First SLAM Prep - Ready to get this Algae!

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Things improve again this morning, FC went from 35 to 30 overnight with a CC of 1. The most exciting thing for me is the filter pressure only rose 1psi, from 16 to 17. Before I found TFP, I would see a gradual rise over 5 hours to over 25, but the pool store couldn't tell me why?!

Thanks again for your help. Having trouble with posting pics, but will soon.

Jeff
 
Jeffc2112 said:
Things improve again this morning, FC went from 35 to 30 overnight with a CC of 1. The most exciting thing for me is the filter pressure only rose 1psi, from 16 to 17. Before I found TFP, I would see a gradual rise over 5 hours to over 25, but the pool store couldn't tell me why?!

Thanks again for your help. Having trouble with posting pics, but will soon.

Jeff
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Keep up the great work!you are getting closer.
 
i would bump up your FC a bit higher. if your shock level is 35 and you only raise it to 35, you are falling below the shock level for a given amount of time pretty quickly. I just finished my SLAM and I kept the FC above the shock level the entire time, easiest way to do that for me was to raise to 5ppm above the shock level, wait for it drift back down to near shock level and bump up again. that way the FC was above shock level the entire time. more time for algae killing!

also, if you havent already done so, remove any lights, ladders, etc from the pool. I was having a hard time holding FC until I removed the light and found a TON of nasty algae living there. cleaned that out, and SLAM was finished within 24 hours.
 
Good advice, thanks Dan, Lisa, and pooldv. I've got my wife adding some bleach midday, since I'm away from home all day, so hopefully at or above FC shock level all day, and I'll check when I get home. I don't removable lights, or ladders, etc, but have made sure to scrub the light fixtures, jets, and Polaris & hose well. I've also scrubbed the skimmer compartments and that flapper valve, they were a bit slimy.

Here are some pics, showing 2 days ago and 1 day ago, will take more when I get home today, hope it's close to clear.

Thanks all, Jeff
 

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DaninFLA said:
the light isn't removable? how would you change the bulb? the entire fixture should unscrew from the niche. that's where I found my algae, in the niche.

nice progress by the way!
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Great question Dan, I've always wondered how you'd change the bulb without getting shocked to death!? I'll read up on the forum and see if anyone has talked about it. Was yours built into the wall similar to mine? If I can take it out, I'm sure there's nastiness in there too...

Thanks Patrick, can't wait to get it balanced, clean, and trouble free

Thanks, Jeff
 
Jeffc2112 said:
Great question Dan, I've always wondered how you'd change the bulb without getting shocked to death!? I'll read up on the forum and see if anyone has talked about it. Was yours built into the wall similar to mine? If I can take it out, I'm sure there's nastiness in there too...

Thanks Patrick, can't wait to get it balanced, clean, and trouble free

Thanks, Jeff
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Yes, it's removable. There should be a single screw at top. Take that out, the entire light assembly is watertight, kinda like a capsule. There will be lots of wire behind coiled up. Remove the entire capsule and pull out of the pool onto the edge. You can then clean the cavity, called a niche.
 

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Mr Bruce said:
Find the correct fuse and switch it off before you take it out.
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Thanks guys, I'm really weary of electricity and water ;) and haven't done this before so, sorry for asking follow up, but need to get this right... :) The fuse should be on the pool control panel right? I'll take a pic when I get home, but I would guess it's a fairly typical control panel setup. I don't see any fuses on the surface, but think if I took the cover off they would be under there. If I turn the lights on and switch off the fuse, I'll see the lights go off to confirm, and there are 3 screws on the light cover. I'll take those off and take it out of the pool to clean, but how are those wires to the light and into the side of the pool water tight? I imagine I need to clean both the light and the housing? Don't want to go through this whole SLAM and leave any algae around...

I've got a light in the spa too, so I'll do that one too.

By the way, Is there typically a way to keep a single color on, vs the colors switching? I don't see an option on the remote control or on the panel. I'd like to just leave them both blue, vs the dance floor I've got going now.

Thanks, Jeff
 
This is not the best picture but it's the only one on my phone

1uMJNrO.png


(and for anyone curious, yes those wires are in conduit now. I was taking the picture to remember the angle for my trip to Lowes)
 
call me dangerous dan, but I only turned off the light switch when I did it. probably not advised on here, but I just made sure no one was going to turn on the light switch while I was doing it.

full disclaimer, im also kind of reckless with electric. i typically rewire a switch with it hot. been zapped a few times. 120v is enough to annoy you, not like the 220/240 stuff. best bet is just find the power source to your whole pool on your main house breaker. turn on the pool light...then turn off the breaker and make sure the light is out (pump probably too). that's the safest route

besides you aren't going to open up the electronics, the bulb is in the large watertight container. see if this helps, it will show you what it looks like, its no big deal: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...&mid=B4E183D04AB06877527CB4E183D04AB06877527C
 
Wiring a switch hot standing in a dry house while still potentially dangerous is COMPLETELY different than standing/reaching in a pool. :shock: I would turn off the switch, breaker at subpanel, breaker at main panel and maybe even the house main. Water and electricity ... well you've heard it.
 
any updates? get the light out?


I didn't advocate taking the light out with the line hot. As long as the power is off to the light, you aren't going to get electrocuted. its not like power is going to just magically appear in the line to electrocute you. like I said, turn off the power at the house breaker and swap it out, that's the easiest way. turning off the power to the whole house, plus the breaker, plus the pool breaker, etc is a bit of overkill.
 
DaninFLA said:
any updates? get the light out?


I didn't advocate taking the light out with the line hot. As long as the power is off to the light, you aren't going to get electrocuted. its not like power is going to just magically appear in the line to electrocute you. like I said, turn off the power at the house breaker and swap it out, that's the easiest way. turning off the power to the whole house, plus the breaker, plus the pool breaker, etc is a bit of overkill.
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I agree, I just want to over emphasize the safety aspect of it. I've seen some people do some pretty scary things here and want to be sure.
 
DaninFLA said:
any updates? get the light out?


I didn't advocate taking the light out with the line hot. As long as the power is off to the light, you aren't going to get electrocuted. its not like power is going to just magically appear in the line to electrocute you. like I said, turn off the power at the house breaker and swap it out, that's the easiest way. turning off the power to the whole house, plus the breaker, plus the pool breaker, etc is a bit of overkill.
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Hi Dan, pooldv,

I did shut off the fuse at the garage panel, and felt comfortable taking the light out now, but just couldn't get enough leverage to unscrew the housing, and decided that I'd take my chances that it wasn't that bad in there. I know I'm taking a risk that there might be algae in there, but since it was so tough to get it out, I'm pretty confident that it's water tight enough...

My SLAM is just about done, I'm hoping to pass the OCLT in the morning and will let everyone know and post new pics. The pool looks phenomenally clear, and more importantly, the filter is holding a fairly constant pressure now, meaning there is less algae clogging it up. My clean pressure is 16 and after running two days, it only climbed to 19, which was amazing. For the past year, I'd go a day or less before it would hit 32, so I'm thrilled. Now, I'll never let the FC get low again, will stop using pucks which raised my CYA to 120+, and won't be listening to the pool store anymore.

More to come, thanks all,
Jeff
 

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