Hayward DE4820 ProGrid D.E. Pool Filter, 48 Square Foot, Vertical Grid

I am still trying to understand why I waited so long to upgrade to this de filter. I've had a sand filter (3.14 sq ft) ever since I can remember. It was the same story every season; super shock the pool, add yellow out, add clarifier, add more floculant, shock again, let particles settle and hope for the best. Here in south Texas we can generally squeeze swim season to mid/late September, maybe even early October if it's a hot season. This season after pool closing I decided to take the plunge and upgrade. I found a great deal here on Amazon for a Hayward de4820 filter. Filter was a warehouse deal and arrived in perfect condition in no time at all. Within the week I had the filter installed and boy was I shocked, no pun intended. My water went from dull, hazy, cloudy, to crystal clear blue!!! I still can't believe it. I had read reviews and did my homework, but I was certainly skeptical at first. I'm still partially in shock, I find myself just standing and marveling and the beauty and clarity of our pool. I think I'm starting to drive my wife nuts just talking about what a great pool upgrade. I'm using way less pool chemicals and I am running my pump only 6 hours, compared to 12 hours before upgrade. Anyway, I highly highly highly recommend upgrading to a de filter from a sand filter. My next step is to upgrade to a high efficiency variable speed motor. I'm doing my homework as we speak.Tech details - 18k in ground plasture pool. Dedicated vac line, 2 skimmers, 1 main drain, 4 jets, pentair 320 chlorinator, Hayward rs1000 pump and motor, 3 jandy two way valves.

Just replaced a 10+ year old Hayward DE4800 with this newer model. The photo isn't the smaller 48 sqft model its the larger model. The actual filter housing is a much better and slightly thicker material. My old filter housing was more like a PVC than fiber resin. The clamp on my old filter had a single hinge and the new model has two hinges on the metal clamp making it easier to install or remove. The coating on the metal clamp is better than my old clamp and the clamp bolt no longer uses a tension spring. The clamp has a sheathed copper insert where you tighten the bolt. The rubber o-ring is not round its square and feels like it has silicon material added. The gauge is better in my opinion, has low/hi setting adjustments and although the valve is still plastic as was the old system its a better design. I only wish there was a over pressure release valve option that would open if pressure exceeded 30+ psi. My old Hayward back-flush valve was a direct fit with no modification needed to fit this newer model. I had just bought new filter grids for my old DE4800 but they are the exact same grids that came with this newer model, so I have a spare set. The interior guts look to be the same. To me its just a DE filter but with the better housing material, better clamp, better gauge and compatibility with the older grids I feel makes this a great product. Trying to add some photos but the option isn't there only video. Will try and add some photos later if the option is there.

I had no idea how drastic the improvement would be when I upgraded to this filter. Seriously... I mean seriously, my 18,000 galon pool (no cage and lots of trees) is almost maintenance free. I've had a pool for eight years now and fought with keeping it clean with an old cartridge filter the entire time. I would have gladly paid twice as much for this item knowing what I know now. Good pool equipment means everything. I'm in Tampa, Florida, in case you were wondering.If you are living with average or sub-par equipment... Stop that! Your life will I,prove drastically.EDIT (5/19/2015) - the manual air release valve is allowing air to escape when closed, so I'll be replacing. I have this pair with a Hayward SP3400VSP Ecostar pump and the pump is giving me problems too. In all fairness, the true source of my problems could be improper install, although I used a certified installer. Regardless, dealing with problems now. At a minimum, I wish the product was a bit more sturdy.

Replaced 15 year old Meteor Sand Filter (3.5sq ft) with the Hayward DE4820 for a 17,000 gallon in-ground pool. Had been struggling with water clarity for several years. A couple of years recently I even got so frustrated I simply drained and refilled the pool. I live in an area where filling my pool costs about $350 in municipal water charges, so you can imagine what was my level of frustration. Replaced sand every other, also used Zeolite; then this summer (2018) tried putting a pound or two of DE into sand filter and noticed almost immediate (12-18 hours) improvement, but water was still cloudy, though less so. Decided then to go total DE (instead of refilling pool). Installed everything myself including re-piping in about 2 hours one evening. Turned on pump (Hayward SP2610X15 Super Pump 1.5HP). Within 18 hours the water was sparkling - I was over the moon. I recommend this filter.

This fit well and was a good buy. However my pool guy said some of the guts are the same as my old model 4800 which makes putting it back together after cleaning a little more time-consuming (the all tread bolt that holds the grids together). He said the newer ones should have the re-designed ones.

This is the biggest, heaviest, most expensive thing I've bought on Amazon. So lets just say, Amazon Prime membership? Paid for. I paid $3.99 to get this next dayed. lol. so awesome.As far as the filter. It's great. I'm replacing an older model Hayward and buying this one made it really simple since the manifold lines up to the the existing piping. It DOES come with the filter elements inside.The gauge on top has these nice red and green arrows where you can set an acceptable pressure range. You see where it's at after you first add DE and then set the arrows. From then on you'll easily be able to see if you've gone out of its average pressure range. Makes a for a great indicator to back flush.