Understanding Aquarite SWG function

[fletchusmc]

Firstly I want to confess my ignorance with regard to the detail functioning of the generic SWG and the specific Hayward Aquarite systems.
I have an original Goldline Aquarite XL SWG paired with a Jandy Aqualink RS4 with an All button remote. I am currently running a Hayward W3T-Cell-15 that is 2 years old and was tested good by the local Leslies pool store. I confirmed the cell works by submerging it in a 5 gallon bucket of pool water and observing the bubbles being produced and smelling chlorine. By my understanding I should be producing chlorine but it is barely enough to measure. I am running the system at 90% and eight hours a day. Salt is 3000 ppm, water temp 82, voltage 24.3, amperage 4.87. PH is running on the low side at 7.4-7.6. As I recall when the pool was new and the systems worked well the PH always increased with chlorine generation and I had to add muriatic acid weekly. At the end of an eight hour run cycle the chlorine level reads ideal by the test strips and a Taylor chemical test kit. By morning the chlorine is all gone and I'm starting to get a little green algae. Leslie's tested the water with the following results: free chlorine=.63, total chlorine=.74, ph=7.5, alkalinity=105, calcium hardness=214, cyanuric acid=79, phosphates=54, salt=3000.
My first question is : Is my cell failing?
Next question: Can I tell anything from the voltage and amperage readings on the SWG control panel? ie. what does high or low voltage mean or high or low amperage? Is the range of voltage and amperage just a function of the cell and control system interaction?
Next question: How does the SWG system get feedback from the cell? ie. how does it calculate the salt level.
Feel free to educate me or to correct any misconceptions I have. I'm truly trying to understand this beyond simply turning it on and off.
Thanks in advance.

 

[ajw22]

Leslie's tested the water with the following results: free chlorine=.63, total chlorine=.74, ph=7.5, alkalinity=105, calcium hardness=214, cyanuric acid=79, phosphates=54, salt=3000.

Sorry, we don't trust that any pool store tests are accurate.

For advice on water chemistry we ask that you do your own testing with the Taylor K-2006C or TFT Test Kits

I will observe that your chlorine level is way low for a CYA of 80.

I suggest you review...

Pool Care Basics Archives

Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!

www.troublefreepool.com

My first question is : Is my cell failing?

Do a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

There is a good chance your cell is generating chlorine fine and algae in your pool is consuming all that your cell is generating.

Next question: Can I tell anything from the voltage and amperage readings on the SWG control panel? ie. what does high or low voltage mean or high or low amperage? Is the range of voltage and amperage just a function of the cell and control system interaction?

There is a normal range for the volts and amps.

Next question: How does the SWG system get feedback from the cell?

The SWG control board gets water temperature from the cell. That is all.

ie. how does it calculate the salt level.

It does not calculate the salt level.

Hayward Aquarite SWG - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

There is no separate salinity sensor in an AquaRite. There are six wires going to the cell, two white, two black, one red and one blue wire.

The black and white wires carry the power to the cell and are heavier gauge than the other wires. The two white wires go to the center plate. The two black wires tie together and go to the two outer plates. The red and blue wires go to the temperature sensor.

There are no other wires going into the cell to support a salinity sensor. There are 4 extra wires in the cell cord (brown, orange, yellow and green) that are not used and do not go to the cell.

Another way to tell that the AquaRite does not have a separate salinity sensor is that if the T-Cell setting does not match the cell type, the salinity will read wrong.

If the Cell is larger than the T-Cell setting, the salinity will read higher than actual. If the Cell is smaller than the T-Cell setting, the salinity will read lower than actual. One can verify this by changing the T-cell type and see the salinity change.

If there was a separate salinity sensor in the cell, the salinity would not change when the tcell type was changed.