Pool Chlorine Level Keeps Dropping (Please help! Incurring astronomic costs in chemicals)

[Newdude]

I certainly recommend the TFpro(salt) and will use it exclusively going forward.

Here's the Taylor comps for comparison:

K2006 (to TF100)
*2.7X less supplies
*not guaranteed fresh

K2006C (to TFpro)
*no smart stir
*organized case but not as nice as TFpro
*supplies not aligned with how we do things
*not guaranteed fresh

The TF kits are only available at Tftestkits.net

TF-Pro Salt

tftestkits.net

The Taylor kits are widely available online or select pool stores. We can totally advise you with those results, the TF kits are simply a better deal.

***edit. I just saw your location and you may have issues ordering from either supplier. Keep us posted.

 

[Bill1974]

Take a gallon of pool water and combine it with a gallon of tap water. Use your test strips and see of they read half the amount on your chemicals to get an idea of how accurate it may be.

Since you have a salt system, is the pump flowing enough and running long enough to get as much out of it as possible. You can also test the output of the chlorine generator but checking chlorine reading when it running to see at what rate they are changing and them do the same test witht the chlorine generator off and adding liquid chlorine (you will need to know the concentration and volume added to know how much free chlorine is added). Your chlorine generator should be putting out a specific amount of free chlorine over a period of time. Short of the pool being a swamp and/or having a really poor quality chlorine tester, you should be able to figure out if the salt cell is working as it should or at least in the ball park.

You have had the pool for 14 years you know what it take to maintain it. Would it make sense to empty it, clean everything and refill to start with a known clean pool? might be cheaper then chemicals.

 

[qsch1]

Thanks, whenever not adding liquid chlorine, then the free chlorine level goes back down to zero (within about a week time).

We have got it clear several times, but then the chlorine level drops (unless throwing in Chlorine manually all the time) and it turns back to being green. I have now changed the cell and also the sensor and wire to see if this would help in the production of the free chlorine.

The amount of chemicals I have put in and salt it has, I am hesitant to drain the water. Everything here is twice the price due to import duties. Also it rained a lot in the last months, so I assume at least 10 - 20% of it is fresh water, if not more.

I had put a new computer board in about a year ago, and since then things have not been running ideally - could it be that this is maybe not functioning properly as it was purchased on ebay?

The flow of the pump is really good. Regards, Q

PS: I am trying to get a test kit sent to me in the next weeks, but its not easy in the Caribbean.

 

[Mdragger88]

You can attempt to catch a sample directly from the return jet to see if the fc is higher than in the bulk of the pool water to see if you have any production.
If your cell is clear you should also be able to see bubbles forming inside the cell housing if the unit is producing.
Here’s some info that may help you in diagnosing your unit

AutoPilot SWG - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

While draining the water, scrubbing & starting over clean is a fast way to get algae free & know where you stand (at least at first) it isn’t necessary.
The SLAM Process is designed to get you algae free & prove it by testing not just by how it looks alone.
Without the recommended testing supplies carrying out this task of maintaining slam fc levels can be hard to carry out leading to over/under chlorinating which wastes chemicals, takes longer & risks damage to surfaces & equipment.
Your pool must be algae free for the swcg to be able to maintain the pools fc level. They can only produce so much fc each day & they’re slow- they can’t keep the pace with algae constantly proliferating.
To stay algae free thereafter you must maintain adequate fc for your cya FC/CYA Levels
at all times even if the cell isn’t functioning properly. This will mean that you need to continue to manually dose the pool until you know its functioning how it is supposed to. Don’t wait for it to go green.

My best advice is still to just dose the pool daily with 5ppm worth of liquid chlorine while you are waiting for your testing supplies. It won’t fix it but it will keep it from getting worse.
Chlorine is the answer here - the question is just how much.

When you get some reliable data we’ll know & you can be off to the races.

In the interim you may try some of the things I mentioned at the top of this post to troubleshoot your swcg. There’s a link in the wiki article about electronic troubleshooting for that unit.

 

[qsch1]

So guys good news, I have a friend flying down in 4 days from Florida. I ordered the TF Pro Salt today with Slam function. I will do the 4 tests as soon as I have it in 5 days or so, and let you all know what the results are. Thanks very much for your help!

 

[Bperry]

So guys good news, I have a friend flying down in 4 days from Florida. I ordered the TF Pro Salt today with Slam function. I will do the 4 tests as soon as I have it in 5 days or so, and let you all know what the results are. Thanks very much for your help!

Make sure to use the smaller 10 mL water samples when testing if possible since it’s so hard for you to get refills.

 

[qsch1]

So guys, it seems I have solved the problem finally; I believe it is as I was saying. Although there was no error code, I changed and put in a new cell, and I also changed the sensor and cable. I dont know yet if it was the cell or sensor until I put back the old cell. We gave the pool a good shock, and it has cleared up like magic, as it has not been in 6 - 12 months the water is divine (we just have to give it a final vacuum). I have a new issue now however, I believe the gardener who changed the sensor did not do it properly, and I now have a leak from inside, please see the photos.

 

[qsch1]

So guys, it seems I have solved the problem finally; I believe it is as I was saying. Although there was no error code, I changed and put in a new cell, and I also changed the sensor and cable. I dont know yet if it was the cell or sensor until I put back the old cell. We gave the pool a good shock, and it has cleared up like magic, as it has not been in 6 - 12 months the water is divine (we just have to give it a final vacuum). I have a new issue now however, I believe the gardener who changed the sensor did not do it properly, and I now have a leak from inside, please see the photos.

Can I take this out somehow and stick it, I don't know what to do. One problem to the next.

 

[Mdragger88]

Oh man! Looks like you need a new flow switch tee. Was that replaced or just the switch inside?
You can try some if these fixes but they may only work temporarily if they work at all

PVC Repair - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

The pool may be clearer than before but you’ve still got an algae problem.
We want it to be this clear
How Clear is TFP Clear?
Keep adding the 5ppm /day to prevent it from getting worse until you can properly do battle when your kit comes .
When your kit arrives do all the tests & post the results here like this
Fc
Cc
Ph
Ta
Ch
Cya
Salt

 

[qsch1]

That

Oh man! Looks like you need a new flow switch tee. Was that replaced or just the switch inside?
You can try some if these fixes but they may only work temporarily if they work at all

PVC Repair - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

The pool may be clearer than before but you’ve still got an algae problem.
We want it to be this clear
How Clear is TFP Clear?
Keep adding the 5ppm /day to prevent it from getting worse until you can properly do battle when your kit comes .
When your kit arrives do all the tests & post the results here like this
Fc
Cc
Ph
Ta
Ch
Cya
Salt

Thanks, yes I realise that is the residue after the technical problem got sorted out. As soon as I receive the test kit, we will post the results. Appreciate your help!

 

[qsch1]

So since changing the cell and sensor, the pool is crystal clear blue. I gave the cell and sensor an acid bath, so I will replace each part to see which one is the one giving trouble, or maybe the acid bath solved the issue? Regardless of this, you all will be psyched that I finally got the test kit (attached), and I will do the tests this week and post them here. Thank you all for your help...

 

[Bperry]

So since changing the cell and sensor, the pool is crystal clear blue. I gave the cell and sensor an acid bath, so I will replace each part to see which one is the one giving trouble, or maybe the acid bath solved the issue? Regardless of this, you all will be psyched that I finally got the test kit (attached), and I will do the tests this week and post them here. Thank you all for your help...

Be careful of acid bath, it reduces the lifetime of the cell. Would caution you against doing that again.

 

[qsch1]

Be careful of acid bath, it reduces the lifetime of the cell. Would caution you against doing that again.

With water diluted, 4 parts water to 1 part acid, and only a short time until it stops bubbling.

 

[Newdude]

With water diluted, 4 parts water to 1 part acid, and only a short time until it stops bubbling.

Knock off whatever buildup you can first with something thin and non metallic......wooden BBQ skewers, zip tie, popsicle stick, etc. Anything that can get in there without scratching the plates. Then try vinegar for anything left with the same deal to stop when the fizzing does.

If any is still left, then acid is your last resort but at least you shortened the time it will be exposed to the acid.

 

[Bperry]

With water diluted, 4 parts water to 1 part acid, and only a short time until it stops bubbling.

Yep. That’ll dissolve a layer of the precious metals in the cell and reduce its life. Try using manual methods first and only acid as a last resort and only if you can see visible buildup.

 

[Mdragger88]

So since changing the cell and sensor, the pool is crystal clear blue. I gave the cell and sensor an acid bath, so I will replace each part to see which one is the one giving trouble, or maybe the acid bath solved the issue? Regardless of this, you all will be psyched that I finally got the test kit (attached), and I will do the tests this week and post them here. Thank you all for your help...

I’m so jealous of your view!

 

[Newdude]

I’m so jealous of your view!

The TFPro sure is nice. I admire mine everytime too.

Wait !!! Did you mean like the boats and stuff ????
I guess thats kinda cool also.

 

[proavia]

Regardless of this, you all will be psyched that I finally got the test kit (attached), and I will do the tests this week and post them here. Thank you all for your help...

View attachment 551176

Nice - looks like you got the XL option as well.

Use PoolMath and link it to your forum account. This will allow us to see your results without you needing to post them separately.

Instead of using acid to clean the cell, use the manual method first to remove as much buildup as possible without scratching the SWG plates. Then use vinegar to clean the SWG cell - it's less harsh than a diluted acid mixture.

 

[Mdragger88]

@qsch1 We’re anxiously awaiting your results!
Fc,cc,ph,ta,ch,cya,salt
Here’s the videos if you need guidance

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE98E18E2EE701C4D&si=vFGjyCfDS4dGhSl1

& Although you say it looks great now you should do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to confirm you’re actually algae free.
That’s the great thing about doing your own accurate testing- you’re not just dependent upon how you think the pool looks you can actually confirm or deny your suspicions.

 

[qsch1]

Oh man! Looks like you need a new flow switch tee. Was that replaced or just the switch inside?
You can try some if these fixes but they may only work temporarily if they work at all

PVC Repair - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

The pool may be clearer than before but you’ve still got an algae problem.
We want it to be this clear
How Clear is TFP Clear?
Keep adding the 5ppm /day to prevent it from getting worse until you can properly do battle when your kit comes .
When your kit arrives do all the tests & post the results here like this
Fc
Cc
Ph
Ta
Ch
Cya
Salt

I have added the pool to pool math and I am seeing these values. I believe CC is missing there? Will look at videos and do soon. There is also CSI in the values of the app but you did not mention so not sure if that is needed just want to be sure have it is setup correctly