Confused Salt Water Pool owner- no free chlorine in pool

[Chriso]

I haven't had free chlorine in my pool for 2 years bc my SWG was broken. I just bought a pentair intellichlor SWG and have been seeing nothing but green lights for 3 days. The guy in the lab said " add 4lbs of shock, and run your chlorinator at Super Boost for for 48 hours", which I did. An unbelievably, my chlorine levels dropped (except my CC, which increased) My stabilizer levels are good too. I just got my water tested after the 48 hours and all my levels are good except my chlorine:

FC: 0
TC: 0.43
CC:0.43
PH: 7.5
Hardness: 180
ALKALINITY: 140
CYA: 45
PHOSPHATE: 300ppb
Salt: 3300

My pool is a 24,000 gallons with a D.E filter..

The company that installed the SWG said not to listen to the store because as long as the green lights on the intellichlor are on, chlorine is being produced. They said that since it is a salt water pool free chlorine isn't going to show up on the the tests, but they assured me that chlorine is being produced at the cell.

The store doesn't sound right bc I don't understand how I can shock my pool and run the SWG on super boost for 48 hours and the chlorine levels to drop except the CC.

The pool company that installed my SWG confused me bc I feel the FC should be coming up on a reading.

All in all, the pool is crystal clear and it seems like the machine is running fine. What is your take on this?

 

[nlindelldc]

If your FC is 0 then you need to SLAM the pool (read in pool school). The chlorine that is being added is being consumed by organic materials, thus you get a reading of 0.

First thing to do is get a proper test kit so that you can take over the pool duties yourself. Pool store testing tends to be wrong much of the time

 

[Pool Tool]

Your SWG installer is absolutely wrong as you thought. Chlorine is chlorine, whether you dump it in or use a SWG to make it and it will show up as FC. Run from them!

Pool store results are highly suspect. It could be that your cell is producing, it probably is, but that your pool has trace algae consuming the FC too quickly. Where is center moriches??

 

[AimeeH]

Hi and welcome

Sounds like you've been given some misinformation or are lacking understanding. Chlorine produced WILL show up on a test......unless as stated above, it is being consumed before you can measure it. I highly suggest getting a good test kit of your own and not trust the pool stores testing. Can't be certain you need to SLAM the pool with clear water without reliable test results. (Although CC would indicate a problem). Check out the links below.

Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Pool School - Test Kits Compared

 

[Chriso]

So, it sounds like there is algae in the water consuming the chlorine as it's being produced? What should my CYA levels be at? I shocked it for 2 days straight- 3lbs then 4, & the chlorine is lower? Again, the water is crystal clear. I have noticed some slick spots in the deep end on the vinyl, thought it might be algae, but it's clear water.

 

[AimeeH]

Check out that link I posted above on ABC's for your CYA. Really, it should be higher for daily maintence but if you need to proceed to SLAM, you're better off keeping it lower until water is clear.

 

[Chriso]

The water is crystal clear

 

[domct203]

The water is crystal clear

If you cannot keep a FC level in the pool, the water is not clear, even though it may look that way right now.

Just to echo other's advise, stay away from the SWG installer & the pool store for advise, and get a proper test kit.

http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/124-pool-test-kits-comparison

Have a read up on the ABC's of Water Chemistry. It will explain the 'what's & why's' of what we do.

http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/123-abc-of-pool-water-chemistry

Dom

EDIT:

I still can't believe I read this...... Oh it's making chlorine alright, but it doesn't show up on chlorine tests??????? .......

....... The company that installed the SWG said not to listen to the store because as long as the green lights on the intellichlor are on, chlorine is being produced. They said that since it is a salt water pool free chlorine isn't going to show up on the tests, but they assured me that chlorine is being produced at the cell..........

So they have no concern if it is making enough chlorine? I'll bet your SWG manual makes a mention or two about testing chlorine, albeit brief I'm sure.

Wow, just, wow......

 

[Chriso]

I think I figured it out from the manual of my SWG. I started the intellichlor with 0 FC and the demand for chlorine was so high it wasn't able to reach break-point chlorination. Manual says it won't be able to produce enough if demand is high. I was supposed to have the stabilized at 2.0-4.0 first.