Need suggestions for replacement SWG

[Poolherpderp]

I'm really new to pool maintenance. My girlfriend has this saltwater pool and recently algae started growing like crazy. So I start doing some troubleshooting on the SWG and cell. The breaker on the SWG keeps flipping, so there is my problem. After I flip the breaker, it works for a little while, then it flips off again. I notice up at the cell where the cord goes into the cell housing, there is some discoloration and a very slow water leak running down the cord. After pulling the housing off and the cap over the cord where it joins the cell, I can see heavy corrosion and black charred stuff around the wire leads, and there is a burnt smell.

Long story short, the cell leaked on the wires and shorted them out. This also seems to have fried my SWG. So, I'm looking for a replacement. Around the internet, Compupool seems to have a bad rap for unreliable equipment. This model is CPSC24. I'm going to need a new cell, cell housing, and SWG. Any recommendations? Things to avoid? Is this model even the right unit for a 36,000 gallon pool? Any help is appreciated.

 

[chiefwej]

You generally want a SWG that is oversize for the pool capacity, but at 36,000 gallons that's a pretty big pool. You might want to consider the Hayward AquaRite with a T-15 cell. It's rated up to 40,000 gallons, so you are near the upper limit of it's capacity. The nice thing is that there are so many of these units in use that advice and trouble shooting is readily available here on the forum. I've had one for over ten years now. I had to replace the cell once at 7 years and have had the input resistor fail. An Internet search, $2.50 part and 20 min with a soldering iron, and it was back in service.

With your size pool, I wouldn't expect the cell to last quite as long as mine did. Some where between 3 and 5 years would be more like it. The cell has a three year warranty and cost $400 to replace. So if you get 4 years, that would make your chlorine cost $100 per year. Initial cost for the system is $800-1,000.

 

[Poolherpderp]

You generally want a SWG that is oversize for the pool capacity, but at 36,000 gallons that's a pretty big pool. You might want to consider the Hayward AquaRite with a T-15 cell. It's rated up to 40,000 gallons, so you are near the upper limit of it's capacity. The nice thing is that there are so many of these units in use that advice and trouble shooting is readily available here on the forum. I've had one for over ten years now. I had to replace the cell once at 7 years and have had the input resistor fail. An Internet search, $2.50 part and 20 min with a soldering iron, and it was back in service.

With your size pool, I wouldn't expect the cell to last quite as long as mine did. Some where between 3 and 5 years would be more like it. The cell has a three year warranty and cost $400 to replace. So if you get 4 years, that would make your chlorine cost $100 per year. Initial cost for the system is $800-1,000.

Ok, yeah those models do seem to have some good feedback, at least on Amazon. Thank you. The price I'm finding is around $900. It sucks that I'll have to redo the PVC pipe if I switch models. Compupool has the I/O lines coming up from the bottom, not the front and back like Aquarite.

So, since you have experience with the Hayward Aquarite, do you find it generally accurate for measuring the amount of salt in the water? The Compupool system seemed to have some calibration issues or something. Sometimes it would say high salt, other times low, even in the same day.

 

[ping]

Most SWG's measure the salt content fairly accurate but some are more accurate than others throughout a temperature range. AutoPilot SWG's have temperature compensation and will show the correct salinity if the water is cold or hot. Most units loose some accuracy at the high and low ends of the pool temps but rarely is that a problem.

A couple side notes for you:

1. SWG's actually do not measure the salinity, they measure the conductivity of the water and then transpose that number to represent the salinity. That's why there is a difference between cold and hot water with most SWG's.

2. Always measure the salinity of the water with a test other than what the SWG says it is before you add salt to the pool. If something is wrong with the SWG salinity measurement it is best not to add too much salt or else the pool will need some water replacement.

Do you have a price for the SWG that you don't want to go over? The AutoPilot RC-52 is rated for 60,000 gallons but it is more expensive than the Hayward.

 

[chiefwej]

A little shopping might save you $50 or so, but $900 sounds about right. Look for free shipping and just maybe a rebate, but that's about what you will pay. I said $800-1000 and that's right in the middle.

Based on what you are saying, I would say the Hayward is more consistent with its salt readings. I think all SWGs salt readings go haywire when the cell starts failing.