A multiport valve is one of the vital units in most residential swimming pools after the pool pump and filter. Multiple settings on the valves allow you to route the water through the filtration system in different ways for various maintenance operations. But what is a multiport valve? What function does a multiport valve serve in a pool filter? We will find all the answers in this essential guide to multiport valves for swimming pool filters.

What Is A Multiport Valve?

A multiport valve is a valve that usually has more than two ports. Depending on the application, it can have controls for 3, 4, or 5 ways. Multiport valves are generally available with a selection of several flow paths.

What Is The Multiport Valve On A Pool Filter?

Most swimming pools with sand filters or diatomaceous earth (DE) filters will have a multiport valve. The multiport valve is a versatile component in a swimming pool, which is connected to the pool filter and directs the water flow. By operating the multiport valve, it can change the direction of the water in multiple ways to perform different functions. The most common multiport valves have a locking lever handle. As pool technology keeps renewing iterations, automatic multiport valves are now available.

What Does A Multiport Valve Do?

The multiport valve for the sand filter or DE filter serves primarily to help clean or backwash the filter media. The multiport valve directs pool water where you need it to go with numerous settings, allowing you to use the filter for multiple purposes. Typically, a multiport valve has the following fundamental functions:

• FILTER The FILTER setting is the primary setting of a multiport valve. It is the most commonly used valve to filter pool water and helps keep it clean.

• BACKWASH. The backwash valve can clean the dirt inside the filters and drain the wastewater through the waste port. Backwashing is the best way to clean sand or DE filters. Otherwise, contaminants build up in the filter media will slow the water flow, thus reducing the filter efficiency.

• RINSE. The RINSE setting comes after backwashing the pool filter to remove the last trace of dirt from the filter. This feature helps to settle the sand or DE filter to its normal position after the disruption caused by backwashing.

• RECIRCULATE. The RECIRCULATE setting keeps the water moving without going through the filter media. The best use of the RECIRCULATE setting is when a problem with the filter makes it inoperable. It will keep the water circulating until the filter is repaired or replaced.

• WASTE. The WASTE setting allows draining the pool water or vacuuming away dirty pool water.

• CLOSED. The CLOSED setting means that the multiport valve is completely closed so that pool water cannot enter or leave the filter for circulation. However, this setting rarely comes into use.

An important tip is to always turn off the pool pump before turning the manual multiport valve. As such, the traditional backwash process requires repeatedly switching the pump on and off. However, users no longer need to operate the pump with an automatic multiport valve because it can connect with an inverter pool pump, such as I-Wash Automatic Multiport Valve from Aquagem.

What Does An Aquagem Automatic Multiport Valve Do?

I-Wash Automatic Multiport Valve is the industry’s first full-touch automatic pool filter valve designed by Aquagem for the best user visual and usability experience. I-Wash features a Full-Touch Pad Design and provides an automated operation beyond user-friendliness. I-Wash merges six functions of a multiport sand filter valve (filter, backwash, rinse, recirculation, waste, and closed) into a one-button action, which is an innovation in the interactive experience. It eliminates the need to manually adjust valves and switch pumps, allowing users a complete immersion in swimming.

Empowered by the unique INVERCLEAR TECH created by Aquagem, I-Wash Automatic Multiport Valve works collaboratively with the inverter pool pump, integrating the circulation and filtration system into one-stop intelligent control. Two-way triggered automatic backwashing is possible through a pool pump and I-Wash Automatic Multiport Valve. For example, the inverter pool pumps from Aquagem and the I-Wash Automatic Multiport Valve each have a one-touch backwash button on their full-touch screens. The user can activate the BACKWASH setting with Aquagem’s inverter pool pump or with Aquagem’s automatic multiport valve. Additionally, I-Wash can adjust the backwashing speed of pump operation between 80% and 100%. I-Wash Automatic Multiport Valve significantly simplifies your maintenance needs, enabling cleaning and other filter-related tasks easier, yet making the most of your swimming pool to maintain it properly.

Conclusion

A multiport valve is a vital component in your swimming pool, which connects to your pool filter and directs the pool water flow. Each setting on the swimming pool multiport valve has a different cleaning, filtering, or other functional use to keep the pool essentially clean. The new I-Wash Automatic Multiport Valve from Aquagem will manage everything for you, making it easy to master each setting at the touch of a button. Feel free to contact the experts at Aquagem for more information on the automatic multiport valve for swimming pool filters.