Converting to SWG

[mikesig83]

Hi all,

I am thinking about converting to a SWG as I can see the prices of bleach have gone up dramatically and after 10 years or so lugging bleach around I'm finally ready to make the switch. I received my first quote from a local company for a
Hayward T940 Aqua Rite Salt System with 40K Gallon T940 Extended Life Cell, Complete Install includes all Electrical and PVC connections *Includes adding Salt to appropriate level. It came in at $2045.59. It's a little higher than I was anticipating and when I googles the price of the system alone it seems reasonable. Can anyone verify?

I run my variable speed pump at 1100 RPMs most the day. About how long do you think I'd have to run the pump to maintain proper FC levels? I'm fine running it longer than I normally do but was hoping to not have to dial up the RPMs just to get the proper chlorination levels. Thanks, Mike

 

[Flying Tivo]

You will need around 10 hrs@100% to generate around 3 ppm of free chlorine. If you download the PoolMath app you can calculate on the Effects of adding tab.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

That price looks reasonable to me... about $1400 for the equipment and $600 for the install, etc..

Your cell should increase the FC in your pool by about 7.6 ppm, when running at 100% and 24 hours a day.. that would be about .32 ppm per hour.

Most pools use about 2 to 4 ppm per day.. So, to produce 3 ppm of FC per day, you would need to run the pump for a little over 9 hours.

If you set the SWCG output to 50% you will have to run the pump for 18 hours.

I run my pump 24/7, not because have too, but just something I like to do.. I like making a little chlorine all the time and I like skimming all the time. Most of the time I run at 1200 rpm.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Homebrewale]

The length of time has been answered by the previous posters. The other thing to consider is how low you can run your VSP (RPMs) for your SWG to be generating. Each pool is different and you need to find the RPMs for the SWG to generate. On my system, it's around 1050 rpms after the sand filter is backwashed for the flow switch to be activated. It is higher when the sand filter is dirty.

 

[Newdude]

On my system, it's around 1050 rpms after the sand filter is backwashed for the flow switch to be activated. It is higher when the sand filter is dirty.

^^^And as Homebrew points out....... this is the reasoning behind our method of finding the lowest RPMs to activate the SWG and then adding 100 RPMs to ensure enough flow as the filter gets dirty and reduces the flow a little.

Plan for it and the SWG will always have enough flow to turn on.

 

[mikesig83]

Thanks all for the help. Much appreciated. Had the Hayward T940 Aqua Rite Salt System with 40K Gallon T940 Extended Life Cell installed last week and working on adjusting the TA and CYA to recommended levels.

 

[mguzzy]

That price looks reasonable to me... about $1400 for the equipment and $600 for the install, etc..

Seems reasonable to me too.. and it sounds like they included the salt in the price too! Yes? Just make sure its NOT Chlorox brand salt. or you MAY get iron staining.

Don't forget to order your K-1766 so YOU can tell them what the "appropriate amount" is

 

[mikesig83]

Seems reasonable to me too.. and it sounds like they included the salt in the price too! Yes? Just make sure its NOT Chlorox brand salt. or you MAY get iron staining.

Don't forget to order your K-1766 so YOU can tell them what the "appropriate amount" is

Yes, they did include salt and it was not Chlorox brand! The k-1766 is here and I was definitely on the low side so I added another 40 lb bag that they left me. I assume the digital readers on the unit are not very accurate?

 

[mguzzy]

Its not a function of it being accurate or not.. it is what the controller reads and it manages other control functions of the cell (like high salt warnings) based on what IT reads. And since it calculates the salinity differently than the drop test they will never agree. SO.. you have to juggle the two numbers accordingly. You should write down the drop test salinity reading you get with the cell and compare it to the instant salinity reading. This is your base line for the cell. As the cell ages those two readings will likely diverge and when the two numbers differ by less than 75% its usually a sign the cell is dying. But whoever takes an initial reading when they first get their cell, no one. They are all excited to watch it make chlorine! They only start looking at it in 5 or 10 years when it seems like its out of wack.