Aqua Rite Salt System- Please help

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Tugsie77

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Feb 25, 2010
39
Sacramento, CA
We put in a pool at the end of last summer and have a Hayward Aqua-Rite salt generator. It's been acting up this spring. The panel read out is about 600ppm different (lower) from the water test we get in our local pool store. For ex. the panel says 2100 right now but the store says it is 2700. Sometimes when we add salt it doesn't even register on the panel read out. Someone came out to service it the other day and he said it was fine. He said the panel is not exact. Come on, 600 off? I can see 100 but how can 600 off be "normal". We can't generate chlorine because, to the panel, we are not in the 2700-3400 zone. We cleaned the cell about a month ago and there was no build up at that time. The unit was acting up prior to the cleaning. I contacted Hayward and they gave me the number of the guy who came out.
Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance
 
Yes, I find quite a variance between the readings on my AquaRite panel and what my salt test shows. I keep my salt levels in the upper half of the range based on the panel reading, which insures that I always have an acceptable level.
 
Even when everything is working perfectly the salt reading on the panel and the salt test are both +-400. However, pool store salt tests are often much worse than that.

Normally the reading on the panel is the most reliable one available. The one exception is when the cell is wearing out from old age (usually after three to five years of use). When the cell is nearing the end of it's life the salt reading on the panel will be lower than actual.

What do you mean by "acting up"?
 
Thanks for the replies. When I said acting up I was referring to the variation in salt levels between the pool store salt test and the panel read out. Admittedly, I am very new to the world of pool ownership/maintenance. I can see I need to start educating myself. What is the best way to find an accurate salt reading besides the panel read out? Are there any reliable test strips, or something of this nature, that can be used. I'm just so paranoid that I'm gonna go over the recommended level of 3400.
Thanks again.
 
Don't worry so much. The range of operation for the SWG is quite wide. The system won't shut down if it's a bit over, you have to be WAY OVER. Just use the Pool Calculator to estimate how much salt to add, and if you wind up over you can just drain a little water to get rid of any excess salt. My AquaRite was running fine for some time with a salt level 400 over the max.
 
Well, I added some salt to get it in range and lo and behold we hit the sweet spot of 3000 and started generating. I started to relax and think this was all behind me when a couple hours later I looked at the panel and it said 0 for the salt level. I went through the diagnostics and for some reason the type of cell was listed as a t-3 and we have a t-15. Earlier in the day it correctly read t-15. I really don't think I did anything to change this, but nevertheless I got the manual and figured out how to change it back to t-15. However, both the salt read out and the instant salinity continue to read 0. Does it take a while for this to info to reset? Thanks for any answers to what are probably rookie questions.
 
Yes, when you change the cell type it forgets the average salt level and starts building a new average level. It takes some time before it will display a salt number again. You can use the diagnostics to get an instant salt reading, or wait till it has a valid average level again.
 
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