Salt level discrepancies

Welcome to TFP.

revv said:

What is the most reliable way of testing salt in pools known to mankind?

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Taylor K-1766 Salt Test Kit or

TF-100 Salt Test Kit is the same without the box.

Different methods of testing salinity get different results.

What model SWG do you have? Some SWGs salt readings are more reliable then others.

Is your SWG generating chlorine? If it is then the other salt readings don’t matter.

ajw22 said:

Welcome to TFP

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I second that!

revv said:

What is the most reliable way of testing salt in pools

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With the Trouble Free Pool methods, we always recommend getting your own test kit so you can manage the water yourself. You will find it easy and will avoid any madding results all over the place. The worst thing you can do for testing is this....

revv said:

I tested my pool for salt level using the Acquacheck salt test strips.

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revv said:

decided to take a sample to a pool store

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revv said:

I went to a different pool store to test water

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Pool stores and test strips are never going to give you reliable results on any test (except maybe metals which is not included in any of the recommended test kits). While @ajw22 gave you the best test for salt, do yourself a favor and take a look at the TFP Pro Salt test kit here... TF-Pro Salt with SmartStir

You will get a testing kit that has everything you need to take control of your water, provide reliable test results, and stop the maddening circle of pool store advice. You mentioned salt as your issue, however, if you were relying on test strips or pool stores, you may find your chemistry is a little more off than just the salt levels.

I keep an eye on the salt level, but I don’t test it regularly unless the reading from the salt cell starts to change. When I do test, I use the Taylor test kit. The salt cell never reads exactly what the Taylor kit tests - usually around a 10% difference, with the Taylor kit testing out higher than the salt cell reading. For me, once the salt level is established, it just doesn’t change much on a regular basis. Evaporation and refill will cause it to drop, but it takes quite a while, even with my chiller running, which is an evaporative cooler.

As recommended above, get yourself a reliable test kit. Then get your salt level set appropriately, note the variance between your test kit reading and the salt cell reading and keep an eye on it without stressing over it.

And I’d also highly recommend the Smart Stir. I thought it was kind of gimmicky at first, but I now love it. Same goes for the Taylor Sample Sizer. Those 2 tools cut my pool chemistry testing time in half.

Good luck!

revv said:

I have a Jandy Trueclear unit and it is producing chlorine. A lot of chlorine actually; it was set at 80% for 3 months and now my free chlorine is at 10.29 ppm. I'm trying to bring that down to a normal level by leaving it at 30% to see if I can get it to drop.

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You need one more conversion, from Heisenberg to Einstein: Normal is relative. Depends on your CYA-level.

To complete the Einstein conversion, get the full Taylor kit and run a complete set of tests, including CYA. And have a look at the FC/CYA Levels.

revv said:

I bought a cheap test kit from the pool store so I can learn how to be Walter White. I've always been more of a Jesse Pinkman to be honest. Once my conversion into Heisenberg is complete, I will order the complete Taylor kit.

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If the cheap test kit isn’t reliable, you’ll still be dealing with this:

revv said:

I'm starting to lose my mind.

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I have $100k invested in my pool, so spending $100 on a reliable test kit wasn’t a concern for me. I can’t imagine a cheap test kit is any easier than a proven one, unless it’s just test strips, which are known to be inaccurate. Regardless, I think you’ll find pool water testing to be incredibly easy. No Heisenberg-level knowledge is required. Jeff Spicoli could do it.

And just in case you didn’t click the FC/CYA chart link, I’ve pasted the SWCG version here. The “relative” comment above means that your chlorine levels are dependent on your CYA levels. Generally speaking, I keep my free chlorine level at roughly 10% of my CYA level, so if my CYA is 80, I maintain FC at 8. Keeping FC a little highly than the Target levels below is just fine.

• Salt Water Generator

*Not Recommended

Good luck!

ajw22 said:

Different methods of testing salinity get different results.

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Indeed. To elaborate :

The only accurate method commonly available is a chloride titration drop test.

Any salinity measurement reported by an SWG is going to be a WAG at best because they rely on conductivity under extreme conditions (large surface area electrodes and high current) and are rarely remotely accurately temperature compensated or indeed calibrated. It's also significantly affected by electrode contamination, age and condition.

My local pool store uses a conductivity meter, but again it's not temperature compensated and from my own testing it's rarely (if ever) calibrated. To test that, over a 4 month period I turned up once a fortnight with a sample I'd "prepared earlier", so I knew the salt content +/- 50ppm. They were *way* out. Some times over 1000ppm. Before I learned better and started testing a home, I ran my chlorinator grossly under-salted for years.

Personally, I use the Taylor drop method once a year (I've been using that on salt pools for over 30 years now). The rest of the time I use a temperature compensated TDS meter, and it's always +/- 100ppm of the drop test, which is well and truly close enough.

Oddly enough, I prepare a calibration standard for the TDS meter and check it from time to time, and even taking into account the other ions in the pool it's always "close enough" on actual Chloride salinity.

To qualify the 30 years, Salinity titration tests were unavailable in Australia for ~15 years in the middle there because "Chromate bad". Yay for Clear Choice Labs bringing them back, because I used to buy the test kit at the local pool store when I was a teenager.

Your salt level only needs to be as accurate as the Chlorinator needs it to be. Mine is happy anywhere between ~2900 -> 6000ppm. So a bag or two is neither here nor there.

revv said:

Smart Stir seems to be a great idea, but I'll hold off a bit on it.

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There's no reason to hold off. It's not expensive. It makes testing much easier, more accurate, and repeatable. That is money extremely well spent.

revv said:

Thanks guys. I ordered the Taylor salt test kit. Let's see how it goes.

Smart Stir seems to be a great idea, but I'll hold off a bit on it.

I have a Jandy Trueclear unit and it is producing chlorine. A lot of chlorine actually; it was set at 80% for 3 months and now my free chlorine is at 10.29 ppm. I'm trying to bring that down to a normal level by leaving it at 30% to see if I can get it to drop.

I bought a cheap test kit from the pool store so I can learn how to be Walter White. I've always been more of a Jesse Pinkman to be honest. Once my conversion into Heisenberg is complete, I will order the complete Taylor kit.

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Without a proper test kit, you don't know your CYA levels. 10.29ppm is not a test result from a proper test kit, so who knows if that is even right. With that said - 10ppm of FC with proper CYA is perfectly fine, and even potentially desirable. In my pool, I'm completely happy with FC of 8-10ppm and my kids swim daily, no goggles, and I can be confident the pool is safe.

There is ZERO benefit to trying to keep FC low. You just need to balance the creation of FC with the actual demand, leaving a healthy buffer for bather load, bad weather, etc.

revv said:

Ok, you guys win. The Smart Stir is a game changer. I just got one

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I think you win here! Nice pick up!