crispycruiser said:
Thanks, I bought all the pvc to hard line this, maybe tomorrow
Sure thing.
Oooh, talk about some fun times right there.
I did some looking, from what I can find it is against manuf. recommendations to place any chemical feeders before the filter. Too corrosive... makes sense.
I thought that was the case, but I wasn't sure.
So you'll need to place your Intex SWCG after the new Hayward filter.
Meaning it'll be the last piece of equipment on the return line, so nothing but pipe between it (the SWCG) and your "return" water jet on the sidewall of your pool.
Some tips.
This kind of got long as I decided to just run through the usual basics with a pool using an SWCG as its chlorine source.
Whether you know some or all of this, hopefully you'll find new things to learn in what I have written below.
Be sure to follow the "turn-over" tips on filtration. Where by achieving a still clean pool, with minimum pump run time for maximum energy efficiency.
pool-school/pump_run_time
With your setup, this may be dictated more by your Intex SWCG unit and how long it needs to run in order to maintain proper CL levels. As it can only output so much CL per hour, even @ 100% capacity.
As explained, but in more specifics, just keep knocking down your run time until you reach that point where it's noticeably less sparkly clean. Then kick it back up by your previous step down from sparkly clean.
There's your ideal and most efficient runtime.
From here on out, ignore all other silly charts posted elsewhere (outside the forum) or in manuals.
The end goal is as little run time as you can manage, while still staying sparkly clean.
HOCl production by your SWCG or CL additions are best done in the evening, or close to sundown.
Little to no sun = no burn-off of CL = maximum usage of the total oxidizing properties from your CL additions to the water.
Also I should add, in case you haven't seen them or read them yet. There is some great info, rules to live by if you will, in Pool School regarding usage and proper chemistry with a SWCG unit.
pool-school/water_balance_saltwater_generator
pH is critical for cell life & reduction of scale build-up on the plates. Always measure CL levels within 15-30min after your SWCG shuts off to read your maximum dosage. That is, your total output from the SWCG at it's current run-time and % duty cycle setting.
Then measure CL again 30min before your SWCG turns on, or right around nightfall, whichever is sooner. This reading will show your pool's minimum CL level. Keep these in line according to the Chlorine/CYA chart & don't let it drop below SWCG CL levels for 60-80ppm CYA. Target FC levels are simply a guideline to dose at, accounting for typical daily consumption so your FC levels don't drop below minimum for your CYA, resulting in algae and/or sanitation problems and health+safety concerns.
If you discover you're running too low on CL by the end of the day, you either increase run-time of your SWCG+pump, or the SWCG duty cycle. Alternately, you can bring your SWCG run-time back to a little earlier in the day if that better suits where your usual low dip in FC occurs.
I'm sure you get the idea, it's pretty logical once you start into the process of fine tuning your SWCG's output.
If you have any questions or need a sanity check on your run-times and levels. Just post your test results for FC+CC+pH at the intervals/times noted below, only needing to do the full set where you add (CYA+TA+CH) once. Then we can help you out on proper water balance.
Keep in mind that pH can only be measured below 10ppm FC. So do the FC+CC FAS-DPD drop test 1st, if the FC reads at, or higher than 10ppm. Skip the pH test and wait to do that till FC drops below 10ppm.
Note: All of this is not for daily testing, it is simply for getting your pump+swcg run-times and resultant FC dosage levels dialed in. Once you do that, then you can just do the FAS-DPD + pH test every day and then once you get an even better feel for your pool. You can go down to say 1x a week or so on the FAS-DPD and pH daily. After you have a heavier than normal bather load, then of course immediate testing is in order.
All of this assumes you have one of our recommended test kits. If you don't, see my sig.
Also, since you have an Intex SWCG, the newer ones, say post 2005/2006 use a series of copper plates for their "elgaestatic" properties, in addition to the titanium plates that generate the HOCl.
Sadly, all they (the copper plates) do is cause problems and turn hair green. Having metals in pool water is a baaaaad idea. It just makes a mess.
Many TFP'ers have simply disconnected these copper bars, one even cut them off and just left the electrode connected. Either way, so long as they aren't present or energized, producing copper ions.
The SWCG will work just fine and produce HOCl as expected without those copper plates.
