Dialing in new SWCG

[Tom09]

I’ve had my swg up since Saturday and based on pool math I had it generating 1 ppm my typical loss, I did increase it yesterday when I lost 2.25 ppm. I still been adding LC daily to get it to 7.5 and I was hoping the swg would sustain my loss, but it’s not. I just checked it again and I’m down 1.25 ppm should be my typical loss without a swg.. how do I know if it’s actually generating? The lights are all good on it. I do see the bubbles coming out the returns so idk.

 

[proavia]

Pump runtime?
SWG runtime?
SWG percentage?

 

[Tom09]

Pump runtime?
SWG runtime?
SWG percentage?

24/7 and 11%

 

[proavia]

I take it the pump is running fast enough to satisfy the SWG flow switch for the 24/7 run time.

Set the SWG to 30% and leave it and the pump running 24/7.
Adjust percentage up or down as needed to stay near the upper side of target range for your CYA.
A little over or under top end of target range is fine.
Trying to set the SWG to make up a 1ppm average loss and maintain that will drive you crazy.
Don't try to micro-manage the FC level.

If set at 30% - 24/7 and the FC continues to drop, add liquid chlorine to get to the top of the target range and then adjust the SWG up another 10%.

If set at 30% - 24/7 and the FC climbs, adjust the SWG down 10%.

Continue these adjustments, reducing the percent change each time, until you can consistently maintain FC within the target range - preferably the higher side of target range.

It's perfectly fine for the FC to fluctuate. Today won't be exactly the same as yesterday - or tomorrow.

Of course, seasonal changes, temperature, bather load, organics, etc will change the FC burn off. But after you get the SWG dialed in, small adjustments will be all that is needed. Possibly weekly or monthly.

 

[Tom09]

I take it the pump is running fast enough to satisfy the SWG flow switch for the 24/7 run time.

Set the SWG to 30% and leave it and the pump running 24/7.
Adjust percentage up or down as needed to stay near the upper side of target range for your CYA.
A little over or under top end of target range is fine.
Trying to set the SWG to make up a 1ppm average loss and maintain that will drive you crazy.
Don't try to micro-manage the FC level.

If set at 30% - 24/7 and the FC continues to drop, add liquid chlorine to get to the top of the target range and then adjust the SWG up another 10%.

If set at 30% - 24/7 and the FC climbs, adjust the SWG down 10%.

Continue these adjustments, reducing the percent change each time, until you can consistently maintain FC within the target range - preferably the higher side of target range.

It's perfectly fine for the FC to fluctuate. Today won't be exactly the same as yesterday - or tomorrow.

Of course, seasonal changes, temperature, bather load, organics, etc will change the FC burn off. But after you get the SWG dialed in, small adjustments will be all that is needed. Possibly weekly or monthly.

I bumped it to 20% still at 1200 rpm - 28gpm but I think I may have another issue for some reason. I’m going to perform an OCLT tonight, I just checked it twice and shut off the swg. I am 6.25 roughly and the start of the day 7.25 and generated 1.25 so I lost 2.25 within 13 hours. Even from last night to this morning I was the same iirc even when generating.

The question I have and I thought I seen it somewhere is maintaining higher FC levels will burn more. Is this true?

I was maintaining the 3 ppm for the first 30 days with no issues.

As you guys know I try and stay on top of my chemicals and testing, so I’m surprised if I have an outbreak. The only time where I lost control was the startup of the pool.

Edit: I was doing some digging too, i did run my sheer descents the day I started my swg, which it’s been a couple of weeks since I turned them on, could that cause algae?

 

[Tom09]

Something is still not adding up with the OCLT it was .50-.75 not sure why I had any loss though. I bumped my chlorine up to 7.5 ish yesterday and ran my ic40 24/7 at 30% according to pool math that will generate 3.25 ppm, I tested this morning and I’m at 7.25 ppm I’ve never lost that much ever. When I maintained a FC of 3.00 I would add up to 1 ppm a day… I am not sure what’s going on.

Is maintaining a higher Fc level go faster? My swg shows salt at 3,000 is that low for it to operate properly? I was told as long as I’m in range it will generate…

Pump speed 1200 rpm 30 gpm

 

[proavia]

If the OCLT loss was less than 1, you pass.
As long as you are confident in your testing, move on to setting the SWG to maintain the desired FC level.

Use PoolMath to get an idea of what percent to set the SWG to.
You are trying to micro-manage it. Don't get stuck on an exact FC production rate. Set the SWG for your FC requirements.
Since 30% still results in a loss, set the SWG to 35% or 40% - see post #4.

What is your CYA?
Run FC at high end of target for your CYA.

With a clean filter, what is the minimum RPM (don't be conferned about flow rate) you can run the pump and also satisfy the SWG flow switch?
Once you know that RPM (with a clean filter), add 200 RPM to that and use it as your minimum RPM.

 

[Tom09]

If the OCLT loss was less than 1, you pass.
As long as you are confident in your testing, move on to setting the SWG to maintain the desired FC level.

Use PoolMath to get an idea of what percent to set the SWG to.
You are trying to micro-manage it. Don't get stuck on an exact FC production rate. Set the SWG for your FC requirements.
Since 30% still results in a loss, set the SWG to 35% or 40% - see post #4.

What is your CYA?
Run FC at high end of target for your CYA.

With a clean filter, what is the minimum RPM (don't be conferned about flow rate) you can run the pump and also satisfy the SWG flow switch?
Once you know that RPM (with a clean filter), add 200 RPM to that and use it as your minimum RPM.

I’m going to retest my CYA I put enough for 50 but when I checked last it was around 40 I didn’t know if it needed to circulate more.

What’s the min flow rate for the swg? Testing would be turn it to 100% and lower the rpm until it shuts off?

I will do another oclt today too.

My question that I’m still trying to get an answer to is having higher Fc at 7.5 ish vs say 5 ppm will I lose more at the higher one through the day than the lower? Reason why I ask is for the first 30 days I maintained the 3 ppm with no issues and this is with 100 degree weather. It’s 77 right now so I shouldn’t be going through that much FC. Losing over 3 ppm in a day seems absurd to me right now when i averaged 1-1.5 a day in summer.

having the salt at 3,000 ppm won’t cause the swg to not produce normal output correct?

 

[Mdragger88]

Your stagnant lines may have contained organics that initially helped consume your fc more than usual.
I would err on the side of caution with higher fc for a little bit to flush/chlorinate those well & ensure nothing can take hold.
You should run any water feature for at least 15- 30 minutes a day or a couple times a day to keep anything from festering in the future.
If you have certainty passed an OCLT you can proceed to an overnight chlorine gain test to really see how your swcg is performing.
It’s like an oclt but with the swg set to 100%.
Your cya is low for a swcg pool in sunny California so the sun may be consuming the fc as quickly as the swcg makes it since its a slow trickle over time which is quite different from a daily larger dose.

 

[proavia]

I'm not a fan of flow rate - I use RPM
Start with a clean filter. Pick a speed - if the SWG flow switch is happy, lower it another 100 RPM - rinse, repeat until you get a low flow light. Increase 100 RPM and verify the flow light stays off - then raise the RPM 200 more (accounts for filter getting dirty).

You should clean your CCP420 when the filter PSI rises 25% above clean pressure.

A CYA of 50 should get you thru the winter just fine. Raise it to 70 in the spring when the temps increase.

As to the FC burn off at higher FC levels - yes, it will burn off SLIGHTLY fast, but at only a few ppm higher you won't really notice it.
Always shoot for top end of target range for your CYA.

 

[Tom09]

Your stagnant lines may have contained organics that initially helped consume your fc more than usual.
I would err on the side of caution with higher fc for a little bit to flush/chlorinate those well & ensure nothing can take hold.
You should run any water feature for at least 15- 30 minutes a day or a couple times a day to keep anything from festering in the future.
If you have certainty passed an OCLT you can proceed to an overnight chlorine gain test to really see how your swcg is performing.
It’s like an oclt but with the swg set to 100%.
Your cya is low for a swcg pool in sunny California so the sun may be consuming the fc as quickly as the swcg makes it since its a slow trickle over time which is quite different from a daily larger dose.

That’s what I was thinking of the FC because at a lower ppm as I mentioned above I wasn’t losing much as much.

 

[Tom09]

I did the OCLT again and it’s .50 will I always lose FC over night? There hasn’t been any swimming for a week. Here’s my test results, CYA shows 40 water temp is 70 I know temperature has an affect on CYA, what’s the range?

My salt tested lower as well from last week, is this affected by temperature too? SWG shows 3000, should I be increasing salt or leave it?

I am increasing my CYA right now to 65 ppm

 

[Mdragger88]

That oclt loss is within the acceptable range. Its a giant puddle that stuff falls in all the time so there’s likely going to be a time little bit of fc consumption all the time.
Cold temps do affect the cya test but anything room temp or above is fine.
If you’re concerned about that bring the sample inside for a little while.
The salt test is not affected by temp.
If your swcg is happy let it ride.

 

[Tom09]

I'm not a fan of flow rate - I use RPM
Start with a clean filter. Pick a speed - if the SWG flow switch is happy, lower it another 100 RPM - rinse, repeat until you get a low flow light. Increase 100 RPM and verify the flow light stays off - then raise the RPM 200 more (accounts for filter getting dirty).

You should clean your CCP420 when the filter PSI rises 25% above clean pressure.

A CYA of 50 should get you thru the winter just fine. Raise it to 70 in the spring when the temps increase.

As to the FC burn off at higher FC levels - yes, it will burn off SLIGHTLY fast, but at only a few ppm higher you won't really notice it.
Always shoot for top end of target range for your CYA.

I did the rpm test, min is 700..

 

[proavia]

700rpm will close the SWG flow switch?

I've seen it said here that anything below 1000rpm isn't the best as the flow is really low for the electricity it uses - so the overall efficiency drops below 1000rpm.

My flow switch closes somewhere below 900rpm (as that's the lowest I went). I run 24/7 at 1200rpm for 20 hours and 2900rpm for 4 hours (for my IFCS). Running both the pump and SWG 24/7costs me less than $20/month. Your cost for the same schedule might be higher based on your electric rates.

 

[Tom09]

It closes at 600 and on at 700 but I run at 1200. Not sure i even need to run 24/7 it’s not for skimming but for swg. I don’t have any trees or really any debris but that top layer usually which skimming doesn’t even get..

 

[proavia]

It closes at 600 and on at 700 but I run at 1200. Not sure i even need to run 24/7 it’s not for skimming but for swg. I don’t have any trees or really any debris but that top layer usually which skimming doesn’t even get..

Yeah - 24/7 is more of a choice than a necessity. I can get reasonable skimming at 1200rpm and I like producing a little chlorine throughout the entire day.