Is my SWG cell dying?

[bcobb]

Hello TFPers!
I'm starting my 4 season with a SWG pool and mid last season I started having trouble keeping FC in the pool. Prior, my pool was basically maintenance free, very easy to balance and keep FC. All signs lead to my salt cell going bad, however if I capture water coming right from the returns it has quite a bit of chlorine in it (hard to guess as my tester can't read higher than 3.x FC....it is one of the standard liquid test kits like this one: http://tinyurl.com/l8enrkh).

Do salt cell's become extremely inefficient as they are dying or do they just up and die one day? Below are my readings:

PH: 7.3
TA: 63
CH: 115 (I added 20+ lbs of CH)
CYA: 2 (this wasn't the case a few days ago so I will need to up this big time, pool school says between 70-80, really that high?)
Salt: 3300

I also just added some clarifier today if that matters (my water was blue, but a little cloudy).
Thoughts?
Thanks!
-Bryan

 

[jblizzle]

You have no CYA, that is why your SWG can not keep the FC in the pool. Is 2 a typo?
Since the water was hazy, that could also mean there is algae in the water consuming the FC.

Cells slowly degrade and read lower and lower salt levels. What level does the SWG think is in the water? What does an independent test say?

You also really need to invest in one of the Recommended Test Kits. And the likely follow the SLAM Process.

 

[bcobb]

Thanks for your reply jblizzle. After opening the pool, I had a lot of algae which I quickly got rid of by SLAM'ing the pool. The "2" for my CYA must be wrong. I've taken my water to a local pool store twice and both times it read 2. Once right after the SLAM and once today. Using the cheap test strips this week, my CYA was I know more than "2". I'll follow up on that and make sure I have the proper amount of CYA.

To be honest, my pool has been so maintenance free and easy to take care of, I've never bothered to get a better test kit. I might have to now though!

Oddly enough, my SWG said 2700 when I opened the pool and my local pool store agreed and said to add 80 lbs, to which I added 120lbs. My SWG then said 3300 this morning and so did the independent test (pool store). However now my SWG says 2700! I haven't drained/added any water from the pool.

Just to note, my pump is a variable speed and run 24/7.

EDIT: It is holding FC overnight, just losing it all day in the hot sun.

 

[timerguy]

My experience with a pool store giving an accurate salt level is really bad, neither one I took it to was within 1500 of my Taylor k-1766 both on the low side. I wouldn't trust another test other then my own.

 

[bcobb]

I'm slowly learning. I thought that this pool store was "different", but alas! They just told me that the CYA test should be valid, so yes, my CYA is sitting at 2. That could quite possibly be the problem!

I'll be investing in a nice test kit here soon. Thanks all and I'll report back if I find out anything different.
Regards,
-Bryan

 

[jlentz32]

When my cell went bad it started reading really low on the salt readout. I got a salt drop test, rather pricy but worth it. Sadly it said I needed to drain a LOT of water to get my salt down to a reasonable level.

The pool store should hopefully be able to test your cell if you bring it in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk