Twin Intex SWG installation Modded to run 24hrs

Apr 15, 2010
182
Las Vegas
Twin Intex SWG installation IN-ground pool, Modded to run 24hrs - Pics and video link coming soon!
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Iv'e been wanting to do this for awhile and coming back from vacation to a leaking DE filter (luckly my good neigbor caught it at turned my breakers off) and a nice green pool was enoght to kick this project upto top priority.

I just installed the 2nd unit July 14th, I modded both the units soo they can run manualy and 24hrs/day if i need it. This should yeild up to 1,200 grams (42.3 oz. or 2.64 lbs.) of chlorine per 24/hrs. by a calculation from another thread (thanks jason )

EDIT 7-17-11: The 1st cell was calcifyedduring the first test, with both cleaned and installed Im getting a 8ppm FC rise via each pass thru the system at 3000gal/hr. so by that calculation the pair are producing 4.8lbs/24hrs :mrgreen: See my calculation thread here: calculating-swg-output-using-the-pool-calculator-t36211.html

I shot a video for each mod, the first is 38 mins, 2.5gigs the second is 24mins.
I ment these for Utube but they limit vids to 10mins and my software for my 2011 Panasonic camcorder won't cut videos up that i can figure.
Mod 1: reversable to stock, simple wiring overide, whenever the flow switch is on, the unit turns on the blue Chlor LED and makes chlorine, a green power LED replaces the sleep light. the logic board functions are not used (no salt level checking)

Mod 2: I wanted the unit to operate stock and have a option to manually overide for more chlorine. Unit works stock, added green and red LEDs to indicated cell polarity(curious how often it does this for cleaning) Added a set of realys ans fan overide triggered by a external AC adapter, when the unit is sleeping i can have a timer switch the powerpack on activating the Chlor cell and get another 12hrs if i need it

I'm going to upload the howto vids and provide links here, prob use google docs.
 
So I'm still superchlorinating with liquid chlor (2gal. 10% for 4.99 on sale @ NPS :-D )
but i need to help maintain that high level without dropping $20 of liquid into the pool a night.
SO here are the test results for the twin system

Tested at filter purge BEFORE generators
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FC: 27
CC: <.5
PH: 7.1 (dropped some pool acid in lastnight to lower TA
TA: ? got strange colors prob due to high Chlor. but was 80
CH: 300
CYA: 45 and on the rise, was 35, added 4 lbs CYA yesterday, needs to fully disolve in filter.
SALT: 4000ppm
Temp: 87degF

Tested at pool return (using a hose adapter to fill water bottle thru a 4 ft. hose)
cells are calcifyed at this point, intex #2 is throwing a low salt error, this has always ment a clogged cell when I know my salt level is correct
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FC:32.5
CC: --
PH: --
TA: --
CH: --
-- = not tested

Tested at pool return (using a hose adapter to fill water bottle thru a 4 ft. hose)
Cells freshly cleaned and reinstalled
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FC: 35
CC: --
PH: --
TA: --
CH: --
-- = not tested

So it looks like on clogged up cells I still get a gain of 5.5ppm @ 3000gal/hr on a freshly clean DE filter backpressure is approx 6psi right now. :-D

On the pair of freshly cleaned cells i get a gain of 8ppm @ 3000gal/hr on a freshly clean DE filter backpressure is approx 6psi right now. :-D :whoot:
 

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This is Intex 2, modded to have a manual overide but retains full OEM functionality
That green LED hovers just above the digital display and indicates foward polarity to the cell, if it goes to rev. then the grn goes out and a red LED lights
 

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I should note before I get blasted in this thread, I had a little leak at the fernco rubber pipe couplers, the wiring is temp so its just plug and play, the hole in the ground will get filled back in when i have the money to replace the Jandy valves and replumb the pumps inlet for better flow, and yes thats a intex 1000gph cheap pump temporarly installed in place of my Pentair whisper flow pump that decided to have a HOT chassis! If the system is fully primed with the main 1HP pump I can actually switch over to the Intex pump and it will lift the water 5ft and push thru the filter, its the gravity pulling the water down hill to the return that makes this possible, that little pump probaly has no real lift HAHA
 
After using this setup for awhile I've found that even with a good CSI I still get plate calcification like crazy after just a few days. After 5-6 their totally gummed up with white good and I have to clean them. This is getting to be alot of maintainance. Before the mod I ran the single unit for months starting in the winter and never neeeded to clean it. I suspect that the polarity reversing is Very important to self clean and my mod has undone this. I will look into building a small circuit based on a 555 timer IC to swittch the polarity every so often. My second unit that is suposed to work with the overide off just keeps giving me a low salt error. Ive tested and its high If anything and it dose this on a freshly cleaned cell.
My question for the group is dose anyone know the switching interval of ant of the systems out there? I can set the timer circuit I build for any time, 5 mins, once an hour, once every 2...I definalty think at least a few times a day would be good.
 

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Melt In The Sun said:
Glad it's working for you! Is the one with the black hoses leaking?
It was the one closer to me in the pic, I wrapped the threads w/ teflon tape to try it and it fixed the leak :lol: the other coupler with the metal sleeve is now degrading and my hand gets black when i toch the inside.
 
Sorry for resurrecting this old post, this appears to be the only spot on the web discussing mods to Intex SWG's

Is the info on the mods still available?

I have an older Intex SWG (pre copper and only two lights under the display)
My goal is to have it run when ever it receives power so I can use my own timer and provide a boost option.
 
I shot a video but the editor in the cpu would not import it but its like 5GB anyhow, too large, that was the lots of soldering mod. To simpley do what you want check out this guys video>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcSJ_YEuRfw at youtube. my cell stopped putting out during the spring and my pool went green under the cover :( together they barly gave a 1ppm rise is chlorine while they uesed to raise the water passing thru 8ppm @ 50gpm. i tested the power output to the cells and it correct. i guess my cell were not good for more than a year:( new cells can't be found for the old ones thru intex and the new ones arent direct backwards compatable. so 70 in liquid chlorine and 90 in chlorine pucks later, a tone of vaccuming and brushing. the pools clear again and i can honestly say I'll never buy another house with a pool!
When we bought it was a requirment in '09, now i say never again! I just doesnt get used enough and i wasted soo much time on it as a project, and soo much money (thousands) The only wasy to enjoy a pool is to do just that enjoy it yourself and hire out the work part.
All in all it was educational, i beleive a QUALITY salt system would be good, equipment that never leaks so you don't loose your prime is ESSENTIAL, and lots of people to enjoy the pool, not just yourself and one other who doesn't use it a fraction of the hours you spend working on it are essentail otherwise......it just ain't worth it.
Rant off.
 
Its funny, as I was standing in the local West Marine store (looking for heavy duty plumbing stuff for my POOL) I thought about the common saying: BOAT stands for Bank On Another Thousand.

Then I thought, my money pit (inground pool) is working out to about the same!

At least the kids like it.
 
Chrisexv6- Haha! Thats funny i was just same the same thing to my better half. I never had that BOAT relationship with my first boat, I had her for 7 summers, an '88 Rinker v170 I/O. But my relationship is exactley this, bust out another thousand, or what's the happiest day of a pool owners life? The day they bought their house with a pool and the day they sold their house with a pool. :)

Since my twins are dead i just picked up 20 gals of liq chlor, some o rings for the filter, magic lube, de powder and another Intex SWG (the new one with copper) for $162 (swg alone) another another $260.00 today. GF wants to use the pool and it is 108 here in Vegas. When I get the money I'm going for a suction side cleaner then a comupool SWG Way better priced then what the pool stores here sell units for like 500 instead of 900!
 
I've been usin the new gen intex swg for a week now and am happy with it, it has several perks over the old ones that died on me, clear cell and flow sw housing, see what's going on with flow air in water ect, power off does Not loose memory, boost mode quadrupled runntime, so yes I set it for 12hrs thenactivated boost and she ran for 48hts straight, my pump is currently running 24/7. (cleanup alge ect) Ill have to test it's output, it says in Boost mode you get extra output, I want to see how much baseline then how much in boost mode for myself. So far worth the savings in chlorine for sure.
 

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