New to pools, new to SWGs, new to everything!

[ninjajim4]

Hi all,

Some questions about getting the SWG properly dialed in.

Brand new, fresh filled pool from some number of days ago. I've kicked off with liquid chlorine. SWG has been running for the past few days, but only successfully tested parameters yesterday and found that the FC was low, at 2ppm. Added liquid and FC tested at 4.8ppm. Tested midafternoon today which is just about 24 hours later, after the SWG's scheduled 4 hour morning run (which I set per the manual). I was surprised to see that today it's actually gone up to 5.6 ppm.

So the questions I have at this point are:

1) is this ok? Today started out a bit overcast and I had the solar cover on which is a new addition from the past few days as well. I speculate that I might be sitting flat at 5 ppm if today had been sunny and uncovered

2) I read about adjusting Salt Cell% on the forums, but does Intex QS1200/ECO6110 have that? If not, is there some default salt cell% for regular/boost mode?

3) asking about the second part of #2 because I am trying to figure out how to use Pool Math, which seems to require this?

4) is there some prescribed startup testing regimen to follow to understand if I have the proper runtime for the SWG?

Thank you!

 

[ajw22]

I doubt 4 hours is sufficient runtime for the Intex SWG.

Pools lose 3 to 4 ppm of FC a day and need that much generated.

I would dial in your SWG by running your pump much longer to where you see a daily FC rise then dialing your pump runtime back.

Your Intex SWG runs at 100% for as long as your pump runs.

Try running your pump for 8 hours/day or more which according to PoolMath Effects of Adding should generate 4.8 ppm of FC/day in your 5,200 gallon pool.

 

[ninjajim4]

I doubt 4 hours is sufficient runtime for the Intex SWG.

Pools lose 3 to 4 ppm of FC a day and need that much generated.

I would dial in your SWG by running your pump much longer to where you see a daily FC rise then dialing your pump runtime back.

Your Intex SWG runs at 100% for as long as your pump runs.

Try running your pump for 8 hours/day or more which according to PoolMath Effects of Adding should generate 4.8 ppm of FC/day in your 5,200 gallon pool.

Thanks for your take. I just measured levels before the SWG ran today and I only lost about 1ppm from the last time the SWG ran. It was something of an overnight test, though I didn't get around to it until later, like 10AM, so it did get some sunlight exposure through the solar cover though it was overcast and we had some rain storms today as well. That seems like low loss of FC based on everything I see/read -- I'm unsure why that would be.

 

[Oly]

I just measured levels before the SWG ran today

This is when you should test as you dial in your system. Start with 8 hours per ajw22's advice and don't let your FC get below the target range for your CYA and you will be trouble free. I hope you are testing at home with a good kit. If you are then realize there is no 33ppm CYA, round up to 40 and follow the chart FC/CYA Levels
If you are using the free pool store results then all bets are off and you are simply guessing.

 

[ninjajim4]

This is when you should test as you dial in your system. Start with 8 hours per ajw22's advice and don't let your FC get below the target range for your CYA and you will be trouble free. I hope you are testing at home with a good kit. If you are then realize there is no 33ppm CYA, round up to 40 and follow the chart FC/CYA Levels
If you are using the free pool store results then all bets are off and you are simply guessing.

I am using the Taylor 2006 kit. It was about 1/3 of the way between 30 and 40 so I just called it at 33. I am new to testing and not happy about the subjectivity of this particular test, i.e, should i be really squinting to see just a hint of that black dot, etc.... at any rate, I have been reading that TF recommends more CYA for SWG setups so I am planning to add more.

 

[Newdude]

not happy about the subjectivity of this particular test

NONE of us are. But truth be told, you can be 10 off and it's still all good. Try what I do. Because we round up all the non 10s, only fill to the 10s. Look away and then glance down. If you instantly see it, add 10 more and try again. As soon as you have to wonder if you saw it in the first half second, call it that and go about your day.

 

[ajw22]

I am using the Taylor 2006 kit. It was about 1/3 of the way between 30 and 40 so I just called it at 33.

Your CYA is 40. We round up. If the dot disappears between 40 and 30 we round up and call it 40.

You cannot interpolate values between the lines since the scale is not linear. 1/3 between is not 3.

Don't sweat reading the CYA. See what lines you start losing the dot and round up and you are done.

 

[ninjajim4]

I love this forum. So many precise and thoughtful individuals to put my neurosis at ease

 

[ninjajim4]

Yesterday was a moderate day wrgt the weather. No rain, some sunshine. Solar cover on all day. Measured FC again today before pump and SWG turned on and it's shot up an additional 2.5 ppm. This is puzzling to me given that I've not cranked up SWG runtime and left it at 4 hours, which should be not enough. I am unsure of any relation, but my PH appears to be creeping up of its own accord -- that seems common for SWG based on my reading and I'm glad I didn't futz with it.

But according to these reads, it's like I'm not losing any FC at all throughout the day, which doesn't seem possible. Did Intex mistakenly send me their super SWG prototype?

 

[ajw22]

Don’t micro manage the SWG. You have a wide range of safe FC levels between RECOMMENDED and SLAM level. FC climbing is better than dropping.

 

[ninjajim4]

Don’t micro manage the SWG. You have a wide range of safe FC levels between RECOMMENDED and SLAM level. FC climbing is better than dropping.

I agree at present, but increasing ad infinitum is not a good thing. I was more curious about why I'm seeing unexpected increases that don't really make sense.

 

[Newdude]

I was more curious about why I'm seeing unexpected increases that don't really make sense.

The solar cover cuts your UV loss in half, maybe more.

You're also likely overestimating the gallons with the manufacturer reporting full to the brim and not water level. It's only 10%, but that's 10% more FC production.

Other than that, in any pool, if the FC goes up, it was added. We believe you that you've been hands off, so that leaves one source. Maybe the factory put the better guts in your model by mistake, but never look a gift SWG in the fins.

I suggest an overnight chlorine *gain* test. Run it overnight and see how much it produces. Then use that figure for future dialing in. (X FC per hour)

Also, I could have dialed my new SWG at the expert level if 5. I've had one since 2012 and know it as well as anyone can. But I dialed it in at 10, so when I goofed, I dropped into target range and not sub minimum.

Once I proved it could maintain a set level, then I walked away and left it at 10 so I didn't have to watch it like a hawk. I lost 12 hours of production with a storm the other day. It ended at 7AM and was blazing sun after that. I dropped to 7.5 and had plenty to spare.

I cannot reccomend insurance FC enough.

 

[ninjajim4]

The solar cover cuts your UV loss in half, maybe more.

You're also likely overestimating the gallons with the manufacturer reporting full to the brim and not water level. It's only 10%, but that's 10% more FC production.

Other than that, in any pool, if the FC goes up, it was added. We believe you that you've been hands off, so that leaves one source. Maybe the factory put the better guts in your model by mistake, but never look a gift SWG in the fins.

I suggest an overnight chlorine *gain* test. Run it overnight and see how much it produces. Then use that figure for future dialing in. (X FC per hour)

Also, I could have dialed my new SWG at the expert level if 5. I've had one since 2012 and know it as well as anyone can. But I dialed it in at 10, so when I goofed, I dropped into target range and not sub minimum.

Once I proved it could maintain a set level, then I walked away and left it at 10 so I didn't have to watch it like a hawk. I lost 12 hours of production with a storm the other day. It ended at 7AM and was blazing sun after that. I dropped to 7.5 and had plenty to spare.

I cannot reccomend insurance FC enough.

I like the idea of doing a gain test, but I haven't performed one yet. I have not adjusted beyond the 4 hours but it seems like it's the right spot based on my water tests. I haven't dipped into the danger zone at all since testing