Balancing my FC levels with maybe a faulty SWG

[fairplay13]

Hi everyone,
I just purchased a home with a Zodiac LW2 SWG installed.
The old owner just opened the pool before i got it, but did not add any chemicals to it.
I am not sure how old the SWG plates are, but they are black as black can be with no calcium build up.

I added schock, then a day later, salt to the pool (as adivsied by my pool place w a sample), got it all dissolved, and turned on the SWG, and left it for a couple days.
Came back to it and the "Add Salt" light is on. The current level for output is 2 out of 5 (which i was told from the previous owner is the acceptable level and he has never changed it from that level).
I took another sample to my pool place:

FC - .1ppm (2.0-4.0 recommended)
TC - .2ppm (2.0-4.0 recommended)
CC - .1ppm (0-.02 recommended)
pH - 7.9 (7.2-7.8) (we just had a whole bunch of rain in the past 8 hours and was told not to worry about the pH levels)
Hardness - 230ppm (175-350ppm)
Alkalinity - 110ppm (80-150ppm)
Cyanuric Acid - 10ppm (30-100ppm)
Salt - 4000ppm (3800-4000ppm)

and they advised me that my CYA level was low, and to add stabilizer in, also to up the up the output on the SWG.

I have not added the stabilizer yet, but tried going to the SWG machine to up the output, but the level will not change no matter how much i press the button. The ON/OFF button and SuperChlorinate buttons work, but the levels on the Output are not changing.

I called Zodiac and they advised me that I should turn off the SWG, add some chlorine pucks to the pool, raise the level to 3ppm, then turn back on the SWG, press the hidden reset button for 5-10sec then superchlorinate.
Then retest after a day or two and see what the levels read.

Has anyone ever encounted this before? It seems that the only problem I am having is the FC and TC levels are too low, as the CYA levels will be fixed with the stabilizer i got.
I am not sure if by adding the chlorine pucks will "kick start" the SWG again.

I guess my actual question is, if I am having trouble with the SWG pumping out enough Chlorine levels, would adding a chlorine hopper to the pool to keep the FC level at or around 3ppm help? Will this harm the SWG?

Thanks everyone!
-Adam

 

[jblizzle]

CYA is too low so sun may burn off the chlorine faster then the SWG can generate it.

Posted with Tapatalk ... sorry if I sound short ... hate typing on phone

 

[RobbieH]

The SWG will typically say "low salt" when something's wrong, probably the cell. It's good you called Zodiac, they are the experts on their own system. Adding bleach will get your FC levels up faster than pucks, that's my recommendation. Keep your eye on FC, that's your key. TC=FC+CC, you don't want CC.

What's a chlorine hopper? Just use bleach either way.

Read up in the Pool School at the top right of this page.

 

[fairplay13]

Chlorine hopper I just mean a filter with chlorine as not to put in in the pool filter a I've heard that can damage the filter system.
How much bleach should I add and where should I add it? And how long typically should i check after adding it?

I hope it's not the cells :s as I'd like not to have to pay $500+ my first few days moving in.

Thanks Robbie

 

[RobbieH]

Shop around for your cell. You can find them online a lot cheaper than you will find them at the pool store.

Use poolcalculator.com to assist you in your chemical measurements. Be sure you fill out your pool type and goal source at the bottom.

 

[fairplay13]

Ok. Thanks. How would I add the bleach and how much?

 

[jblizzle]

Pour the bleach slowing in front of a return.

Use poolcalculator to determine how much bleach you need based on the Chlorine CYA Chart. I would shoot for about FC of 3ppm until you add the CYA to bring the level up.

 

[woodyp]

Gonna need a couple gallons just to start it off..........but it won't hold any at that CYA level. Use bleach manually until you can get that level up for your SWG. No need in running it until you do.

 

[fairplay13]

Thank you everyone! I will do all of those steps and fingers crossed it will workout!

One final question, when adding the bleach and the stabilizer, the bleach I will pour into the pool, and the stabilizer is a powder that i am going to put in a nylon and tie to the steps, is it ok to add both chemicals to the pool at the same time?
And how long after should i test the water for the levels? Typically 24hrs after evapouration i take it?

 

[Qwaxalot]

You can add bleach and stabilizer at the same time. Bleach (chlorine) will test reliably after a few hours. Stabilizer needs days to dissolve.

 

[jblizzle]

Stabilizer needs days to dissolve.

And may not show up in the test for up to a week.

Also hang the nylon in front of a return, not just sitting on a step ... and squeeze it every time you walk by to help dissolve.