I recently installed a SWG and still have the old Rainbow 320 chlorinator inline. Has anybody ever used the Rainbow for injecting CYA? I tried it out for a few weeks and it seems to work pretty well. I've got it set at the #2 position.
CYA in Rainbow Chlorinator w/ SWG?
- Thread starter woollybully
- Start date
I've never heard of it either and can't figure any particular advantage over dumping it in the skimmer or putting it in a sock if you plan to backwash.
Perhaps the OP is referring to using trichlor tabs at the opportune moment coupled with BBB to lower pH, increase cl, and add CYA?
I did a test today by mixing cyanuric acid and water in a plastic soda bottle to find out what would happen. Upon mixing the mixture warmed slightly, but did not get hot. It stayed slightly warm for about 15 minutes. There was no gas or pressure produced. After about 1 hour the mixture contained a slurry of cyanuric acid in a thick saturated liquid. There were no hard clumps or solidified masses. Cyanuric acid is a fairly inert organic compound. It is the carrier base for trichlor. Technically, I don't see any reason that the feeder couldn't be used for adding cyanuric acid. If the feeder dial was set too high the cyanuric granules might be introduced into the pool before fully dissolving.
From a liability management standpoint, any time you use any product for an off-label use, you must be careful to consider every possible problem that could arise. The feeder should be labeled as a cyanuric acid feeder.
You note that this is being used on a SWCG pool. There are two things you need to be careful about. First, if the feeder is in-line after the cell, the hydrogen gas generated by the cell could build up in the feeder and that would be very dangerous. If the feeder is in-line before the cell, the concentrated cyanuric acid would interfere with the cell's performance
From a liability management standpoint, any time you use any product for an off-label use, you must be careful to consider every possible problem that could arise. The feeder should be labeled as a cyanuric acid feeder.
You note that this is being used on a SWCG pool. There are two things you need to be careful about. First, if the feeder is in-line after the cell, the hydrogen gas generated by the cell could build up in the feeder and that would be very dangerous. If the feeder is in-line before the cell, the concentrated cyanuric acid would interfere with the cell's performance
Sorry...haven't been on for a while. The Rainbow is after the SWG and the way the pool was replumbed a few years ago it never really worked very well (they plumbed it after the spa/pool split instead of before where I put the SWG). I've been running it since I've posted. I've got the Rainbow dialed down to the 1 setting (lowest number on dial). The CYA has been very stable (50-60) as it always seemed low before (Jandy recommends 50-75). I travel a bunch and don't get to check my pool as often as I would like. As a matter of fact, over the last month or so, my pool has needed 0 chemicals and has been crystal clear and algae free. Something that's never happened in August/Sept in Houston, ever. I just added more CYA today to the feeder.
On a side note (probably should be another post) I seem to be running the Jandy very high. To keep the chlorine up, I need to run it at 60%. I'm wondering if maybe my pump is not sending enough water through? I've been running the same 2HP pumps for years with a mostly trichlor, dichlor and acid. I love the low maintenance now, but I'm concerned that I'm going to burn up the SWG too fast.
On a side note (probably should be another post) I seem to be running the Jandy very high. To keep the chlorine up, I need to run it at 60%. I'm wondering if maybe my pump is not sending enough water through? I've been running the same 2HP pumps for years with a mostly trichlor, dichlor and acid. I love the low maintenance now, but I'm concerned that I'm going to burn up the SWG too fast.