How to maintain Chlorine range with an SWG (Sunny and Cloudy days)

[delaneybob]

Hi All,
Running my SWG at 50% for 6 hours in the overnight (this is being done via an aux port on my VSP)- I keep my pump running rest of time around 700rpm which is too low for the SWG but conserves electricity. I bought the 60,000 gallon Cell for my 8,800 gallon pool so i could replace the cell as infrequently as possible.
CYA=70
Desired CL level=5-10

The above works so far on sunny days, but today is cloudy and my CL is steady throughout the day at 10ppm so when the SWG kicks on tonight I will be at 13ppm in the AM.

What is best practice here? I am thinking of allowing it to go the minimum of 3 but if I have a week of cloudy days, same issue.

Thanks!

 

[proavia]

Don't sweat it - just NEVER let it fall below minimum. Being a little high won't hurt.

Remember - it's not a set an forget type thing. It needs to be managed (not over-managed).

Also, the pH test is not accurate if FC is >10.

Running the pump at less than 1000 rpm isn't really efficient. While it may save a little electric, the reduced flow at rpms below 1000 is minimal.
What is the minimum rpm (plus 100 or 200 rpm) that closes the flow switch?

It may be better during to run the SWG during daylight hours as it will make a little chlorine as the chlorine is burned off by the sun and pool usage.

I run my VS at 1200 rpm for 20 hours and 2900 rpm for 4 hours ((24/7) for less than $20/month (including electricity for the SWG). But my electric rates are pretty low.

 

[delaneybob]

Thanks the issue I am trying to avoid is the restaining of the pool which was a combination of things but with my leak fixed, its less about iron water coming into the pool and more about keeping PH under 7.5. to prevent any precipitation of iron PH for me seemed to go up faster the higher the CL but like you said its is inaccurate tat higher CL levels.

As a side note the pool did restain a tad when I SLAMMED from algea due to the initial AA (Fungicide did not work BTW and I used a good bit more than prescribed) . But I did not want to do AA again so I used 2x the metal Magic- took Cl to 3 and maintained it there. I also dropped PH to 6.6-6.8 (yeah I know) for a couple days- but it worked- stains are as good as they were right after AA (barely noticeable in a few areas.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Bob,

I am not a fan of the way you are running the cell.. (Not that it matters... )

One of the great things about a SWCG is that you can add a little chlorine over a long period of time. What you are doing is adding a lot of chlorine over a short period of time. This means you have to have enough FC in the pool so that when the pump shuts off, it will last until the pump comes back on.

I understand it is your pool and you can run it anyway you want, but I think you'd be better off running the cell at a lower output for a longer period of time.

Certainly up to you..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[delaneybob]

Hi Jim- thanks and understood. I will see how it goes. I am open to changing the way I am running and will talk to discount pool tomorrow on min GPM for the cell. The float swithc to me is a backup and not to be the main mechanism to stop the SWG

One thing of note: When I called Discount Water Pool the last time a couple weeks ago putting the cell at 50% does not mean that it is supplying continuous power to the cell at 50% power. it means it is applying 100% power for 50% of it's cycle (Cycle I could not get a definition of). I will try to get a definition tomorrow. This explains why at time you go to the controller and it shows 0 AMPS/0000 Salinity and other times shows Amps/Salinity

 

[mknauss]

(Cycle I could not get a definition of).

SWG Generation Cycle Times - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[proavia]

Fill out your signature more completely - including pool, pool equipment (manufacturers and model numbers) and complete test kit info.

What speed is the pump running at to close the flow switch?
How many watts is it using at that RPM?

 

[delaneybob]

Whopps I thought the sidecar was sufficient so I added that and more to the signature
On the speed question- it was right around 1000 rpm when I first go tit installed ( I tested it)
On the watts question no clue- Power =V*I*PF , All I have are the pump curves for flow rates

 

[delaneybob]

Also the reason for running at night is well girlfriends cats- they don't like the Polaris spray so prefer to run Polaris at night- that's why the SWG is on at night. I guess I could run the pump lower rpm but above the float switch cut off but then that make the Polaris less efficient and I would figure the power differences are not much

The suction of the polaris is off the main pump discharge. When I run the Polairs Solo (I never really do this)- I do see it move a lot slower as expected due to less pressure.

 

[newdude]

that's why the SWG is on at night.

You do you.

But promise me you'll pay attention to it, especially once it becomes FL hot. With no production during the day, the FC is more apt to swing like a liquid chlorine pool. A bit less due to your higher CYA, but it will still swing. Maybe it's not happening yet being the early season, but it probably will so don't get caught behind the 8 ball.

As said above, manage it to keep you free and clear above minimum. Don't micromanage it when some cloudy days give you more FC than you needed or you'll be out there every other day driving yourself nuts. I won't step in until the FC is a teen. Sometimes that's a 17 by the time i realize it. The water is stoopid clear tho.

 

[markayash]

My thinking is you bought it to make life easier. I agree with Jim set it and let it work and work in an average FC.
I get they are not cheap but to me it’s like buying Your favorite car and parking it because you want to keep the miles low

But everybody is different

 

[delaneybob]

I get it and thanks- aware of the brutal FL sun in the days to come. Prior to the VSP I ran the single speed for 8 hours at night (3450 RPM though) same with the SWG at 20% and overshot the Chlorine over time during the summer and that was with the leak and lower CYA.

The controller on my VSP is the older one so I am limited in the # cycles I can program (its like 5) so a ramp up/down counts as 2- the newer controller has like 17. Ideally I would run the pump for 4-5 hours during the day at like 1300rpm then at night at 2100 ( where it is now) when the polaris kicks on- otherwise 700 rpm or even have it stop

 

[Bperry]

I get it and thanks- aware of the brutal FL sun in the days to come. Prior to the VSP I ran the single speed for 8 hours at night (3450 RPM though) same with the SWG at 20% and overshot the Chlorine over time during the summer and that was with the leak and lower CYA.

The controller on my VSP is the older one so I am limited in the # cycles I can program (its like 5) so a ramp up/down counts as 2- the newer controller has like 17. Ideally I would run the pump for 4-5 hours during the day at like 1300rpm then at night at 2100 ( where it is now) when the polaris kicks on- otherwise 700 rpm or even have it stop

1300rpm is likely fine for the flow switch so you could run the SWG and 10% for most of the day and then at night the Polaris can run as well. It seems like at 700rpm, you might as well just shut it off, unless it needs to be on for the Polaris?

 

[delaneybob]

I was wrong- I have 3 settings- see attached picture. Each Step has a begin and end rpm and the adjacent time rpm needs to match
Aux port power to SWG timer (this is part of the VSP) starts at 12:00am and can be set to apply power for X hours over YY RPM
So Maybe do
Auxport on for 14 hours when rpm is over 1200
Step 1 8am-6pm Start RPM 1300 end RPM 700- SWG should be on during day and cut off at 6pm
Step 2 6pm-4am Start RPM 700rpm end RPM 2100- SWG will be off by flow switch and Aux port
Step 3 4am-8am Start RPM 2100 end RPM 1300- SWG on and run Polaris between 4:30-6:30am

I want to know the power delta on doubling the pump speed- is this chart valid?

 

[PoolStored]

That chart looks generally accurate for a VSP...

 

[delaneybob]

Thanks looks like the display has gone bad so will get that replaced before changing

 

[delaneybob]

I go the new display in and am running it per previous post and took the SWG to 25% since 50% previous for about 1/2 the time maintained the right level
Step 1 8am-6pm Start RPM 1300 end RPM 700- SWG should be on during day and cut off at 6pm
Step 2 6pm-4am Start RPM 700rpm end RPM 2100- SWG will be off by flow switch and Aux port
Step 3 4am-8am Start RPM 2100 end RPM 1300- SWG on and run Polaris between 4:30-6:30am

Thanks for the suggestions!