Our salt pool has developed a problem we've never seen before, INTEX POOL 12 X 24 X 52" deep, I installed a new salt cell this year from INTEX, it's supposed to handle up to a 15000 gallon pool, ours is about 9600, INTEX 22 or 2600 GPH sand filter pump. The titanium plates on the chlorinator side foul with calcium build-up in about 4 days and it causes cell shutdown and low salt indication, water chemistry is salt : about 2900ppm, calcium hardb=ness 300, chlorine runs about 1, PH I try to maintain at 7.6-7.8, our water as it comes from the pipe is around 300 calcium hardness and PH runs a solid 8.1. The solutions I find are to partially drain and refill, but it seems ludicrous to drain & refill with 300 ppm calcium hardness water, or am I missing something? I've never had the cell foul this quickly, usually takes about 3 weeks, any thoughts or solutions are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, Jeff
RAPID CELL FOULING
- Thread starter CAVEMANN
- Start date
Try to run your pH down around 7.2 and see if that helps any? What is your TA?
Do you run a softener in the house?
Your FC is too low for CYA of 40ppm. Follow the CYA/FC chart
Maddie
Do you run a softener in the house?
Your FC is too low for CYA of 40ppm. Follow the CYA/FC chart
Maddie
I'll try these suggestions for a couple of weeks and see what happens.
Thank you, Jeff.
Thank you, Jeff.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,747
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
You’ll find that we recommend a swcg that’s rated for 2x’s your pool’s volume as they make the ratings based on the swcg running around the clock. This is not even possible really with the intex ones as they are usually only able to be set for 11 hours a day for normal operation. So ideally that swcg would be best on a 7k gal pool.
You may find you need to supplement in the dog days of summer.
Both your cya & fc are too low in sunny AZ for a swcg.
** Before increasing your cya to the 60/70 range you should do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test at target fc levels FC/CYA Levels
to ensure you don’t have any organics - especially since you have been running your fc too low. You will need an fas/dpd test to accomplish this.
Your signature says you have the poolmaster 5 way test kit.
How are you measuring cya?
Use liquid chlorine to raise the fc now & set the swcg to maintain that.
About the cell - those are supposed to switch polarity periodically to keep the cell clean- perhaps yours is not doing this.
What model do you have?
Test Kits Compared
You may find you need to supplement in the dog days of summer.
Both your cya & fc are too low in sunny AZ for a swcg.
** Before increasing your cya to the 60/70 range you should do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test at target fc levels FC/CYA Levels
to ensure you don’t have any organics - especially since you have been running your fc too low. You will need an fas/dpd test to accomplish this.
Your signature says you have the poolmaster 5 way test kit.
How are you measuring cya?
Use liquid chlorine to raise the fc now & set the swcg to maintain that.
About the cell - those are supposed to switch polarity periodically to keep the cell clean- perhaps yours is not doing this.
What model do you have?
Test Kits Compared
I measure CYA with a chemical test kit by TAYLOR, I had it at right about 60 , question now is, can I run 2 swcg's in series? That signature is old, I bought a pretty nice kit after that one. I have the chlorinator to swap either on the minimum or medium setting, the instruction manual says maximum times on reverse polarity will shorten cell life so IDK. I'm getting to a point with my age & health that it is burdensome, everyone loves the pool until you ask them to help with maintenance. The robot vac does fair considering it's not really a vacuum per say, the filter screen allows some back into solution. I'll try to hit stuff tomorrow & Wednesday, long days for the wife at work.
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Can you show us a full set of pool test results. Maybe we can see other things to help you out.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,747
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I ran two intex units- one on each return, not in series.
Even if you have 2 units they likely won’t overcome an algae problem if you have one so do an oclt to rule that out first & take care if it with the SLAM Process if necessary. Then increasing cya to 70’s to help preserve more of the fc the swcg makes.
Definitely try setting it to max polarity reversal & keeping your ph in the low 7’s.
What is your ta?
Keeping csi slightly negative should reduce your scale.
www.google.com
Update your signature with the exact kit you have.
Even if you have 2 units they likely won’t overcome an algae problem if you have one so do an oclt to rule that out first & take care if it with the SLAM Process if necessary. Then increasing cya to 70’s to help preserve more of the fc the swcg makes.
Definitely try setting it to max polarity reversal & keeping your ph in the low 7’s.
What is your ta?
Keeping csi slightly negative should reduce your scale.
Calcium Saturation Index (CSI)
How is CSI calculated? Very simple – by using the PoolMath tool. To ensure long plaster life and save money, click here to learn more
www.google.com
HOLY SHI......Crud, STUFF HAD GOTTN BAD SINCE MY LAST FULL TEST! PH was the highest I've ever seen it, CYA was at about 20, CALCIUM HARDNESS at 200, TA at 220, FC about 1.6, I know I have some organics going and started on that yesterday, I need to buy more bleach and Cyanuric acid. How long does a proper CYA level expected to last? Also, I don't know if it matters or not but I leave my filter/pump running 24/7, except for when I'm doing maintenance. I need to order some more 6 way valve spider gaskets but it seems no-one makes then for the INTEX valves. You can buy replacement valves but they're not rated too good.
Here's my numbers again:
PH: 8.4
CYA: 20
CH: 200
TA: 220
FC: 1.6
Here's my numbers again:
PH: 8.4
CYA: 20
CH: 200
TA: 220
FC: 1.6
- May 3, 2014
- 58,451
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Your CH is suspiciously very low. Are you sure? What is your source for make up water?
I probably need to recheck it, make up water is from my Pelican water system, not softened just highly filtered, I probably ought to test a sample from it also.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,125
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Your test kit...
LESLIES #82329 COMPLETE (FAS/DPD) CHLORINE TEST KIT, MANUFACTURED FOR LESLIES BY TAYLOR
is a rebranded Taylor K-2006. You can change your signature to show it's a K-2006 test kit - and delete the PoolMaster 5-way as well.
LESLIES #82329 COMPLETE (FAS/DPD) CHLORINE TEST KIT, MANUFACTURED FOR LESLIES BY TAYLOR
is a rebranded Taylor K-2006. You can change your signature to show it's a K-2006 test kit - and delete the PoolMaster 5-way as well.
Sorry, I haven't had a chance to double check levels, been dealing with rattlesnakes today.