SWG not generating chlorine when solar blanket is on?

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AronInLHP

AronInLHP

0
Nov 24, 2014
12
Lighthouse Point, FL
Hi, we've been having an unusual problem that only just started as the weather started to cool off in southern Florida. We have solar heated pool and with a new Haywood salt water generator that was installed a little over four months ago. Even when the pool temps hit 90 in the fall, the SWG worked great, with no problems whatsoever. Then as the evening temps started cooling in December, I started putting the solar blanket on at night, or even leaving on during the day occasionally to keep the water temp between 80-85. When I do that, and then uncover it, the water has a sort of slightly milky/murky appearance (even a little sudsy looking) and shows a zero reading for chlorine. So I leave it uncovered it for a couple days, the water temp drops into the 70's, but then the chlorine starts to read normal again and the water turns crystal clear. Has anybody else had this problem and figured out the cause? This is even puzzling my pool guy, who swapped out the SWG unit to test it, but with the same results.

SWG currently set at 100%, pump runs 8 hrs/day.

Thanx in advance for any help!
AronInLHP
 
JasonLion said:
Welcome to TFP!

This sounds like a chemistry problem, could you post a complete set of water test results?
Click to expand...

Hi JasonLion, have been covering it every night, and uncovering during the day while the pump is running. Today the water does look a little less murky but the Chlorine is still way low..

Free and combined Chlorine both the same, midway between .6 and 1.0
PH is good at 7.6
Alkalinity is a little high at 120
Haywood BlueEssence SWG is still cranked to 100%, with the salt reading is 3400, and the pump and system running 8 hours/day
14k pool, temp is 80 degrees, with the temp coming in from the Solar at 83.

Hope this helps, if you need more I can take a sample to the pool store.
Thanks in advance for any help,
AronInLHP
 
Looks like you will need to do the SLAM process. The SWG is making chlorine or else the FC would be zero and the pool would be a green swamp. What most likely is happening is that the pool does have organics that are consuming the chlorine from the SWG and the SWG can't stay ahead of the organics, hence low FC and murky water.

You will need a preferred test kit, I suggest the TF-100 with the XL option, to properly do a SLAM. You will need this type of test kit because you will need to accurately control the amount of chlorine that you SLAM with. You will also need an accurate CYA level so you will know how much chlorine to use. Start reading the links in my signature about the SLAM process and ask questions as needed.
 
The CYA level is very important to know. It affects the operation of the SWG, and how much chlorine you need to use when SLAMing. If you don't have any way to test it, I recommend getting a test kit that includes that test. At a minimum get a pool store reading.
 
ping said:
Looks like you will need to do the SLAM process. The SWG is making chlorine or else the FC would be zero and the pool would be a green swamp. What most likely is happening is that the pool does have organics that are consuming the chlorine from the SWG and the SWG can't stay ahead of the organics, hence low FC and murky water.

You will need a preferred test kit, I suggest the TF-100 with the XL option, to properly do a SLAM. You will need this type of test kit because you will need to accurately control the amount of chlorine that you SLAM with. You will also need an accurate CYA level so you will know how much chlorine to use. Start reading the links in my signature about the SLAM process and ask questions as needed.
Click to expand...

Thank you, will try SLAMMING!
 
I think you need to follow the chemical balance recommendations on this site, but that's aside from what you're describing.

If it holds FC when the cover is off but won't when you put it on, I have to believe there's something on the cover consuming the chlorine.

As part of the SLAM process I'd put the cover on for a night during the process to make sure anything possibly on the cover gets taken care of.
 

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