My pentair salt generator is not producing chlorine even after cleaning. All lights are green. My pool supply guy says he has checked everything as far as chemicals go. He suggested that running the heat pump at high temperatures might be causing the issue. We like keeping the pool between 85 and 90 Fahrenheit
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,271
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Welcome to TFP.
If you have all the correct green lights on your cell then it is generating chlorine.
The question is what in your pool is rapidly consuming the generated chlorine?
What specific cell do you have?
How many gallons in your pool?
What is the generation % set and how long does your pump run for?
What test kit do you use?
How do you check water chemistry?
www.troublefreepool.com
If you have all the correct green lights on your cell then it is generating chlorine.
The question is what in your pool is rapidly consuming the generated chlorine?
What specific cell do you have?
How many gallons in your pool?
What is the generation % set and how long does your pump run for?
What test kit do you use?
How do you check water chemistry?
Pool Care Basics Archives
Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!
www.troublefreepool.com
57,
Your pool guy has no clue. While cold water might shut the cell off, hot water will not.
I assume you have an IntelliChlor. Is that correct, it not, what do you have?
With the IntelliChlor if the cell light turns green (not flashing) then the cell is making chlorine. If the cell is set to 50% output, then the cell light will come on for about 2.5 minutes and then it will be off for 2.5 minutes. You should check that cell light is working correctly.
If the cell light is flashing, even when the cell is clean, it means that the cell is used up.
How old it the cell?
It could simply be that you have very little CYA in your pool water and that the cell can't make enough chlorine faster than it gets used up.
You could also have algae, even if you can't see it yet. Algae can consume chlorine faster than the cell can make it.
We don't ever believe anyone when they say their "Chemicals are right". Either you know what the chemicals levels of your pool water is or you don't.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Your pool guy has no clue. While cold water might shut the cell off, hot water will not.
I assume you have an IntelliChlor. Is that correct, it not, what do you have?
With the IntelliChlor if the cell light turns green (not flashing) then the cell is making chlorine. If the cell is set to 50% output, then the cell light will come on for about 2.5 minutes and then it will be off for 2.5 minutes. You should check that cell light is working correctly.
If the cell light is flashing, even when the cell is clean, it means that the cell is used up.
How old it the cell?
It could simply be that you have very little CYA in your pool water and that the cell can't make enough chlorine faster than it gets used up.
You could also have algae, even if you can't see it yet. Algae can consume chlorine faster than the cell can make it.
We don't ever believe anyone when they say their "Chemicals are right". Either you know what the chemicals levels of your pool water is or you don't.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Thanks for the quick reply. My pool is 10,000 gal. I use test strips but take in water samples about every other week to confirm. Cell is pentair. Tried settings from 80% to 100% running 24 hours. Also have tried boost mode. Bringing the temp down to 83 seems to allow for some chlorine to accumulate.Welcome to TFP.
If you have all the correct green lights on your cell then it is generating chlorine.
The question is what in your pool is rapidly consuming the generated chlorine?
What specific cell do you have?
How many gallons in your pool?
What is the generation % set and how long does your pump run for?
What test kit do you use?
How do you check water chemistry?
Pool Care Basics Archives
Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!
- May 3, 2014
- 58,311
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Welcome to the forum.
For you to get reliable advice, we need data. That data needs to come from a proper, reliable test kit.
We recommend either the TF100/Pro from TFTestkits.net, or a Taylor K2006C.
The test strips and pool store testing are kinda garbage. I know it’s hard to believe but get one of the two recommended test kits to get reliable data. No one believes the pool store tests or the strips. We need to know the actual CYA number not just that it’s in range.
If my pool guy and self testing is all Crud then how come when I lower the temp to 83 everything levels out and my pool is Chrystal clear. I raise it to 90 and the chemistry falls apart. Zero to .5 chlorine.
How do you know it “levels out”?
Self testing is great and the recommended method of TFP, it’s just that the self testing strips are not accurate. Without any real water test results, everyone will just be guessing at a problem. Trust me, I get that it’s hard to swallow, but the good test kit is really worth it. Post up some actual numbers from a reliable kit and it’ll be easier to help.
- Mar 5, 2020
- 2,965
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
That points pretty much towards algae. The higher the temperature, the faster algae keeps reproducing. At lower temperatures, chlorine production just keeps up to show a little residual, but at higher temperatures, algae growth totally outnumbers chlorine production.
You need to do:
1) Get a test kit: Test Kits Compared
(EDIT: and buy liquid chlorine)
2) Do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
3) Follow the SLAM Process
4) Stick to the recommended FC/CYA Levels