What chlorine level and how to test and maintain

[Jeffrito]

Hi
I've Googled this and read the manual and still have a question on chlorine. I understand on paper how to adjust flow and check salt levels using the Pentair Intellichlor Chlorine generator, but I can't find in the manual or on YouTube how to check and control the chlorine level.
First though,
I have an 18000 gal pool with Pentair variable speed plus solar touch. Now getting around to hooking up the chlorinator. I've been doing the chemicals myself for the past year.
So,
I added 7 bags of salt per Leslie's analysis and will double check with another water check before turning on the system. Do I have to wait 24 hours for the salt to dissolve completely?
When I'm ready, I power everything off, plug the system in, and power on.
I check the salt level indicator for green. Check status, green.
Then I adjust the sanitizer output either 20% on up or 2% on up. I guess I start with 20%?
How am I deciding what number to select for sanitizer output? I usually test with a Taylor basic kit and shoot for 2-4 ppm chlorine/br , a good solid yellow.
Do I start the chlorinator up, and after a while test with the kit, and if it's too high, turn it down, too low turn it up?
I live in San Diego, pump runs from 10 AM to 4 PM.
Thanks for any info, I must be missing something
Jeff

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Absolutely have that salt cell turned *off* for 24 hours after adding salt.
Use liquid chlorine to have your FC up to the desired level. www.troublefreepool.com/blog/what-are-my-ideal-pool-levels/
Then you turn on the salt cell (start at 50%) and daily do your FC test... turn the cell percentage up or down based on how much its making.
You NEED a proper test kit- one that will give you all the following:
FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Salt

www.troublefreepool.com/blog/2019/01/18/test-kits-compared/
www.troublefreepool.com/blog/2019/01/18/poolmath/

Maddie

 

[woodyp]

I'd start with 25% for 10 or 12 hours.

 

[Mdragger88]

The right fc target is dependent upon your current cya level
FC/CYA Levels
As mentioned above use liquid chlorine to reach this target & then see if the Swg maintains it, if not replenish with liquid chlorine & try again with a higher setting.
Swg’s are maintainers - they’re not designed to make major jumps .
Without knowing which intellichlor cell you have we can’t estimate what it will produce in your pool volume.
Please fill out your signature with all your deets & get a proper test kit on order asap

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.google.com

 

[PoolStored]

Do I start the chlorinator up, and after a while test with the kit,

You said test with the kit. What kit are you talking about? Can you give us brand and model # of the kit?

 

[Jeffrito]

Absolutely have that salt cell turned *off* for 24 hours after adding salt.
Use liquid chlorine to have your FC up to the desired level. www.troublefreepool.com/blog/what-are-my-ideal-pool-levels/
Then you turn on the salt cell (start at 50%) and daily do your FC test... turn the cell percentage up or down based on how much its making.
You NEED a proper test kit- one that will give you all the following:
FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Salt

www.troublefreepool.com/blog/2019/01/18/test-kits-compared/
www.troublefreepool.com/blog/2019/01/18/poolmath/

Maddie

Ok Will do. I currently just use the basic tailor kit for pH and chlorine and then I go to Leslies every week or two and get a complete test but ultimately I guess I’ll go for the complete kit everyone seems to use here. I just took a swim and I can taste the salt. It was just put in around six hours ago. Is that taste going to dissipate once the salt is completely dissolved?

 

[PoolStored]

Ok Will do. I currently just use the basic tailor kit for pH and chlorine and then I go to Leslies every week or two and get a complete test but ultimately I guess I’ll go for the complete kit everyone seems to use here. I just took a swim and I can taste the salt. It was just put in around six hours ago. Is that taste going to dissipate once the salt is completely dissolved?

It may be that you added too much salt. Some people can taste salt down to 2500ppm. If you are tasting it and it was noticeable, you may have added more than necessary. I run my pool at 3200 and I can barely taste it. Get your test kit ordered today, get the salt version so you can test salt. Get a speed stir if you can afford it. It is a gamechanger for consistent testing.

Do not add any more salt. It is very possible your salt level was non-zero. My pool when I converted was 2000ppm salt. I had used liquid chlorine and LC adds salt to the pool.

This is a very good example of why you need your own test kit. Store testing is unreliable. And, when you add something like salt, you can do partial additions and retest to confirm you are getting the resulting change from your addition.

 

[PoolStored]

basic tailor

Which basic taylor? Kit#? How old is it? Might be able to save you some money...

 

[generessler]

Yeah wait at least 24 hours. More is better. Mine wobbles for 2 days when the water is still cold (mid 50s F). As others have said, keep the cell off until the level is steady. Soon after adding, it can swing extremely high. If the cell's on, it can be smoked. A thing I do is add opposite the drains and skimmers. Smaller swings that way.

Maybe too late, but avoid adding the salt dose all at once. That 280 lb is almost 1900 ppm for your pool. That's a bunch. The problem is that if you overshoot, the only way to fix it is partial drain and refill. Instead, measure, add half, measure again. If it rose higher than expected, no problem. You now have good info to figure out how much more is needed.

I'm amazed no one has told you to stay away from Leslie's. It's a mantra here. Get a good, fresh kit. Learn to use it. Trust it.

Starting at 20% or 50 doesn't matter much. Choose one. Try it for enough days to see the trend. If down, go up by half. If up, down by half.

Example: Start at 20. See level falling. Go to 60 (half way from 20 to 100). See level rising. Go to 40 (half way from 20 to 60). Still rising. Go to 30 (half way from 20 to 40). Four adjustments max ought get to steady. Even then, keep testing. You'll need to tweak as conditions change.

 

[Homebrewale]

As generessler points out, you need to keep testing once you find the right setting. I'm always adjusting the setting upward as we head towards summer since the length of day gets longer and the temperatures increase.

 

[Mdragger88]

You can use
PoolMath effects of adding to help get a starting point for run times & % just select your swg from the list.