Draining and bringing down the waterline?

[Newdude]

Hey tsar !!!

The flow LED in status is still red. And the lights for salt level continue flashing red/green

Thats weird because the red/green is the unit trying to read the salt and it will either like the salt and go green in a minute, or not like the salt and go red in a minute. And it shouldn't be doing the salt test if there is no flow.

Both functions are from the same flow switch and I'll guess yours is defective. @Jimrahbe is the Pentair whisperer and knows how to troubleshoot further, but until he stops by, reset the power and see of that helps. If the unit gets a low salt reading it won't try again for 24 hours. You can force the next test by resetting it.

 

[Lake Placid]

Hey tsar !!!



Thats weird because the red/green is the unit trying to read the salt and it will either like the salt and go green in a minute, or not like the salt and go red in a minute. And it shouldn't be doing the salt test if there is no flow.

Both functions are from the same flow switch and I'll guess yours is defective. @Jimrahbe is the Pentair whisperer and knows how to troubleshoot further, but until he stops by, reset the power and see of that helps. If the unit gets a low salt reading it won't try again for 24 hours. You can force the next test by resetting it.

You’re correct and it’s likely the flow switch. Let’s let Jim confirm. @tsar how comfortable are you with some light wiring? You can bypass the flow switch to confirm it’s dead, but that will take opening the unit and stripping some wires….

 

[tsar]

What’s your salinity level?

Just tested - Salt level is 2800.

Restarted SWCG, but that doesn't seem to fix it.

@Lake Placid - If the flow switch is dead does that mean that the SWCG will not work? And bypassing it will make it work? I can try my hand at stripping the wires, I'm not used to it, but can give it a shot.

 

[tsar]

Just tested - Salt level is 2800.

Restarted SWCG, but that doesn't seem to fix it.

@Lake Placid - If the flow switch is dead does that mean that the SWCG will not work? And bypassing it will make it work? I can try my hand at stripping the wires, I'm not used to it, but can give it a shot, stripping wires itself is fine, but what else needs to be done?

 

[Lake Placid]

The bypass is a temporary diagnostic, but the cell will work if it’s bypassed. Jim can walk you through the process in greater detail. In the meantime I’d bump your salt up. Ideal for intellichlor is 3600 Ppm and 2800 is barely on the low working side of things.

Edited to add: With your cell on the fritz and a looming vacation, I’d suggest you start looking into a trichlor floater for when you’re gone. You can bump to slam levels before you go and that will buy you a few days then supplement with the floater. @PoolStored @Newdude…thoughts?

 

[Newdude]

You can bump to slam levels before you go and that will buy you a few days then supplement with the floater

+1. What was the story with not raising your CYA ? I was going back through the thread trying to see the SWG parts and briefly saw that part.

 

[tsar]

With your cell on the fritz and a looming vacation, I’d suggest you start looking into a trichlor floater for when you’re gone. You can bump to slam levels before you go and that will buy you a few days then supplement with the floater

@Lake Placid What's a trichlor floater? Is it something like this GAME Mid-Size Dolphin Pool or Spa Chlorinator 1003

 

[Newdude]

Is it something like this GAME Mid-Size Dolphin Pool or Spa Chlorinator 1003

It is exactly that. And it's a dolphin.

Walmart is one that sells the tabs in single packs which is awsome for you because the buckets are hundreds of dollars compared to the $7.50 singles.

 

[Lake Placid]

+1. What was the story with not raising your CYA ? I was going back through the thread trying to see the SWG parts and briefly saw that part.

Didn’t want him to go crazy with increasing CYA until we knew he had a working SWG. If it was on the fritz, didn’t want to have to have him trying to maintain chlorine levels that high while on vacation.

 

[Newdude]

Didn’t want him to go crazy with increasing CYA until we knew he had a working SWG. If it was on the fritz, didn’t want to have to have him trying to maintain chlorine levels that high while on vacation.

Ok GREAT. So going up a couple with tabs is no harm and will likely be needed in the long run anyway. Just checking.

 

[Lake Placid]

Ok GREAT. So going up a couple with tabs is no harm and will likely be needed in the long run anyway. Just checking.

Yeah another win for the TFP brain trust. I though @PoolStored was pretty genius with the thought.

 

[tsar]

Thanks for the solution, so get the chlorine to SLAM levels, and then leave these chlorine pucks in a chlorinator. I did see one at home depot, so should be fine.
And the tabs we are talking about is this - Pool Time MAXBlue 5 lb. 3 in. Tablets 22838PTM ? I'll try and see if I can get a smaller box anywhere close by.

Edit - 3 tabs are enough right?

 

[PoolStored]

Just tested - Salt level is 2800.

Restarted SWCG, but that doesn't seem to fix it.

@Lake Placid - If the flow switch is dead does that mean that the SWCG will not work? And bypassing it will make it work? I can try my hand at stripping the wires, I'm not used to it, but can give it a shot.

Add that last bag of salt. The red/green switching means you are on the edge of enough salt. Dump and swirl. No need to turn off SWCG when adding one bag of salt.

 

[PoolStored]

Yeah another win for the TFP brain trust. I though @PoolStored was pretty genius with the thought.

You triggered it with the low flow light comment. I remembered it as just low salt.

 

[tsar]

Thanks folks! This sets up things for my vacation .... I gotta say, when I started on this thread, I wasn't expecting this kind of response and help. It's been amazing, and very detailed walk through.

 

[Newdude]

And the tabs we are talking about is this

Like those, but not those. Blue is industry code for copper. And 6-in-1 means there is 4 things besides CYA and Chlorine. The SDS only lists borates so the other 3 are a mystery but 1 is likely copper.

 

[PoolStored]

Thanks for the solution, so get the chlorine to SLAM levels, and then leave these chlorine pucks in a chlorinator. I did see one at home depot, so should be fine.
And the tabs we are talking about is this - Pool Time MAXBlue 5 lb. 3 in. Tablets 22838PTM ? I'll try and see if I can get a smaller box anywhere close by.

Edit - 3 tabs are enough right?

Anytime you see "Blue" avoid it.

Use this, it is 99% pure

Pool Time 35 lbs. Pool Chlorinating Tablets 21827PTM - The Home Depot

Pool Time Chlorinating Tabs are a 3-in-1 concentrated chlorinating tablet designed to keep your pool water clean by killing bacteria and controlling algae. These 3 in. tablets includes a built-in sunlight

www.homedepot.com

 

[PoolStored]

Like those, but not those. Blue is industry code for copper. And 6-in-1 means there is 4 things besides CYA and Chlorine. The SDS only lists borates so the other 3 are a mystery but 1 is likely copper.

Looked it up...Aluminum Sulfate. YUCK!

 

[Newdude]

I gotta say, when I started on this thread, I wasn't expecting this kind of response and help. It's been amazing, and very detailed walk through.

Some folks call us a cult when we can't direct them with pool store test results. Luckily, most people see us as we are. Just looking to hook up other pool enthusiasts on the cheap and easy.

It only gets better if you stick around. Think how much we'd help down the road when we are all old buddies.

 

[PoolStored]

Edit - 3 tabs are enough right?

I think you need 6-7 pucks/tabs.

You are using 2ppm (conservative estimate). 14 days x 2ppm = 28 ppm required over the 2 weeks.

Each puck is 8 ounces. 2 ounces will give you 1ppm in your pool. Each puck is 4ppm.

28 needed / 4 per puck = 7 pucks. (guys check my math).

Slam level will help but come down fairly quickly, so *maybe* 5-6 pucks.

Issue is going to be that the recommended 3 per week, adding them all at the same time will likely add all that FC in the first week. Not sure how to solve that. Anyone, like really, no neighbor would help?