High consumption of salt

[techfan]

Ever since August of last year, the pool is requiring an excessive amount of salt. I have about a 10,000 gallon pool. I can get the saltwater level up to about 2.9 and then over time it falls requiring me to go out and buy a new bag every month and dump it in. I have tried pouring it into the shallow end, mixing it in a bucket before I pour it in, etc..I have also tried to clean the salt cell mixing with the muriatic acid solution and water.

The pool temperature is about 70 degrees right now. According to my test strips, I do have chlorine in the pool. My ph I keep constantly in the safe zone. I am just not sure why I continue to go through salt. The person at the pool store told me I might have a bad cell. The cell has lasted me about 8 years and is a Jandy Aquapure.

Any ideas?

thanks

 

[JayBauman]

Eight years is quite some time for a SWG cell. Compare the salt level that your SWG gives you with some other method (strips, salt test, pool store, etc). If they disagree, then you have either a sensor problem or a cell problem.

 

[JamesW]

It could be equipment error, so a salt test is a good idea. Another possibility is that you might have a leak. How often do you add water?

 

[pooldv]

A leak, a lot of rain or splash out is the only way to lose salt. Salt is not consumed and salt does not evaporate.

Update your signature and location so we can have more information.

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[Divin Dave]

If you've gotten a lot of rain, or done a lot of backwashing, that can also dilute the salt level.

you mention you have it at 2.9. I am assuming that means 2900 ppm. For most SWG's that is at the bottom end of the operating range and it wouldnt take much dilution to have a low salt level from 2900.

 

[techfan]

It could be equipment error, so a salt test is a good idea. Another possibility is that you might have a leak. How often do you add water?

I add water about twice per week which is not out of the norm where I live because its so windy. I had it checked for a leak about 3 years ago and no leak was found.

- - - Updated - - -

A leak, a lot of rain or splash out is the only way to lose salt. Salt is not consumed and salt does not evaporate.

Update your signature and location so we can have more information.

Instructions here:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/faq.php?faq=vb3_board_faq#faq_vb3_user_profile

I live in Corona, California in Southern California.

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If you've gotten a lot of rain, or done a lot of backwashing, that can also dilute the salt level.

you mention you have it at 2.9. I am assuming that means 2900 ppm. For most SWG's that is at the bottom end of the operating range and it wouldnt take much dilution to have a low salt level from 2900.

Sorry, yes it means 2900. Back in June of last year, I replaced the flow sensor because that was causing problems. Prior years, I have kept the salt level around 3300-3500. That was easy to do with a bag of salt. Now, that I must have added close to 6-7 bags of salt over the course of the last 8 months, I have never been able to get it over 2900. When I dump the salt into the pool, the initial reading would be over that but after time, it would drop back to down again. I was hoping that soaking the cell in the muriatic acid would solve the problem but, it did not seem to.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

You almost certainly need a new cell. They will read lower and lower as they die...so your true salt level is probably through the roof by now, unfortunately. Slap the new cell in and you may be ok, or you might need to drain some water to get the salt level down.

 

[Bama Rambler]

I'd take a sample to a couple of pool places and have them test the salt. That will tell you more about whats going on with your pool or cell.

 

[techfan]

You almost certainly need a new cell. They will read lower and lower as they die...so your true salt level is probably through the roof by now, unfortunately. Slap the new cell in and you may be ok, or you might need to drain some water to get the salt level down.

Assuming that I am high on salt and switch back to chlorine tabs, what is the drawback to having a high salt level in the pool? Since no one swims in the pool anymore, not sure if I want to invest the money into a new cell.

 

[bobodaclown]

Avoid chlorine tabs. They'll raise your CYA level too fast, and then you'll have more problems. Use liquid chlorine/bleach. Pools have a daily chlorine demand whether or not they're being used.

 

[JasonLion]

Salt levels above 6000 start to cause corrosion. It is fairly trivial around 6000, and becomes more significant as the salt level goes up.

 

[techfan]

Thanks for all the info. Tomorrow, I will take a water sample to the local pool supply store to check the salt level. Hopefully, its not too high. Draining and refilling the pool might be a problem with the water crisis around here. I think my local municipality is banning filling a pool with water.

 

[jblizzle]

Your water crisis amuses me in that residential water use is < 15% of the CA water consumption. Putting limits on the residential user is like a drop in the bucket ... your agriculture is the largest water hog and that is where this crisis is going to have to be corrected.

... sorry for the aside

 

[pooldv]

Usually the banning of pool filling by municipalities is on new pool permits and new pool builds.

I agree jblizzle. 10% of CA water consumption is used on almonds alone. Maybe we should grow almonds somewhere that it rains. Don't hit me for hijacking!

 

[aeopav]

I'm with the others here in thinking your cell is on it's last legs. I just replaced mine. It lasted 6 years. I would zero the reading out to get rid of the historical values and it would only last a day before the instant reading it was "seeing" would take the average down to where my inspect cell and check salt lights were flashing again.

I'm also with the others on having your salt level checked, either by your own test or taking it in to the pool supply store. I've always found the reading the salt system has to be off. Sometimes by A LOT.

In my case the cell was definitely going out. I just put the replacement cell in today and its reading within 100ppm of what my salt test says I'm at. And, another indication, the return nearest the cell has at least twice the bubbles rising from it as when the old cell was in operation. A good operating salt cell will usually show by a large volume of chlorine gas bubbles emanating from the return stream. Am I right Fellas?

 

[JoshU]

If it is a Jandy Aquapure there should be a separate sensor installed to detect the salt. It is not a function of the cell like it is on most other brands.