Spin down filter causes extreme pressure loss

[HomePlumber]

I just had some work done on my well and at the suggestion from the repair team, I installed a spin down filter after the pressure tank. It has a flow rate of 20 gal/m and a 50 micron stainless mesh filter cartridge.
I have also just installed new 3/4 pex throughout the house.

I have back flushed the spin down filter about 10 times a day since I installed it 3 days ago. Initially the water pressure in the house was great, and now after a five minute shower, there is only a trickle of water from the shower head.
I have increased the pressure in my tank to 70/50, the tank is rated for 100 psi. My pump was tested during the well repair and is pushing 100 psi at 10 gal/m. I will never run out of water as my well is drilled into what is called the unnamed underground river. I am 250 meters from a major overland river.
There is no shortage of water pressure entering the spin down filter, and I have removed the cartridge to confirm it is the problem. When I took the cartridge out, I was able to run two showers, a tub, 2 faucets and 2 toilets and didn't run out of water pressure and the pump kept up. When I use the spin down flush valve, it fills a 5 gallon pail in under 15 seconds.
Clearly, I need the filter to eliminate sediment, but now I have this new problem.
So knowing that I have good pipes, good well, good pressure and a dirty filter, what are my options to getting my water pressure back? I have used a bristle brush on the mesh, it improved water pressure, but I am sure this is temporary. I don't really want to clean the filter 3 times per day. Are there bigger spin down filters with larger surface area.
Is installing a second pressure tank after the the spin down filter going to solve my water pressure dilema? Are there other options for filters? Should I consider some other alternative to this filter? I have the Ispring wsp-50. I have to say, that it is working, trapping large amounts of debris like spruce needles and other grit and sand.
I have spent the day searching for answers, but there are too many variables that don't match mine. I know what the problem is, I need a better solution than what has been offered so far, which is nothing actually. No one had a solution to the problem filters cause, suggestions were everything from check your pump, increase your tank pressure, test the filters in by-pass, but no one suggested what to do after all that, and... I have done all of that.

 

[Reach4]

There are bigger spin down filters.

https://www.supplyhouse.com/iSpring...w-Scraper-Touch-Screen-1-MNPT-3-4-FNPT-35-GPM has an auto-flushing module. But if flushing does not fix it for you, auto-flushing probably would not either.


https://www.rusco.com/spin-down-and-sediment-trapper-filters Rusco has bigger units available.

Also, is the sediment that you pick up essentially sand, or does it have a lot of finer stuff?

You could consider a backwashing filter. Looks like a water softener, but instead of having softening resin, it has a media made for the purpose.

You would want media heavy enough such that backwashing will wash out the sediment without blowing out the media.

Filter-Ag and Filter-Ag Plus are some media used to filter out sediment. https://pureaqua.com/content/pdf/clack-filter-ag-plus-filtration-media.pdf

Filter-Ag Plus would want a backwash rate of maybe 15 gpm per sqft with your fairly cool water. So with 10 gpm available for backwash, up to a 10 inch diameter tank should be good. A 10 inch tank has a cross-sectional area of 0.545 sqft.

https://pureaqua.com/content/pdf/clack-filter-ag-filtration-media.pdf is the non-plus. It is less dense, and requires a lower backwash rate. If your sediment density is not too high, that could be OK. I don't know how to quantify that.

 

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[Storm rider]

trapping large amounts of debris like spruce needles and other grit and sand.

Do you have an open storage tank? Your water well should be a closed system. It sounds like you are getting contaminants that are too large or too many for the filter to handle. If the dirt is being pumped through the well pump, you may need a sand screen on the pump.

 

[Reach4]

Tell us about your well. Diameter, depth, depth pump is set at, static level of the water.

I don't think water wells are usually closed systems. In fact, they are normally vented.

 

[Storm rider]

Sorry Reach4, I may have misused the term closed. I just remember from my grandfather's ranch back in the 1950's that the open storage tanks got all kinds of "stuff" in them, but that water was only for the cattle. The domestic water was pumped straight from the underground well pump to the house in pipes, so that the water did not get exposed to outside contaminants. When the OP mentioned that his filter was collecting spruce needles it made me think that he might have open storage.

 

[Reach4]

Yeah, that spruce needle thing did seem weird. I agree that there should be a cover keeping debris and bugs out.

 

[Fitter30]

Brand and model of filter? Using a big blue filter housing 4.5" x 20" "= 318 sq in of surface area. Use a spun glass filter 50 micron twice a year.