Verifying Intex SWG is Working

[beartoothweb]

I have an Intex SWG that we used for our 18' round pool (intex frame). The last season we used it (last year), I ended up supplementing with tablets (this was before I really started learning about chemistry for the pool) because we thought it might not be working correctly.

The plates are clean, and look solid. Is it possible I just wasn't running it enough? Any thing else I should be looking for to verify it's working? We are still in the construction process of our new 15x30 AGP, and I'm deciding if I should go ahead and replace the intex with a nicer SWG like the Aqua-Trol.

I'm actually not even sure the intex will handle this pool. With the deep end, I'm calculating somewhere in the 13,500 gallon range, and I think the intex is good for 8000 (although I can't find any definitive answers there.

Any advice for whether to fuss with this intex or to move on to a new one?

 

[zea3]

Several people have used the Intex with pools around that size with good results. Make sure the water is balanced and that your CYA is around 70. You will need to supplement your chlorine until the SWG has had time to create enough chlorine to maintain the levels. Give it a try and post if you have problems.

 

[dmanb2b]

The intex can handle way more than 13,500 gals, based on my experience. My pool holds that much and my FC creeps up 2-3 FC over a 7 day period running it 3hrs per day. I would say if you need to run it more than 4-5 hrs per day to maintain FC, check to make sure your CYA level is at least 60ppm and that your CC is 0.5 or less...also the green light should be on which indicates it is generating chlorine. Otherwise, shut the SWG off in the evening and do an overnight FC loss test.

Another way to test that it is working...run it for a few hrs overnight and it should raise your FC in the am by about 0.5-1ppm per hr of run time.

 

[beartoothweb]

This is a strange question, but I wonder if it's possible to "bench test" this thing using a smaller amount of water? I have a big stock tank (several hundred gallons) that I could use to test (my pool isn't setup yet).

Would that small of water give terrible readings? My thought is I hate to wait on delivery of a new unit once my pool is setup, but I guess I could just use bleach in the meantime if I need to, right?

 

[dmanb2b]

...may be too much work, given your would have to have the same flow rate as your pool pump. If by some chance it does not work...bleach would be the way to go. I started up the 1st 3days this season with bleach, until my #'s were balanced. Then I let the swg take over.

 

[zea3]

I guess you could if you can set up the pump and SWG to move water in and out of the tank. Seems like a lot of work though! In a small amount of water it would give high readings, but really all you need to know is if the SWG is making chlorine.

 

[beartoothweb]

Great. That'll be the plan. Do you know of any pics of these intex swg's hard plumbed into the system? I'm doing everything with hard lines.

 

[wbmjr]

I have an Intex SWG that we used for our 18' round pool (intex frame). The last season we used it (last year), I ended up supplementing with tablets (this was before I really started learning about chemistry for the pool) because we thought it might not be working correctly.

The plates are clean, and look solid. Is it possible I just wasn't running it enough? Any thing else I should be looking for to verify it's working? We are still in the construction process of our new 15x30 AGP, and I'm deciding if I should go ahead and replace the intex with a nicer SWG like the Aqua-Trol.

I'm actually not even sure the intex will handle this pool. With the deep end, I'm calculating somewhere in the 13,500 gallon range, and I think the intex is good for 8000 (although I can't find any definitive answers there.

Any advice for whether to fuss with this intex or to move on to a new one?

According to Intex is effective for pools upto 15,000 gallons, from their site.