Salt cell questions, sand filter 3 ?s

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Lmlduradenali

Lmlduradenali

0
Jan 4, 2018
78
Myrtle beach SC
Hey guys trying to ask all I can prior to open season and thanks for all the help

Back ground I bought a house with a salt pool

Figured out the computer functions and how to time every thing etc
The salt cell is about 3 years old, I’m sure it not producing the levels needed.

Am I better off going clorene instead? Can put a out of line chlorinator for like 100 bucks

Input?
 
Nice to meet you via TFP :)

A salt cell will generally last considerably more than three years. A common reason for shorter life is free-floating algae (which is not visible to the naked eye). TFPC uses a process to annihilate the algae, and then chlorine consumption drops much lower. Also common, but somewhat less, is scaling in the chlorinator cell leading to frequent cleaning which degrades the cell. This can be avoided with good water chemistry. A salt water pool is also a chlorine pool; it's just a more convenient way to make chlorine.

Using solid forms of chlorine usually leads to a buildup of stabilizer which can cause longer term problems. If you get a lot of rain and splashout, the problems take longer to develop. If you remove the salt water chlorinator, then your best option is chlorinating liquid which is a trouble-free option.

There's a fair chance that your SWG is not keeping up because of algae in the water. If you want to rule out algae, you'll need a test kit with the FAS-DPD chlorine test, and you can then do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test Overnight Chlorine Loss Test which will show whether or not algae is present. The most recommended test kit is this one:
TF-100 Test Kit â„¢

The bonuses of doing your own reliable testing is that your costs will go down a whole lot more than the cost of the kit, your water will be nicer to swim in, and your water will look amazing.
 
Lmlduradenali said:
Hey guys trying to ask all I can prior to open season and thanks for all the help

Back ground I bought a house with a salt pool

Figured out the computer functions and how to time every thing etc
The salt cell is about 3 years old, I’m sure it not producing the levels needed.

Am I better off going clorene instead? Can put a out of line chlorinator for like 100 bucks

Input?
Click to expand...


L,

I'd be interested in what specific cell you have and how you determined "how to time everything"???

How long are you running the pump?

What % of output is the cell set for???

What are your current chemical readings... Especially FC and CYA levels???

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA

And how cold is the water, since most cells do not generate any chlorine when the water temperature gets below 50 degrees..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
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L,

A T-9 cell will produce an increase in your FC of about .30, per day, in your size pool, when running at 100% output.

Most pools use 2 to 4 ppm of FC per day.. less in the winter and more in the summer... so let's use 3 ppm per day.

This means you need to run your pump for at least 10 hours a day and have the output of the cell set to 100%... or run your pump 20 hours a day with the pump set to 50%, to generate the chlorine your pool will use everyday...

This of course assumes that the pool has the required amount of salt in it to allow the cell to work.

Here is a pretty good troubleshooting guide... Diagnosing and Troubleshooting Your Hayward Aqua Rite System

The one good thing about the Hayward cells is that most all Leslie's pool stores have the ability to test them...

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

Well, apparently my "calculator" is not working today, as I really screwed up the FC numbers... It has to the calculator, how could it possibly be me... ??? :uhh:

I've corrected them... I think.. :p
 
Last edited:
You can try to turn it on. Most SWCG's shut off at around 50F. Some even closer to 60F.
 
Lmlduradenali said:
Hey guys trying to ask all I can prior to open season and thanks for all the help

Back ground I bought a house with a salt pool

Figured out the computer functions and how to time every thing etc
The salt cell is about 3 years old, I’m sure it not producing the levels needed.

Am I better off going clorene instead? Can put a out of line chlorinator for like 100 bucks

Input?
Click to expand...
BTW- your pool is already a chlorine pool, it just gets its chlorine made by the SWG cell instead of you adding it.
 

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No worries. While it’s hard to remember, there was a time in my life 5 years ago when I didn’t own a pool, and 4 years since I found TFP. I’ve learned so much since, and you will too.

They’ll be a day when you’ll be the one helping.
 
First off, the cell is shut off due to cold, if the pool is running you will need to add chlorine until the swg starts working.
Second the Cell might need cleaning. Shut off the pool and remove the Cell from the unions and look to see if it has calcium looking build up on the plates. If it needs to be cleaned I use a Hayward union (GLX-CELL- UNION with a pc plug in it. Put the union on with the Cell unplugged from the box and put it in a bucket and fill the Cell with muriatic acid and wait for it to stop fizzing. Rince and reinstall, let water ru n through before plugging back in.
To test a salt cell go to diagnostic on the menu, click once to the right and after all is said and done if it is above 3 amps the Cell is good.
 
Siber Express said:
First off, the cell is shut off due to cold, if the pool is running you will need to add chlorine until the swg starts working.
Second the Cell might need cleaning. Shut off the pool and remove the Cell from the unions and look to see if it has calcium looking build up on the plates. If it needs to be cleaned I use a Hayward union (GLX-CELL- UNION with a pc plug in it. Put the union on with the Cell unplugged from the box and put it in a bucket and fill the Cell with muriatic acid and wait for it to stop fizzing. Rince and reinstall, let water ru n through before plugging back in.
To test a salt cell go to diagnostic on the menu, click once to the right and after all is said and done if it is above 3 amps the Cell is good.
Click to expand...
BTW salt level needs to be between 2700 ppm and 3400 ppm and above 4000 ppm will cause high amps
 
Problems after problems

Now today and last night I noticed pool had lots of stuff in it.

Back washed today and have some sand in sight glass. Guess this is a sign of a finger off the tree inside if messed up[emoji20]


Let me add

New multi port valve with spider gasket...
 
Lmlduradenali said:
Problems after problems

Now today and last night I noticed pool had lots of stuff in it.

Back washed today and have some sand in sight glass. Guess this is a sign of a finger off the tree inside if messed up[emoji20]


Let me add

New multi port valve with spider gasket...
Click to expand...
A little sand in the sight glass is nothing to worry about. Sand coming out of the return lines is.
 

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