SWG dying???

[Hermskii]

I'm still using the SWG that I got with my Intex Pool just 9 months ago which is a 18' X 48" AGP pool. It came with a SWG (Model CS8110) and a T-635 1,500 gph filter pump. I have already replaced the pump with the bigger T622 2,500 gph. It is awesome.

My water is about perfect per my K2006 test kit.

A few says ago I heard my SWG beeping so I took a look and it was flashing the 91 service error (Low Salt).
I turned it off and back on and forgot about it after it ran fine for the next several minutes. I went out to test my water as usual after the SWG had run and recalled the error so I went over and look at it again. It was off now as it should have been per its 3 hour run schedule but it was now showing the red "service" light on.

I tested my salt though I knew it would show at 3,200 per my Taylor salt test kit and it showed exactly 3,200 as it has for the last couple of months.

I just cleaned the SWG out very nicely with vinegar about a month ago and it has no build up on it.

Also, I had noticed that it seemed to only make the little bubbles during the first hour or so of operation each night but none near the end of its cycle. When it first came on before it made plenty. Isn't it supposed to make the bubbles/chlorine the whole time it is running except the very first minute when it starts?

How long should this kind of SWG last? What should I replace it with if it is broken now? Same thing? Is there a better one that will fit my connections I already have to my filter pump? Anyone have any stories to tell me about what happened when theirs did the same thing as mine? Thanks!

I think mine is mine still under warranty. I'm looking for my purchase paperwork now! Thanks all!

 

[Chuckiechan]

You need to do a complete water test and post the results here so others can help you.

And what brand is your SWG system?

Isn't it supposed to make the bubbles/chlorine the whole time it is running except the very first minute when it starts?

The out put knob determines the percentage of time the cell runs. So if it's set at 50%, it runs 50% of the time. When you are doing diagnostics, set it to 100%. Cell life is measured in years. 5 - 7 years is most common. The connections are usually standard, and are a different thread than couplers you buy at the hardware store. Most are interchangeable on the plumbing side, but you need to check to see if your controller will use a different brand of cell. Some will, some won't.

Your cell should not be going out at 9 months. Have you looked inside with bright light to see if there is any white stuff caked inside your cell? Most manufacturers recommend ~ 20% muriatic acid solution for a few minutes at a time. Check your manual to be sure muriatic acid is not excluded for some reason.

 

[Hermskii]

Here are my water test results per my Taylor K2006 test kit:

FC: 7.5
CC: 0.0
pH: 7.6
TA: 100
CYA: 70
Salt: 3,200 (per my Taylor Salt Water test kit)
Borate: 50
CH: 120

Here is the brand and type of my SWG:

Intex Krystal Clear Saltwater System Model CS8110

This model only allows you to produce more chlorine by way of running the unit over a longer duration of time. I have run it 3 hours a day per the owners manual's suggested run time for my size pool. I do clean my cells and they have zero scaling or buildup of any kind.

 

[jeffchap]

My first Intex SWG only lasted 2 seasons, so it wouldn't be unheard of for yours to be on the fritz already. However, before you give up on it, make sure you don't have a bunch of calcium buildup between the plates. It can look clean on the outside, but be blocked internally. This will also cause a low salt reading. I use a butter knife to clear out anything stuck between the plates. We have extremely hard water here, so I have to clean mine at least every other week. I have the newer model now, which allows you to pull out just the plates without disconnecting the hoses to the pump and pool, so it's easy enough to do it once a week.

 

[Hermskii]

Cool! What is the newest model exactly if you don't mind me asking...

 

[jeffchap]

It's a CS8110 too, probably just like yours. With the prior model, you could not remove the cel to clean it. You had to disconnect the hoses and manipulate the entire unit to clean it. This is a huge improvement.

 

[Hermskii]

Mine was in fact dead. I was able to quickly contact Intex and without too much trouble get a free replacement under warranty sent out. That one in the picture is in fact called a CS8110 as you said but it has another name that defines it perfectly. It is a CG-28663 per their own website. here is the link:

http://www.intexcorp.com/index.php/...agp-accessories/saltwater-system/28663eg.html

It uses all the same stuff but like you said, the redesign allows for easier cleaning of the plates. just unplug the plug on the left. Unscrew the cap on the left. Slide out the plates and submerge in vinegar. I keep hearing different durations of time and different submersion solutions. You have a real nice looking SWG there either way! Congrats.

My next one will be one of the expensive inline ones people use on big pools. I'll be happy to pay several hundred dollars for several years of peace and ease! What is under all of those pebbles in the picture? Plastic?

 

[Hermskii]

I got my replacement SWG component and it was not the same. Yes, I was mad. The gray plastic piece of plastic everything mounts down to was different. Two of the 4 screws and nuts were much bigger and the right size did not come in the box. The three wires that come out of the power converter/transformer come out a little lower too thus the cords bend hard when you install the clear plastic piece from the old unit to the new one. I even had to push the nuts out of the pre-fit holes they were in to use on the new pump to mount down the clear tube. Like I said, two of the four are all that fit properly. I did make it work but the first time and every time I have to take this thing apart is going to be a pain until I get the right sized nuts and screws for the two larger holes.

It has been installed and is working. I went out each hour to see if it was making bubbles and it was. I took a FC reading before I ran it for 3 hours. I'll take another one in the AM. It was 7.5 at the time of the reading. I'm hoping it to be about 10.0 in the AM and then back down to about 7.5 tomorrow night.

 

[jeffchap]

What is under all of those pebbles in the picture? Plastic?

Landscaping fabric over sand. Here's the entire thread that describes it: http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/73741-Dimension-at-the-ground-for-Intex-16-Ultra-frame-pool