System and methods for pool and spa filter cleaning

A self-cleaning pool or spa filter system comprising:

• a filter including a filter body housing a first set of filter cartridges, each filter cartridge having a length and a circumference, each filter cartridge being rotatably connected to a filter holder via a filter mount;
• a rotor valve manifold including a rotor valve housing having an inlet-from-pool port, a return-to-pool port, an inlet-to-filter port, a return-from-filter port, an inlet-to-sprayers port, a waste inlet port and a waste drain port;
• a rotor valve housed inside the rotor valve housing and comprising:
• a rotatable valve shaft;
• and
• an inlet-to-filter valve, a return-from-filter valve, an inlet-to-sprayers valve and a waste inlet valve, all connected to the rotatable valve shaft, wherein the inlet-to-filter valve and the return-from-filter valve are aligned to form a first pair of valves and wherein the inlet-to-sprayers valve and the waste inlet valve are aligned to form a second pair of valves, the first and the second pair of valves being misaligned by a predetermined angle, such that in a normal position of the rotatable valve shaft the first pair of valves is in an open state allowing flow through the inlet-to-filter port and the return-from-filter port while the second pair of valves is in a closed state preventing flow through the inlet-to-sprayers port and the waste inlet port, and, in a cleaning position obtained by rotating the rotatable valve shaft by a degree amount equal to a size of the predetermined angle, the first pair of valves is in a closed state preventing flow through the inlet-to-filter port and the return-from-filter port while the second pair of valves is in an open state allowing flow through the inlet-to-sprayers port and the waste inlet port.

A rotor valve housed inside a rotor valve housing of a rotor valve manifold having an inlet-from-pool port, a return-to-pool port, an inlet-to-filter port, a return-from-filter port, an inlet-to-sprayers port, a waste inlet port and a waste drain port, the rotor valve comprising:

• a rotatable valve shaft;
• and
• an inlet-to-filter valve, a return-from-filter valve, an inlet-to-sprayers valve and a waste inlet valve, all connected to the rotatable valve shaft, wherein the inlet-to-filter valve and the return-from-filter valve are aligned to form a first pair of valves and wherein the inlet-to-sprayers valve and the waste inlet valve are aligned to form a second pair of valves, the first and the second pair of valves being misaligned by a predetermined angle, such that in a normal position of the rotatable valve shaft the first pair of valves is in an open state allowing flow through the inlet-to-filter port and the return-from-filter port while the second pair of valves is in a closed state preventing flow through the inlet-to-sprayers port and the waste inlet port, and, in a cleaning position obtained by rotating the rotatable valve shaft by a degree amount equal to a size of the predetermined angle, the first pair of valves is in a closed state preventing flow through the inlet-to-filter port and the return-from-filter port while the second pair of valves is in an open state allowing flow through the inlet-to-sprayers port and the waste inlet port.