. Pressure in the filter slowly increases. Once the filter pressure reading, displayed on a meter on the top of the filter canister, rises 8 p.s.i. to 10 p.s.i. above the reading recorded when the filter was new, the filter must be backwashed to expel the dirt particles. Proper maintenance of a well used private pool at the height of the swimming season will require backwashing a sand filter on at least a weekly basis.

The S244T has a 1.5-inch Vari Flow filter valve. The filter flow rate is 62 gallons per minute. The filter can turn over the entire contents of a 29,760 gallon pool every 8 hours or a 37,200 gallon pool every 10 hours, an acceptable rate for a private, residential swimming pool. Facilities with more intensive use, such as pools at an apartment complex or motel, will benefit from a filter with a higher flow rate and faster turnover time to maintain optimum water quality.

Number 20 industrial silica sand is specified for composition of the filter bed. The total sand capacity is 300 pounds. Unlike beach sand, industrial silica is surface mined from sandstone deposits and is quality controlled for grain size. The Number 20 silica used in the Hayward S244T consists of grains in the range of .45 mm to .55 mm. Sand filters that use Number 20 industrial silica typically filter dirt and debris down to approximately 20 microns in size and the silica media may last as long as ten years before replacement is required. Enhanced filtration can be achieved in sand filters like the S244T by replacing the original equipment industrial silica with zeolite, a natural, microporous mineral approved for use as an alternate media in all sand filters. Zeolite is rated to filter particles down to the 3 micron to 5 micron size. As a filter media, zeolite offers an additional advantage over sand because it filters out chloramines, the chlorine byproducts responsible for the burning eyes sensation swimmers sometimes experience in very active, highly chlorinated pools. Zeolite is about three to four times more expensive than industrial silica.

The S244T filter is 22.5 inches wide and 41 inches high. Its weight when empty is 46 pounds. It requires installation with 18 inches of clearance on the sides and top of the filter.