We have an Intex Ultraframe 16' pool with a sand filter and a SWG. We have struggled to get the chemicals levels to stabilize all summer, but recently our chlorine (which was always ok) went to zero. We are running the SWG for 2-4 hours a day. When the chlorine bottomed out, we added bleach and it is up to 1 right now. We will add more bleach to get it up to where it is supposed to be, but does this mean our SWG isn't working? It still turns on and sounds like it is working and the flow into the pool is good. How do we know? And if it did go out, what do we do until we can get a new one set up so that we don't screw up the salt water chemicals more?
SWG - how to know if it died?
- Thread starter jansenk511
- Start date
If something started growing in the pool, it could be consuming the FC as fast as the SWG is making it. Or if your CYA is too low, and the sun is more intense now, that could break down the FC.
First steps I would suggest are:
1. Check the CYA
2. Raise the FC up toward shock level (depends on your CYA level) and Perform the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. If you fail that, then you need to go through the SLAM process. [slam:1d9wig9o][/slam:1d9wig9o]
Once the water is cleared up (using bleach), then see if the SWG will maintain the FC levels. In any case you MUST use bleach to keep the FC in the recommended ranges if the SWG is not keeping up.
First steps I would suggest are:
1. Check the CYA
2. Raise the FC up toward shock level (depends on your CYA level) and Perform the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. If you fail that, then you need to go through the SLAM process. [slam:1d9wig9o][/slam:1d9wig9o]
Once the water is cleared up (using bleach), then see if the SWG will maintain the FC levels. In any case you MUST use bleach to keep the FC in the recommended ranges if the SWG is not keeping up.
I performed the overnight chlorine test last night. Because our pool was so low in chlorine (<1 ppm), I added bleach (about 30 oz) around 8:30 pm last night with the pump running. At 9:30, I measured chlorine levels and was at 3 ppm. This morning when I measured at 7, it was at 2 ppm. Our CYA is at 80 as measured this morning. Does this mean the SWG is fine and we simply need to run it longer? Thanks for your help!
I don't think you did the OCLT correctly ... you should have raise the FC up a LOT higher than that (do you have a FAS-DPD test kit). Also, was the SWG running at all? ... it should NOT have been.
With a CYA of 80ppm, you need to keep the FC > 4ppm at all time with the SWG. If the SWG is not working, then you need to keep the FC > 6ppm at all times : pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock
With a CYA of 80ppm, you need to keep the FC > 4ppm at all time with the SWG. If the SWG is not working, then you need to keep the FC > 6ppm at all times : pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock