3 T-Cell-15's in 3 years

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xtrsports

xtrsports

0
Jun 8, 2013
45
Cape Cod, MA
This is getting kind of expensive, I've replaced my t-cell 15 each year for the last three years (OEM not generic brand) and can't seem to keep the pool chlorinated. 35k gallon pool, chemical levels fine using a taylor R-2006 kit (but no salt level test), running the generator for a minimum of 12 hours a day at 95%, salt levels at 3300 (3200-3700 recommended). The only way to keep the chlorine levels in balance is to supplement with a gallon of bleach every few days. The original Tcell ran for 5 years with no issues, running at about 70% kept it at proper levels and shocking (100%) for 24 hours weekly worked perfectly. I've tested chlorine levels coming right off the generator and they're seemingly no different than the pool, (or perhaps the sensitivity of the test kit isn't precise enough to measure the variability??) It is connected to a jandy control system and neither the jandy display nor the panel on the generator itself are throwing any errors. No scaling on the unit itself. The one other issue I have which may be interfering?? is that the water leveler is fed from a well which has metals so I need to supplement somewhat frequently with Pool Magnet Plus by Bioguard (which works extremely well at getting the green tint back to blue).
So...
1. what is the best way to test?
2. additional information I can provide? (I can provide the specific levels but I reacquaint myself with pool school each year so I'm fairly confident that CYA, PH, etc are all good.)
3. ideas/recommendations to resolve?

Thanks

Dennis
 
If you are running the SWG at that high a percentage for that many hours a day it is little wonder that the cells are wearing out.

We recommend getting a SWG that is 1.5 to 3 times larger than recommended for your pool, which you have not done. Still, if everything is properly adjusted you shouldn't need nearly that much SWG run time. The most likely problem is that your chemistry is not properly balanced.

Could you post a complete set of water test results?

I also recommend that you read Water Balance for SWG which goes into some of the more important points in some detail.
 
Thanks for the link Jason, there were a few things in there that were helpful so, I'll retest again tomorrow and post the latest numbers. I should have mentioned that the generator is brand new again this year so after only about 15 days running, I would hope that it isn't yet burned out yet. Also... what generator should I get that is larger? I thought I bought the biggest one they made and no, since it was handling the volume no problem for 5 years, I have not considered upsizing to a larger model. However, any recommendations would be warmly received? Should I simply buy two and connect them both?
 
I've got a T-15 which I run for 8 hours at 12% right now but will probably have to bump it up to 25%. 45,000 gallons and CYA is 30-50. PH 7.5 and TA 90. You don't need a new generator, there is something wrong with your mix. You should independently check you salt level.
 
Along with the possible chemistry issue I'm thinking that there is nascent algae in the pool and the SWG is working extra hard to just stay ahead of a bloom. The way to confirm if you have nascent algae is to run an OCLT, see my signature for the link. I suggest to raise the FC level to at least 10 ppm before night time and run the test with the SWG in the off position.
 
Pool has only been open for about three weeks, water is blue & clear. The first thing I did on opening it was to shock the pool, bringing FC above 10 for a week (essentially slam'd it) brought the salt levels up to 3300ppm and brought CYA levels up. Everything else seemed within range. After the week was over, I stopped with the bleach and over the course of the next week with the SWG going, the FC ran down to .5 which is where it is now as I'm heading to the store for more darn bleach.

PH 7.6
TA 60
CH 100 (thinking this could come up a bit but not sure how influential it is on chlorine production as there is zero coming out now)
CYA 80
FC .5 (directly after 24 hour SWG shock @ 100%)
The unit is showing 3300 ppm for salt which, I also had confirmed at the local pool store (I know, I know), but I've ordered a K-1766 test kit to independently confirm which should arrive on Friday.
Aquarite unit is 8 years old, cell is only a month old.

One other note, and something that I completely forgot to include before, is that I did add sequestrant a few days prior to taking the readings above. Keeps the plaster from staining as again, I have metals in the water supply.

I'd really like to know is how to test that the generator is actually working. As mentioned before, I've tested water coming directly out of the generator but it doesn't read any differently. Can anything be done using a volt meter to see that it is actually powered up? If it isn't generating, i'm surprised that the unit isn't throwing an error code. I'm probably just going to spend the 1k and replace the whole stupid thing this year but any advice that could possibly prevent the expense would be greatly appreciated. Other than hardness, I don't think my numbers are off too badly?? or at least enough to prevent 0 reading post shock?? but will take any recommendations there too.

I know the general advice theme is to "get the chemistry right dummy"... I'll get some flakes and bring the hardness up.
 
You haven't convinced me that you are not dealing with algae yet. Having the FC above 10 for a week is nowhere near a proper SLAM with CYA of 80, but I'm not sure of the CYA level during your first week. The FC needs to be 31 to be considered at SLAM level.

There are probably a half dozen active threads with SWG pools and can not get the FC holding in the pool, and most have been determined to be algae consuming the FC as fast as the SWG can make it. We need a little more information on your pool before we determine what's happening with it.

Did you take the water sample from the return or did you unscrew the cell a little?

What test kit are you using?

Can you post all the diagnostic numbers from the SWG?
 
Ok. I didn't post the details of the slam because I've used it before and know that 8 gallons of bleach followed by another 4 each additional day, keeps FC off the richter scale but I'll go back and slam and test throughout to be sure. I don't have any visible algae, pool blue/clear for a three days of .5 FC with temps high and sun out. (so maybe it is generating something and being consumed too fast... humm) I'm using a K2006 by Taylor (FAS-DPD chlorine) using the 10mm sample vs the 25. I'm also familiar with the overnight testing process for losing chlorine but honestly haven't done it yet as my reading for the last few days has been steady at .5.

I'm taking water from the end of my polaris vacuum hose which is fed directly from the same main line as the returns and downstream from the SWG. Is that a bad idea? Is there a better way? My rationale was that this was the only way that it wouldn't be mixed with the pool water... returns would be tricky to be sure it didn't get mixed.

Aquarite settings
PPM 3.3
Voltage 23
Temp 25.5
Current 5.56
Output 90p
Automation control setting for Jandy: AL-5
Version r1.4
 
I have not seen you post CC value yet from the test? CC's are just as important to know as FC.

A little personal anecdote - A few years back, I once had crystal clear water and noticed that, to keep any FC in the water at all (FC <1.0ppm), I had to run my IC-40 (1.5X sized up for my pool volume) at nearly 95%. I thought that was too high and when I checked my CCs, they were coming in at 3.5ppm. After I completed my SLAM, I was able to adjust my SWG power setting to 35% to maintain ~5ppm FC.

So even if your pool water looks good, a biological outbreak is still entirely possible.

As for some of your other questions - calcium only matter to your SWG if your water chemistry is so out of balance that you are scaling calcium onto the cell plates. This is easily checked when the pool is not running by removing the cell and visually inspecting the plates for white/grey calcium deposits.
 

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Definitely something in the water consuming the FC as it is being generated so a full SLAM must be completed to solve your chlorine demand. Make sure you pass all 3 criteria before you stop the SLAM.

Basically what is happening is that there is nascent algae in the pool and it you don't see it because the SWG makes enough chlorine to keep the algae from reproducing at a rate that would cause it to bloom, but the SWG can not make enough chlorine to kill off all the algae. I found TFP due to this exact situation, I thought my pool was crystal clear yet it would not hold chlorine. After the SLAM, which took 5 days, my pool was truly crystal clear and the heavy chlorine demand was cured for good.
 
This thread looks exactly like the last 10 days of my life. I had the same issue with my pool. Turning up the SWG to maintain FC to no avail. Just finished the SLAM and everything is fine again. My water remained clear throughout. The only way I found the problem was with the OCLT. The SLAM solved it.
 
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