Yes, it appears to have a suction side leak somewhere.

Mstrlucky74 said:

So there are three separate three conduits for my lights. I have 3 lights. Why are there three and they did not combine to one?
Would I have one switch or three to control each? Thanks

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It is optional. It can be set up to have 1 switch control all 3 or have individual switches (useful if you have a spa and want to control the spa light separately from the pool lights).
Do the lights turn colors? There may be a dedicated controller for the lights to select colors.
Are you installing the lights or is the PB (contractor)?

I have another question from my husband.. Can we add the salt that was NEVER added first, let that do its thing thing and bring up the CH? There is algae breeding in the corners.

PoolStored said:

Here is a troubleshooting guide:

Link--> Air in the pump basket under the lid

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Thanks! I've done everything in the first article, so it looks like I'm chasing a suction side issue in the 2nd article.
I can assume from your comment that pump is NOT fully priming, yes?

poolmom21 said:

I didn’t have liquids to test the calcium so I took the numbers from the Leslie’s test. I don’t understand the CSI

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Was CH the only test that you used from the pool store testing?
Did you try the CYA test or is that also from the pool store testing? Just need to understand the numbers.

Always trust your own salt test and do not add or make any adjustments to salt based on the controller reading. As long as your SWCG is producing FC then the cell is happy.

If yo want to read more on CSI please read

Try these and see if they work. Tried uploading photos but the system wouldn't allow me to upload them so I had to save them as a pdf.

Welcome!

Welcome!

ajw22 said:

Seems only you and Chuck have an interest in this.

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Indeed @ajw22 , oh well

JoyfulNoise said:

I think one has to look at the lifecycle costs too.

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Great point @JoyfulNoise ... If the diagnosis and servicing difficulties abound, along with reliability concerns, the ROI can disappear faster than a rising zero-FC algae bloom appears. I think such advances often work out better for the DIY enthusiasts among us. If one has the tools, time and interest it can be worthwhile, or at least a fun hobby-like exploration. Such newer technologies remind me of the multi-year ongoing TFP threads about the FPH (Free Pool Heat) devices that switch home AC condensers from air-cooled to water-cooled to heat the pool. The controls add more points of failure and make for interesting debug analysis, and finding very good service techs for such things is often painful and expensive. "Your central air stops working because your pool pump failed". I suppose much automation falls into a similar category, especially for those among us who customize. I make videos for my wife in case I depart the planet before she does, but who knows if those guides will ever be watched! Frankly I have a similar opinion about the ROI of many or most VSP's (variable speed pumps). Great economy in terms of power savings and quietness (on low speeds) but a pain when the VFD in the VSP faults at 3600 rpm, and/or if vulnerable electronics in the VFD fails - then the replacement cost eradicates all ROI. Not to mention the time and cost to interface automation. But I respect that others love their VSP's, I just hated my Jandy epump (that, on higher speeds, was noisier than a single speed pump and kept faulting out when I was vacuuming)

PoolStored said:

I answered this in post #15.

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Sorry for the double post. Not sure why I did not see it post.

PoolStored said:

10 hours per day in the RJ at 25% creates 1ppm/day.
3rd to 17th is 14 days. 25 - 12 = 13.
So about 2ppm loss per day.
Use effects of adding in pool math and figure out a % output that will give you 2ppm per day with 10 hours of runtime.
I think your demand is likely higher.

1. Do you use a solar cover?
2. What are the dimensions of your pool? LxW,D shallow, D deep?

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No cover at all and the pool is 20x40 and average depth estimated it 4.5 feet ?

Mstrlucky74 said:

So there are three separate three conduits for my lights. I have 3 lights. Why are there three and they did not combine to one?
Would I have one switch or three to control each? Thanks

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Each light has it's own wire home run to a box that's mounted on top of those pipes. Most likely low voltage set up. All that is missing there is pipe #4 which will go to the power supply to feed the three lights.

Alexr54 said:

I do have a question about the calimar if anyone can help that has one.

I was just wondering, with this VSP is there a way to set it to when it turns on it can ramp up?
Ive never had a VSP before, sorry if its a dumb question.
For example. When the pump starts, can it be very low speed for like a minute (but still using voltage above 120v), then go at full speed after the minute is up?

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It's usually the reverse where it goes straight to the priming speed and then after the preset time reverts to the set speed. Why would you want it to ramp up ? If the pump basket dropped a bit the slow speed may do nothing to get the pump to prime.

My goal is to make the lights last a long time and so far it seems like water (freezing) and heat generated by the led itself have been causes for premature failure.

The megaloc should, I hope, eliminate water in the conduit

The air pump I hope will cool the led driver.

The 14v I hope will reduce internal heat.

I'm up for any advice you have that can help extend the life of these leds. I haven't turned the new ones on yet. I'm waiting until I have all safeguards in place.

Maybe I should run the lights at the 14v setting from my transformer, I think this might lower the current draw and reduce the heat generated by the circuitry. I see the electrolytic caps are rated for 35v so this is probably safe I think. My wire runs are 60 and 80 feet for the two lights.

I think spa blowers are built using fans, while aquarium pumps use a piston or diaphragm so they are able to push air under higher psi water. A fan blows a larger volume of air but with less force. Maybe that's why spa blowers burn out? My light conduit are only about 12" under water, aquarium pumps are designed to push air much further.

I also see pond and hydroponic pumps that are very powerful for their wattage.

Anyhow, I hope there won't be any water down there at all and the air pump will just blow air against the light in order to cool it.

I can also use the same tube occasionally to pump out any water that leaks into the pipe, or just to see whether water has leaked or not. I think a peristaltic pump might be a good choice because it's self priming and the volume of water can't be that great.

No registrar of contractors to go to bat for you against the poor builder and maybe help you with the bond the bad company had to put up, or was that money gone when you tried to get it?

I don't know about that question, the manual will tell you that. Most come from the factory with a few seconds of full speed for priming before they settle down to whatever speed you have programmed.

Thoughts on using socket saver vs heat gun and pliers to remove old 2" pipe from the valve? I'm just afraid I'll scratch the interior with the socket saver.

An update for anyone who cares... I went with the J&J 6" white LED spa light. All up with tax and shipping, $606. The company is owned by Hayward. They have a 3-year warranty on the housing and one year on the LED element. The housing looks very well made: a ring of 10-32 studs with gasket rather than the Pentair squeeze bezel. The 50' wire pull went smoothly. Fit the niche well. The equivalent watts rating was less than the old halogen, so I thought brightness might be an issue. But it's plenty bright. Definitely daylight color temp, which does not match the pool's Amerlites very well. But my wife actually likes the difference. If she's happy, I'm happy.

LoneStarPool said:

Good point. I guess I can use it as Plan-B if I screw up with the socket saver tool. I just figured slipping the pipe over would improve the flow dramatically since I wouldn't be constricting the flow to 2" at all. I'm looking into ways to save electricity.

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Up sizing will make no difference so let that not make the decision.

LoneStarPool said:

would improve the flow dramatically since I wouldn't be constricting the flow to 2" at all. I'm looking into ways to save electricity.

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The difference is imperceptible.

wireform said:

Agree, but was just making the statement that it's not once and done as there's always the fall back.....

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Fair point, but now I have a franken monster diverter with an overlay, I don't know where to cut the overlay even with the end of the diverter, so I can socket saver. Doesn't seem trouble free. Again, YMMV.

PoolStored said:

The issue with slipping a pipe over the diverter and using a reducer is that it it's once and done. The only way you can replumb again is to use a socket saver on the reducer...which will reduce the length of pipe from the diverter.

With a pipe IN the diverter, you allow for the use of a socket saver again in the future. YMMV.

I'd always bias towards not having to replace the diverter (using pipe over the diverter) vs. being able to socket saver and not have to replace the diverter.

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Good point. I guess I can use it as Plan-B if I screw up with the socket saver tool. I just figured slipping the pipe over would improve the flow dramatically since I wouldn't be constricting the flow to 2" at all. I'm looking into ways to save electricity.

PoolStored said:

Why not just do that now? Doesn't make sense to me.

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Agree, but was just making the statement that it's not once and done as there's always the fall back.....

wireform said:

You can always "socket saver" in the future should it be necessary by cutting the coupling flush and then reaming the 2" in the valve.

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Why not just do that now? Doesn't make sense to me.