Why do I keep burning thru SWG’s?

[atropine]

We’ve been in our house a little over a year now. Previous owners had a pool installed about 4 years ago. 15k gallons, automatic cover, Hayward AquaRite chlorine generator. From the time we moved in until we Winterized the pool last year, Everything seemed to be fine. But I couldn’t control the actual running of the pump from my phone- previous owner said the pool installed had never been able to get it to work right. They thought it was a bad cable from the controller to the pump, but had tried a new one to no avail. So they just set the controls on the actual pump to run 24/7 at a lower rpm. So my pump never shut off. So this spring I went searching for a solution. After searching on here I realized they had wired my Jandy controller to my Pentair pump without connecting the correct color wires at the Jandy control box. Once I fixed that I have been able to control the pump on/off correctly. But as soon as I did that I found my SWG started acting weird. Eventually I discovered that the SWG had been wired directly to the breaker box panel so that it was connected to live power 24/7. I figured out where inside the Jandy box the power relay was for the SWG and wired it into there (interestingly, it looked like something had been wired into that relay previously as the terminal screws were clearly out of the fully closed position). But even then, the BluWater T-3 knockoff salt cell still wouldn’t generate. So I purchased another new T-3 knockoff and installed it, and it started working immediately. But it only worked for a few weeks before it just stopped generating. No error lights, and all the diagnostic numbers looked right. I verified my salt content is correct (3400) with 2 independent tests (my home TFP kit and again at a pool store.). Figured maybe it was just a cheap fluke salt cell. Found a good deal on another new T-3 knockoff from Home Depot online, and installed it. Started generating immediately and overnight my free chlorine level went from almost zero to 2.3. Worked well for a couple weeks and now doesn’t seem to be generating, despite no error lights on the panel. I have inspected the cell visually and cleaned them all with no change. There is a loud “thunk” in the SWG box when the power kicks on to it; is that normal? Wondering if I have a Hayward AquaRite control box power surge issue that keeps ruining my salt cells?

 

[ajw22]

This is the basic information we need to know in diagnosing a problem:

• Report all diagnostic readings when you..
  • Move the switch from auto to off and check all of the readings.
  • Move the switch back to auto and recheck the readings.
  • Move the switch to off for a minute and then back to auto and recheck the readings.
• What is the actual salinity and how are you measuring it?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Also, have you been maintaining your pool’s chlorine levels manually while working through these cell issues or have you allowed your FC to drop to zero? If so, you can get algae growing that way and it can make the SWG appear as if it is not working because the planktonic algae is using up all the chlorine that’s being generated.

Please post your latest test results.

If your equipment diagnostics are correct and there’s no other issues with your water chemistry, then I’d suspect an algae problem.

 

[1poolman1]

We’ve been in our house a little over a year now. Previous owners had a pool installed about 4 years ago. 15k gallons, automatic cover, Hayward AquaRite chlorine generator. From the time we moved in until we Winterized the pool last year, Everything seemed to be fine. But I couldn’t control the actual running of the pump from my phone- previous owner said the pool installed had never been able to get it to work right. They thought it was a bad cable from the controller to the pump, but had tried a new one to no avail. So they just set the controls on the actual pump to run 24/7 at a lower rpm. So my pump never shut off. So this spring I went searching for a solution. After searching on here I realized they had wired my Jandy controller to my Pentair pump without connecting the correct color wires at the Jandy control box. Once I fixed that I have been able to control the pump on/off correctly. But as soon as I did that I found my SWG started acting weird. Eventually I discovered that the SWG had been wired directly to the breaker box panel so that it was connected to live power 24/7. I figured out where inside the Jandy box the power relay was for the SWG and wired it into there (interestingly, it looked like something had been wired into that relay previously as the terminal screws were clearly out of the fully closed position). But even then, the BluWater T-3 knockoff salt cell still wouldn’t generate. So I purchased another new T-3 knockoff and installed it, and it started working immediately. But it only worked for a few weeks before it just stopped generating. No error lights, and all the diagnostic numbers looked right. I verified my salt content is correct (3400) with 2 independent tests (my home TFP kit and again at a pool store.). Figured maybe it was just a cheap fluke salt cell. Found a good deal on another new T-3 knockoff from Home Depot online, and installed it. Started generating immediately and overnight my free chlorine level went from almost zero to 2.3. Worked well for a couple weeks and now doesn’t seem to be generating, despite no error lights on the panel. I have inspected the cell visually and cleaned them all with no change. There is a loud “thunk” in the SWG box when the power kicks on to it; is that normal? Wondering if I have a Hayward AquaRite control box power surge issue that keeps ruining my salt cells?

The "thunk" is the transformer kicking on, it makes a lot of noise in an Aquarite, mine always has.
You're using a T-3 cell at its maximum capacity, and then getting non-OEM cells, and asking them to do what the originals can barely keep up with.
If you have the ability (proper software revision) get a T-9 or even T-15, set the system for the proper cell, and use it as has been recommended on this site, a big cell running at reduced capacity will out far last one that is at capacity.

Old pool saying, "The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price has faded."

 

[atropine]

Thanks everyone. Here are some follow up data as requested:

Yes, I have been keeping up by adding chlorine tabs throughout this entire time. The FC level has been low, but never completely zero. There is no visible algae, but when it gets very low the water does start to little “cloudy/white”. I then add some more chlorine tabs and it cleans up.

With SWG off, these are the diagnostic screen readings on the AquaRite:
1. 3800 (average salt ppm)
2. 88 (degrees)
3. 32.2 (cell voltage)
4. 0.00 (cell amperage)
5. 82P (set percentage)
6. - 0 (current salt ppm measurement)
7. AL-2
8. r1.59 (current firmware version)
9. T-3

When the SWG is turned back to auto, the readings are:
1. 3800
2. 88
3. 27.8
4. 3.66
5. 82P
6. -3800
7. AL-2
8. r1.59
9. T-3

After switched off for a minute, then back on, the readings are as follows:

1. 3800
2. 88
3. 27.8
4. 3.61
5. 82P
6. -3800
7. AL-2
8. r1.59
9. T-3

My actual salinity is 3400. This is the result I got doing my own home test with my TFP pool kit. I took a sample into a pool supply store also (although it was 6 hours away, we dont have a local pool supply store near me). They ran the test and it was 3400 on their machine also.

I just noticed my cell voltage is a little lower when in the “auto” position than it is in the “off” position. That seems wrong….. ? When I turn the percentage dial down, u can hear it “click off” of generating and the voltage will jump back up to 31-32. Turn the dial back up and the voltage drops back to 27. This seems opposite of what it should be according to one troubleshooting reference I read; it said 20-25V when not generating, and 30-35V when generating.

My current FC level is 0.9 (measured with Water Guru). This seems about right confirmed with a visual check with my home kit. I have added some chlorine tabs and I suspect this is what’s keeping it even up that high.

Is a T-3 cell overworked by a covered 15k pool? If so, I will order a bigger Hayward and pay the $$$. But when I first installed it I was only running it at 30% and overnight (16 hours of pump run time) it brought the FC up from almost zero to 2.3. This makes me think that it’s not really overtaxing to this cell….

 

[ajw22]

The diagnostic says your cell is generating fine.

Does your pool pass the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test? If not, you have algae and need to follow the SLAM Process

 

[mas985]

Is a T-3 cell overworked by a covered 15k pool? If so, I will order a bigger Hayward and pay the $$$. But when I first installed it I was only running it at 30% and overnight (16 hours of pump run time) it brought the FC up from almost zero to 2.3. This makes me think that it’s not really overtaxing to this cell….

The T-3 cell produces 0.53 lbs/day when running at 100% so running at 30% for 16 hours would have been 0.106 lbs and in a 15k pool, that would be only 0.85 ppm so something is not correct unless you had the tabs in the pool at the same time.

 

[atropine]

Thanks guys. There must’ve been some other chlorine tabs put in at the same time then- I didn’t think so, but it would have to be of those calculations are right. I haven’t done the chlorine loss test- but I will do it tonight and then SLAM the pool if needed.

 

[mas985]

After you do the OCLT, you can also do an OCGT (overnight chlorine generation test) to see if the SWG is generating what it should be.

 

[atropine]

Ok, so you guys were correct. My problem was algae. After doing a SLAM for a few days, the pool is crystal clear now. I didn’t realize how cloudy it was before. Thx everyone!