I'm a first time poster so pardon me if I leave out necessary info. I am having a few issues with our pool, which we opened this week. The salt water generator is not making chlorine. I installed a new cell but that made no difference. I've run boost cycles and added significant amounts of powder chlorine and still get a zero reading on the test strips. My skimmer suction and jet flow are also very weak. I'm not sure if there's air getting in somewhere or what.
No chlorine and suction issues
- Thread starter Manaen
- Start date
Dagsboro:
Welcome to the Forum. Please add your signature. You need to take one step at a time. If you have only one skimmer, close the skimmer off with a Gizzmo or black plug. Fill up the pump basket until all the water comes back to the basket, which now means you have very little air in the system. Shut off the main drain if you have one. Remove the plug/Gizzmo and turn on the system and make sure you have a gasket on the pump lid/housing of your pump (I see this missing a lot). Add some Teflon lube to ensure a good seal. You could have a slight clog in the skimmer line. How is your pressure ?
You can always use liquid chlorine until the SWG is straightened out. What salt reading does the cell show? Have you tested your salt level with a Taylor salt kit? We do not rely on test strips (only recommended kits) and also you could possibly have ammonia. Your best bet would be to use liquid for now.
Please add your signature and describe your pool in detail. Pictures would be helpful as well.
Welcome to the Forum. Please add your signature. You need to take one step at a time. If you have only one skimmer, close the skimmer off with a Gizzmo or black plug. Fill up the pump basket until all the water comes back to the basket, which now means you have very little air in the system. Shut off the main drain if you have one. Remove the plug/Gizzmo and turn on the system and make sure you have a gasket on the pump lid/housing of your pump (I see this missing a lot). Add some Teflon lube to ensure a good seal. You could have a slight clog in the skimmer line. How is your pressure ?
You can always use liquid chlorine until the SWG is straightened out. What salt reading does the cell show? Have you tested your salt level with a Taylor salt kit? We do not rely on test strips (only recommended kits) and also you could possibly have ammonia. Your best bet would be to use liquid for now.
Please add your signature and describe your pool in detail. Pictures would be helpful as well.
cfherrman
TFP Guide
Signature below. I have 2 skimmers so I'm not sure how that effects your suggestion regarding shutting off the skimmer. I'm going to go to the pool store today and get liquid shock and a decent test kit. Pressure gauge is clouded but I think it reads 150. Hard to tell. Salt reading is 3100 ppm
The pics aren't great. Pump basket is not filling up with water. Jets are very weak and are blowing some air bubbles.
The pics aren't great. Pump basket is not filling up with water. Jets are very weak and are blowing some air bubbles.
Attachments
This is where you have to investigate. Shut off one side of the skimmers to see if there is better suction. You will need a new pressure gauge as well. Then try the other side. This is how you could isolate which side your problem is from.
Pool stores will be more expensive. Straight bleach at Wal Mart is all you will need. It is highly recommended you look at the TF-100 and a pressure gauge from TFTestkits.net. You can also purchase the Taylor kit either at the website or on line.
You have a leak on the suction side, that is for sure. Make sure the pool is filled at least 1/2 on the skimmers, also check with a small leaf on the skimmers (both sides) in where you allow the leaf to go through the lines and be picked up in the pump housing basket. If the leaf does not reach the basket, then you have a clog somewhere. Even the slightest clog will throw off the cycle.
Check around the fittings on the pump and also the shut off valve on the suction side to make sure there are no leaks. Make sure there is a gasket on the pump housing and use Teflon lube to create a tight seal. Check your pump motor assembly to make sure you are not leaking water between wet end and pump.
Please keep us posted!
cfherrman
TFP Guide
The skimmers and jets appear to be functioning normally at this time. I'm not sure what ended up correcting the problem but it seems to be operating so I'll take it. I shocked the pool today with bleach and added stabilizer so hopefully that works. I ordered a test kit online. THe pool store only had strips. Thanks for all your help so far. I finally feel like I made progress today.