Zodiak nature fusion soft.

[macdenewf]

Hi.
Hoping someone has done this, or knows if it works.
I have a Zodiak fusion salt cell. The 1st call lasted 7 years. The second lasted about 2 years. No longer producing any chlorine.
Zodiak sells 2 versions of chlorine systems that seems to share the same base.

The salt cell

https://www.zodiacpoolsystems.com/-/media/Zodiac/Global/Downloads/H/H0330100

And the puck system

https://portal.cinderellainc.com/customer/docs/skudocs/nature2fusionom.pdf

I’m wondering if I can remove the salt cell and insert the puck cartridge assembly? Item number 9 on the parts list

The base looks identical but the part numbers are different.

Appreciate if anyone knows if these are interchangeable.

Regards

Mac

 

[kimkats]

Interesting idea. I am jumping in to make sure you are not using the mineral part of that system as they can cause more harm than good.

 

[ajw22]

Using Trichlor pucks in Texas will cause sky high CYA in a few months of use. It is not a sustainable way of chlorinating your pool without draining it every 6 to 9 months.

Every 8 oz puck in your 28000 gallon pool will add 2ppm of FC and 1.2ppm of CYA. With the summer Texas sun a pool can consume 4 ppm/day. That is 2.4 ppm of CYA added to the pool daily or over 70ppm of CYA in the pool in a summer month.

 

[PoolGate]

Yes, vessels are identical. I highly recommend NOT doing this, however. Salt cells typically last 5-7 years. Check the power cable and the tri-sensor. Also remove the cell and post a picture here. Pay close attention to the condition of the 3 power lead prongs in the cell and note any corrosion. Are you getting any error codes on the LCD panel?

I want to add that I'm not actually sure if the puck feeder will fit in the cell slot. I suspect it will. The fittings and footprint of the vessel are identical.

 

[macdenewf]

Well dang. When the last cell went bad the pool guy was putting pucks in for quite some time before we realized the cell was bad. And you’re all absolutely right. The CYA got very high and I had to drain the pool….which I hate doing as I’m told it stresses the gunite and creates a risk of cracking.
I’ll pull it apart and take some pictures and see if there is something that looks amiss. Will take pics. As soon as it stops raining!
Are all pucks the same in that they add to the CYA? And out of curiously. What does high CYA actually mean for water quality?
Thanks.
Mac

 

[ajw22]

Trichlor pucks add CYA. Cal-hypo pucks add calcium. Both chemicals accumulate in the pool and eventually cause problems. Chlorine is a gas and needs a solid chemical to be bound to.

The higher your CYA is, the more chlorine you need. Eventually you cannot put enough FC in the pool for the CYA level and you get an algae bloom.

CYA - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

CYA Chlorine Relationship - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Calcium Hypochlorite - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

TriChlor - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[macdenewf]

If the salt cell is bad I’d hate to replace it yet again. I’ve seen some drop in replacements for other systems, quite less expensive than even the cell portion of the fusion soft. Anyone know of a decently priced drop in replacement? Would prefer to not have to replumb. May as well do some research while I’m troubleshooting this one.

 

[macdenewf]

Trichlor pucks add CYA. Cal-hypo pucks add calcium. Both chemicals accumulate in the pool and eventually cause problems. Chlorine is a gas and needs a solid chemical to be bound to.

The higher your CYA is, the more chlorine you need. Eventually you cannot put enough FC in the pool for the CYA level and you get an algae bloom.

CYA - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

CYA Chlorine Relationship - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Calcium Hypochlorite - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

TriChlor - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I appreciate that detailed answer. I’m thinking that it’ll probably be best to keep the salt system. I’m a tad ignorant in this. For almost all of the 10 years I’ve had a pool I’ve been paying a guy to do the chemicals.

Thanks again

 

[ajw22]

Keep the salt system. Long term it is the most economical ways of chlorinating a pool. You just have to pay once upfront for the cell.

Just replace the Jandy cell.

 

[PoolGate]

If the salt cell is bad I’d hate to replace it yet again. I’ve seen some drop in replacements for other systems, quite less expensive than even the cell portion of the fusion soft. Anyone know of a decently priced drop in replacement? Would prefer to not have to replumb. May as well do some research while I’m troubleshooting this one.

The salt cell is remarkably simple. There are no electronics at all. It is 3 electrodes and a bunch of metal plates. I think 2 years is too soon for the terminals to have corroded as well. I would be more inclined to suspect the tri-sensor or the cable. When you replaced it the first time did you replace the power cable to it? Can you post any error messages displayed on the LCD screen?

 

[macdenewf]

So. Might have had a couple of issues. I normally leave the aquapure set to 90%. When I looked at it today it was set to 70 % on spa. / 45% pool. Not sure why it changed but likely a factor.

I had my hot tub on just prior to checking everything.

It is an FSoft1400

With the hot tub on
Chlorine production 70%
Salt was reading 3200 ppm.
Temp ( on the panel ) was showing 104
No error light on salt cell.

I flipped the mode back to pool and gave it 5 mins to clear the lines of the hot water.
Chlorine production 45%
3000 ppm salinity
The service light was on and service displayed on the LCD

If I recall my chemistry right from high school. …..long long time ago. …temperature does affect salinity so seems reasonable that the lower temperature would show a lower salinity

So before anything else the salt cell flags service at regular pool temp but doesn’t at spa temps.

I pulled the cell. It was indeed caked up with calcium. I did a 10-1 mixture. Let sit 10 mins. Three times. Cleaned up really well.

Pulled the temp flow sensor and gave it a clean with a sponge / scouring pad. It looked clean anyway.

Put it all back together , set the production to 90 percent and so far….no service light.

I checked the salinity with a Taylor salinity kit. Somewhere between 2800 and 3000 is what it looks like…..so reasonably close to what the unit says at the pool temp.

I checked the chlorine with a test kit. At best 1.5. PH is really higher though!
I have a little bit of algae forming and as much as I hate to not shock the pool I need a baseline to see if the SWG is working. I’m going to hit boost on the pool and check chlorine again tomorrow.

Hopefully if it all works I’ll see the increase in chlorine. After that I’ll address the ph.

Appreciate all the feedback and suggestions. I’ll drop another note when I check again tomorrow

Sorry if the pics are out of order.
Three of them are with hot tub on
Three with pool mode.
Salt cell before and after.

Cheers
Mac

 

[PoolGate]

If you follow the water parameter advice this forum gives, you won't have the calcium buildup. Your calcium saturation index is most likely too high. Check out pool school for more details. Cleaning the cell also reduces its life. What test kit are you using? And can you post a full set of tests?

 

[macdenewf]

I’ll have to do some more research clearly. Sadly for me, doing my own chemicals has never really been an option due to travel. Simply not home consistently enough to check or do the chemicals, clean the baskets…etc. I have had to rely on the people I pay that come my weekly.
I can and will however make my own repairs. I’ve changed pumps, pulled in new lights, installed the iAqua link, clean my filters.
All I have for test kits are the basic droppers. The saline is a Taylor ( wayyy more consistent than the saline strips ) and a chlorine / ph kit.
Until some this breaks and I have to replace it I guess I could do more tests at Leslie’s and leave the results for the pool guy. At least let them know I’m watching!

 

[PoolGate]

Your pool guy isn't going to properly balance your water unless you tell him to. Perhaps you could print out what you want your water parameters to be and give it to him? Check pool school for water balancing numbers for your pool, get the proper test kit from Taylor, and instruct him to keep those parameters. Leslie's and all pool stores are specifically recommended not to set foot in. Especially for water testing. Start by getting the tf-100 test kit.

 

[macdenewf]

I’ll have to do some more research clearly. Sadly for me, doing my own chemicals has never really been an option due to travel. Simply not home consistently enough to check or do the chemicals, clean the baskets…etc. I have had to rely on the people I pay that come my weekly.
I can and will however make my own repairs. I’ve changed pumps, pulled in new lights, installed the iAqua link, clean my filters.
All I have for test kits are the basic droppers. The saline is a Taylor ( wayyy more consistent than the saline strips ) and a chlorine / ph kit.
Until some this breaks and I have to replace it I have to trust the guys know their business. Guess I could do more tests at Leslie’s and leave the results for the pool guy. At least let them know I’m watchkng

 

[macdenewf]

Appreciate that. I have never really given thought to doing my own testing and leaving the recommendations.

 

[PoolGate]

TFP methods are incompatible with many (most) pool store and pool boy methods. It's best to pick one or the other and go with it. Our goal is to make your pool trouble free and sanitary. Their goal is to sell you magic potions that lighten your wallet.

How long are you running your pump btw? I have the same swg and run it at 50% with my pump running 24x7 and maintain a free chlorine of 7. I am usually turning it down because it overproduces chlorine. My pool follows TFP methods though so my chlorine demand is very low.

 

[ajw22]

Their goal is to sell you magic potions that lighten your wallet.

And Pool Boy to visit and touch your pool only once a week.

 

[macdenewf]

Follow up after cleaning the salt cell. Happy to report that after about 18 hours of running the pump my pool has chlorine. Went from 1-2 on my test kit to probably over 10. I run the punp
About 10 hours a day. Will dial
It back to 75% and monitor for a while.
Appreciate all the help. Thanks.
Mac