Getting SWG installed tomorrow...any advice?

[ITR]

Hey guys. We pulled the trigger on the SWG and it's getting installed tomorrow. Any advice? Do I want to run it without salt for a while to break it in...or just put the salt right in after it's installed (I'm doing my own salt). My water is ready and balanced, except for salt, and my salt baseline is currently at 930 so I know I'll have to add about 200lbs to get it up to 3200. Anything I should look for particularly while they install it? Will it be possible to keep (or should I even) the chlorine tab dispenser?

I trust you guys more than any pool store...so let's hear it!

 

[ping]

Add the salt right now and give it a good brushing. Do not run the SWG without raising the salt level. It might take a day or two for the salinity to fully show up.

Keep the tab dispenser if you want, you will have to add CYA every now and then and you can use tabs to raise it or use the easy method and add granular CYA when needed.

 

[ZSK]

You can use Solar Salt from the store, you don't have to buy "pool salt". I had a small issue running my SWG on low speed with my pump, the SWG flow sensor would not engage and I had to add more surface area to the sensor "flag" so it would move on low speed.

A SWG will not run when water temp is below 65 or 60 F.

 

[Rossterman]

Dont run the cell until 24 hours after adding salt as it can damage the cell if not fully dissolved (according to the mfgs.)

 

[ITR]

Good advice...thanks. I got 7 (40lb) bags of Mortons solar salt. Dumped two in and then it started to downpour. Then I calmed down Jan because she thought the salt was going to be damage by the rain. I'll add the other three tonight once it lets up and put the rest in the pool bench box.

So 24 hours means I should wait until 6pm tomorrow night to start it up. Got it.

Just read the manual...looks like it can run but be put on 00% Chlorine production. That must have been what they meant when they said run it for 24 hours to "break it in" (keep in mind...this was the sales person).

Anything else?

 

[nlindelldc]

Good advice...thanks. I got 7 (40lb) bags of Mortons solar salt. Dumped two in and then it started to downpour. Then I calmed down Jan because she thought the salt was going to be damage by the rain. I'll add the other three tonight once it lets up and put the rest in the pool bench box.

So 24 hours means I should wait until 6pm tomorrow night to start it up. Got it.

Anything else?

Yes. Be prepared to be very bored

I had an SWG installed a month or so ago after going a year manually dosing with liquid chlorine. I was constantly testing and adding. Now, every time I test, it's perfect. test again. perfect. I feel like I am cheating the system somehow, haha.

I will say that my PH rise has sped up a bit, so I'm adding more acid than I used to. But ti's still pretty infrequent.

 

[ITR]

Now, every time I test, it's perfect. test again. perfect. I feel like I am cheating the system somehow, haha

If it's that awesome...Jan will probably give you a hug and a kiss. I think she gets just slightly annoyed on the weekend mornings when we have our coffee outside and I breakout the test kit. I have a feeling pH will be my battle now. Thanks again guys....appreciate your wise counsel.

 

[mguzzy]

You are probably past this by now.. but the first time I loaded salt in the pool it was a lot of salt.. 8 bags or something like that.. the kids thought was cool! but it did take a while to mix. I found I could help it along by turning on the pool sweep. We have a polaris, so I took the bag off and it would blow the granules up and around. It continually stirred the granules around in addition to brushing them too.

 

[ITR]

That's a great idea....sadly it's already in and dissolved. I was a bit worried when the water became so cloudy and was still cloudy when I went to sleep, but I woke up and it is much more clear now. Still not crystal clear like it was, but I assume that will get better the more the pump circulates it. I will have to run the Dolphin later though as it looks like there were a few black and grey chunks in the salt. Not sure what they are...but I'm sure I don't want them in the pool.