Aquarite swg questions

[abfab]

My swg was giving a low salt/check cell message. It was giving low salt reading (1400) while my Taylor kit said 2800. I cleaned cell but no difference. I assumed it meant that cell was due for replacement. This is the first time I've had to deal with this so have some questions...

1) I've read that cells last about 5 years. Is this based on year round use or seasonal? Mine is 8+ years old. Not sure exactly how old as it was installed/replaced by previous owner. It was a T-15 which seems oversized for the pool size (13000g). I ran it at about 10P. Does this cell life make sense for a pool used only in summer?

2) I found a brand new T-9 that previous owner left. I have software version 1.58 so was able to switch the control panel to this cell. So far cell readings look okay but it's only been a couple of hours. Any issue downsizing? If my T-15 was set to 10P what should I use as the starting point for this one?

3) Is there an advantage to a T-15 vs T-9 for my pool size? A T-15 cell costs about 35% more than the T-9. Is it worth it?

4) How long does a flow switch last? I've never replaced it so must be 8+ years old. Does it requiring cleaning periodically? I took it out and attached is what it looks like. Is this normal? Should I be concerned that it's not in an 'open' position?

5) Would T-15 and T-9 have same flow switch? I found an extra unused one with the T-9. Can I use it when this one fails? When I searched online the part seems to be compatible with all models.

 

[cowboycasey]

I bet the old switch is probably bad and that is why it got pulled.. The T15 allows you to run the pump less to get the same amount of chlorine in the pool.. You will now have to run the pump 6 to 8 hours longer then you did last year.. Take that into cost when buying a new cell, is the electricity going to cost you more in the long run along with pump use..

The T9 may have been going out or getting week and that is why they changed.. so you may want to get a T15 cell now in case the T9 dies in a couple weeks..

 

[abfab]

I bet the old switch is probably bad and that is why it got pulled.. The T15 allows you to run the pump less to get the same amount of chlorine in the pool.. You will now have to run the pump 6 to 8 hours longer then you did last year.. Take that into cost when buying a new cell, is the electricity going to cost you more in the long run along with pump use..

The T9 may have been going out or getting week and that is why they changed.. so you may want to get a T15 cell now in case the T9 dies in a couple weeks..

The T9 was in a sealed box. I'll have to calculate the cost of new cell vs increased electrical however a new T15 will cost me about $900. I have my vs pump scheduled to run on high overnight and lower during the day when hydro rates are higher.

 

[abfab]

I bet the old switch is probably bad and that is why it got pulled.. The T15 allows you to run the pump less to get the same amount of chlorine in the pool.. You will now have to run the pump 6 to 8 hours longer then you did last year.. Take that into cost when buying a new cell, is the electricity going to cost you more in the long run along with pump use..

The T9 may have been going out or getting week and that is why they changed.. so you may want to get a T15 cell now in case the T9 dies in a couple weeks..

Would a bad switch explain low salt readings? Replaced cell today and so far seems ok. 2800 with text kit. Swg 3200.
My main concern with switch is potential problems if it is always in closed position. Should I just try to gently pull it open, leave it or replace?

 

[mguzzy]

If you got a new T-9 I would use it and consider it free Chlorine! Yeah you may have to run it a longer but hey, it free! If you got 8 years out of the first cell... that is a respectable run. The 5 year time frame is a number we pull out of the air.. and manufactures guestimate based on normal usage.. whatever that is. Everyone is different. I got 9+ years out of my first one. There is a set amount of material on the plates that produces the chlorine.. so once its used up that's it.. time to put it to bed. There are two reading that are indicatvie of a cell reaching that geriatric age.. when the Instant Salinity reading reported by the controller doesn't match the actual salinity and/or when the Instant Salinity reported by the controller doesn't match both polarities. so yeah, you got a good life out of it.

As to the flow switch its an easy thing to test with a multimeter. Its either open or closed. and they are easy to replace if you need to. Yours looks like there is a lot of residue on it.. see if you can sand the contacts clean. A bad flow switch wouldn't be related to low salt readings.

Here is a chart with the Chlorine outputs for the different cell types. You can also select the cell type in Pool Math to help you reconfigure your run times.

Hayward Aquarite SWG - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[abfab]

Thank you. My only comparison for the flow switch is a new one which the previous owner also left. An addition gift. lol!
I'll try giving it a clean. I didn't want to risk damaging it. I checked the system again and it seems to be generating without any errors.

For the app, I've entered the output. I've never used this feature so I want to make sure that I am using it correctly. If I enter a percentage it will tell me the number of hours to get to my target fc. Should this time be less than 24 hours or some other optimal time?