HELP! Salt way too high - what is going on with AquaRite?

[west1745]

Okay - I can't believe I fell victim to this one. My aquarite has been reading low salt due to rain so I put in a bag. More rain and it is still low so 2 more bags. The reading is still low so I tested with my salt tester - and now it is 5700 according to the test kit but 2200 according to the AquaRite. So, I guess I have to partially drain/refill and use the salt test to get it right. I probably should have used the salt test kit to begin with - sometimes I do but the AquaRite has always been "right" so to speak.

The chlorine is also very low -like zero until I added bleach yesterday - so I am wondering if there is something wrong with the cell - that it did not detect the salt correctly? And is not able to put out enough chlorine? usually we are problem free.

The system is now 3 years old and water is 73 degrees

 

[mas985]

Before doing anything, you might want to investigate why it is reading so low. It could be a bad cell or just a dirty one. Remove and inspect just to make sure. You might clean it anyway just to make sure.

However, low chlorine and a bad salt reading is usually an indication of a cell on the way out. 3 years isn't too bad for the average cell life.

Also, just curious as to your average run schedule (% setting, hours per day, days per year).

 

[west1745]

Hi Mark S and thanks for helping.

Okay - I live in Florida so usually warm all year. In winter I keep the setting at about 30% and in summer about 50%. I usually run the chlorine at 3-5ppm. I have a 2 speed pump - so it is on full speed for 3 hours - at which time the chlorine generator shuts off - and then the generator is running the other 21 hours per day on the pump's slow speed. I never use the "shock" feature of the AquaRite - I have always used the bleach method for this - although I almost never need to shock it

I did clean the cell - it is reading low.

I was thinking I should partially drain the pool to get the salt correct and then correct all chemicals - CYA, Ph, chlorine, alkalinity (have Ben's kit), etc.

I wonder if I need a new cell? Do I buy that myself and put in? Where do you get one?

And how do I drain the pool? Do I shut the skimmer off and let the pump do it through the main drain? I was thinking I am going to have to take off more than 30% (pool is 14K gallons) so not sure how long either.

OMG - what a mess. I will never trust the salt reading on the generator again - I do have the Taylor Salt test kit.

 

[mas985]

I did clean the cell - it is reading low.

Then my guess is that the cell is going bad. Probably a good time to start shopping. Even if it wasn't bad, eventually it will go bad and you will need it anyway.

I was thinking I should partially drain the pool to get the salt correct and then correct all chemicals - CYA, Ph, chlorine, alkalinity (have Ben's kit), etc.

If the PH is ok and the salt level is high, the cell should be generating chlorine. If it isn't, it is probably bad.

I wonder if I need a new cell? Do I buy that myself and put in? Where do you get one?

Yes. Do a search on the internet but check Ebay. They sometimes have good deals and if nothing else will give you a price point to comparison shop. Here is one for $385. That seems to be the going price.

And how do I drain the pool? Do I shut the skimmer off and let the pump do it through the main drain? I was thinking I am going to have to take off more than 30% (pool is 14K gallons) so not sure how long either.

You can do that but wait to see what the new cell reads first. It it shuts off due to high amps, then you will need to replace some of the water. Probably close to 40%.

OMG - what a mess. I will never trust the salt reading on the generator again - I do have the Taylor Salt test kit.

When the cells are new, they pretty accurate or at least close.

If my math is right, you have gotten a pretty good life out of that cell. I get about 64000 amp-hours which is really good. (this assumed about 7 amps average).

 

[west1745]

Okay - thanks. I did always watch the Ph and cleaned it regularly - and kept the switch on low - like 30%. Thanks for the ebay link, too. I guess it is easy to unhook and just put the new one in? It looks like it plugs in pretty easily to the control board.

 

[Guest]

Please also post a full set of water test readings. I am particularly interested in your pH, CYA, and TA.