First salt test, appears I'm creating salt!

[flipr]

New pool, 5 weeks old. Converted to salt this week, Monday. PB set the Pentair IC 40 at 60%, added salt and said to test frequently until we figure out the right settings. IC40 says green light on the salt ppm.

Just got the Taylor K-1766 test kit today. Pulled water sample and tested water in kitchen.
Salt came back over 4000 ppm, couldn't believe it, as pool shop said it was 3400 yesterday, and we added nothing.

Ran test again, noticed that with the first drop of the R-0718 I got something almost solid in bottom of tube, didn't clearly mix. IS that normal? Kit says nothing about it. As I was adding drops, it got very cloudy, but never pink salmon/brick red. 19 drops very cloudy, milky, funky sludge in the bottom, 20th drop turned brownish.

IS this normal with test kit? Like I said first test today after kit came in the mail.

As I side note, according to the powder chlorine test, its really cranking out chlorine. Yesterday at pool shop was 5, today with the TFT powder test, it reads 16!

I'm not sure if I believe the 16, so will take sample to store again tomorrow.

All help greatly appreciated.

Thanks much

 

[Jimrahbe]

For me, the key to success with the K-1766 Salt Test is the SpeedStir. As you say, the salt test does have a thicker and sludge like appearance. You really have to keep swirling as you keep adding the R-0718. Unfortunately, I can't do three things at once.. Swirl, add the drops, and count. I find that using the Speedstir solves this problem for me. Mine always turns salmon pink first. If I continue to add drops it will turn brownish.

You have an IC40 set on 60% with a 9.6K gal pool. I would not at all be surprised to see an FC of 16. My pool is almost twice that size and I'm running at 50% or less. Of course that also depends on how long you are running the pump.

I suggest that you rely on your testing, and quit going to the pool store, it will only confuse things.

Jim R.

 

[Divin Dave]

the FAS-DPD test is correct.

 

[aussieta]

you have the best test kits available
you have just proven the pool store test was innaccurate
the k-1766 does get lumpy in the bottom when testing
that is normal, freaked me out first time too

 

[flipr]

Thanks, all for your responses. Just second-guessing my testing skills. My better half trusts the pool store, since they are so nice. I had her read the comments here! Thanks again.

 

[pooldv]

The salt test is +/- 400 ppm and the SWG is somewhere around that as well. The purpose of the salt test is to make sure that you are in the ballpark with salt, like within 800-1000 ppm or so. When an SWG gets old and starts to fail or the water temp drops below 60-70 it will report low salt error. Adding salt to correct the false error will not solve the problem and will result in too much salt in the pool. But, if the water is above 70 and the SWG is functioning normally then we don't really care what the salt test says. As they say, if the SWG is happy and making chlorine then we are all happy.

The Pentair Intellichlor is one of the more robust SWGs on the market. It will make chlorine with salt anywhere from below 3000 ppm to over 4500 ppm. When it flashes the low salt warning just add a bag of salt, brush it and wait a couple of days for it to fully dilute and the light will probably go off and all will be good for a while. Even if you get a high salt warning (above 4500 ppm) the IC40 will continue to make chlorine.

 

[flipr]

Thanks, finding out the IC40 really cranks out the chlorine, had to set to 0 over the weekend to get below 7

 

[pooldv]

Yes, especially in 9600 gallons. My IC40 had no trouble maintaining FC at 28 during a SLAM earlier this summer.

 

[mckinneymagnum]

So I am seeing the same thing I think...my last 3 salt tests were 3600, 3200 and 4000 today. So, wondering how that salt number can go up like that...or...do I need to factor in the +/- accuracy and these readings aren't too out of whack. I am using the K-1766 kit as well.

The salt test is +/- 400 ppm and the SWG is somewhere around that as well. The purpose of the salt test is to make sure that you are in the ballpark with salt, like within 800-1000 ppm or so. When an SWG gets old and starts to fail or the water temp drops below 60-70 it will report low salt error. Adding salt to correct the false error will not solve the problem and will result in too much salt in the pool. But, if the water is above 70 and the SWG is functioning normally then we don't really care what the salt test says. As they say, if the SWG is happy and making chlorine then we are all happy.

The Pentair Intellichlor is one of the more robust SWGs on the market. It will make chlorine with salt anywhere from below 3000 ppm to over 4500 ppm. When it flashes the low salt warning just add a bag of salt, brush it and wait a couple of days for it to fully dilute and the light will probably go off and all will be good for a while. Even if you get a high salt warning (above 4500 ppm) the IC40 will continue to make chlorine.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

If you've had evaporation of water the salt still remains so it may appear more concentrated then you add more water and it dilutes it.