Goldline SWG - Salt reading is inaccurate (low).

[AustinPool]

I have an Goldline/Aquarite SWG. The unit is about 7 years old. The cell was replaced about 3 years ago.

The salt level on the unit reads 1700, but the salt level is actually 2800 (tested with strips and the pool store). Since the SWG thinks the salt level is low, it shows low salt and check cell. Took the cell into the local pool store and it tested good.

I recalibrated the salt reading (really just replacing the average reading with the instanteous reading). It goes to 2900-3300 for a while, but eventually works it way down to 1700. The instanteous salt reading it is still low, so I think the recalibrating just fooled the unit for a while.

Is the cell wearing out and just happens to check OK? Is the board/unit bad? Anyway to check the board before buying a new one?

New member. Great forum. Any assistance is very much appreciated.

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

The most common causes for a low salt reading are low salt in the pool, calcium scaling of the cell, very cold water, or a cell that is on the verge of failing. You seem to have ruled out most of those. Any chance the water is below 70 degrees?

There is some chance the pool store did the cell test incorrectly, but that isn't common.

Another, less likely, possibility is a lose cable between the cell and the control unit.

 

[AustinPool]

I live in Texas so the water is well above 70 (82 to 84 degrees).

I asked the pool store to check the cell twice. Of course, he could have run it wrong both times. He was using an Aquarite test set up in the store.

I have removed and reinstalled the cable several times. I will wiggle cable while monitoring the inst. salt reading to see if it changes the reading.

Thanks for the help.

 

[AustinPool]

I tried wiggling the cable from the cell to the connection to the unit. Reading was steady.

The salt reading is about 1000 ppm low. Until I figure this out, I am considering adding salt to raise the level to 3700. The unit will think the level is 2700 and should work.

Any problem with this. Does the unit operate differently based on the salt level? Will it hurt the unit to operate at 3700 when it thinks the level is 2700?

Today, I am going to pull the main board out of the control box and look for any obvious burn marks etc.

 

[AustinPool]

I pulled the main board and there is discoloration around resistor R23. Does anybody have a schematic of the main board to see if R23 has anything to do with measuring salt level?

 

[AustinPool]

Solved: After all that, I took the cell to another pool store to get a second opinion and it failed. I took it back to the original pool store and it failed there this time also. The cell is 4 years old so I guess I got my money's worth.

Now to start working on the leaky pool lights.

Thanks for the forum.

 

[brianlsnyder]

Solved: After all that, I took the cell to another pool store to get a second opinion and it failed. I took it back to the original pool store and it failed there this time also. The cell is 4 years old so I guess I got my money's worth.

Now to start working on the leaky pool lights.

Thanks for the forum.

Similar to this post, I had a "low Salt" reading, had the cell tested at Leslie's and it tested "good". They suggested I must have a problem with the PC board. My cell is over 10 years old so I ordered a new one on Amazon and that solved the problem. Just wanted to pass this on because I searched here for answers and everyone was so helpful.