Balancing a SWG percentage vs running the pump

[pb4uswim]

I’m trying to balance my chlorine and the trade off is the percentage setting on the SWG versus running the pump. Is there a preferred method? I’m thinking a lower percentage on the SWG and running the pump more often. I have a VSP so running the pump a lot would not cost much if I run it on medium or a bit less. Which brings up another question. Does the SWG produce less chlorine if the pump is running at a slower speed? I’m thinking it wouldn’t matter as long as it’s flowing enough to allow the SWG to generate.

This is coming up because while I was doing pretty good running my pump for 8 hours with the SWG at 50%, the heat has now come (with a lot of sun) and that balance isn’t cutting it. I ran a super chlorinate last night to get the chlorine back up. So I’m thinking that running the pump at night is best since it makes sure the chlorine is there when the sun comes up rather than trying to play catch-up all day.

Anyway, how do you balance the settings in the hot part of the year?

 

[ajw22]

You are correct. It does not matter. Any combination gets you to the same place.

SWG generates a fixed chlorine output regardless of pump speed.

You can do like a lot of us and run your pump at low speed 24/7 with a low SWG % and not worry about it too much.

 

[DeanP66]

I'm with ajw22, I pretty much follow that blueprint to a tee. I like to generate some chlorine the entire day so it stays fairly even. If you run your pump less and turn up the SWG higher, you'll generate the same amount, but then your pool's FC will have higher swings. It will be higher right when your pump and SWG go off, but from that point on, you will be losing FC until the pump and SWG turn back on. With a VSP it's kind of a no-brainer to just run the pump longer and turn down the SWG % because of the electrical savings.

 

[CrystalRiver]

If you want to minimize FC swings, run your SWG from dawn to dusk. No overnight losses means running your SWG overnight increases your FC, which then has to drop the next day in the sun. If you generate during the time it's being consumed, and not when it's not, that holds FC as steady as possible.

 

[pb4uswim]

From a chlorine point of view, dawn to dusk makes sense. However, after reading that, I went outside to check the pool after having the pump on all night for the first time and realized having the pump on all night skims the water all night too. The pool was noticeably cleaner this morning. Mostly there was less stuff on the bottom. I guess if you get it skimmed out before it settles to the bottom, there’s less for my Tiger Shark to do.

 

[CrystalRiver]

If you want to run your pump 23/7, but maintain FC levels as constant as possible, then just set your pump to run full time and limit SWG hours to daytime. It's not an either/or proposition.

Some people have peak and off-peak rates for electricity, and therefore prefer to run their pumps and SWGs overnight only.

There's no "right" or "wrong" answers. Just whatever works for you.

 

[pb4uswim]

If you want to run your pump 23/7, but maintain FC levels as constant as possible, then just set your pump to run full time and limit SWG hours to daytime. It's not an either/or proposition.

Some people have peak and off-peak rates for electricity, and therefore prefer to run their pumps and SWGs overnight only.

There's no "right" or "wrong" answers. Just whatever works for you.

I can’t automate my SWG. I’m sure there’s a way, but my current setup doesn’t have that functionality. I’d have to turn the SWG on and off manually.

 

[BowserB]

Hey guys. Very helpful thread for a new user of swsg. I started mine with the pool FC at 9ppm. Had the pump running 1650rpm from 9am to 8pm and again from midnight to 5am, with the IC40 on a timer set to the same schedule and 40%. Plan was for the FC to drop to about 6 and maintain there. However that schedule didn't provide a drop at all and in fact every couple days I'm up .5 ppm of FC. I was debating shortening my run times vs cutting back the IC40 to 20%. I think you guys answered my question. I'm going to keep my pump schedule, so I still get the five hours of overnight skimming, but eliminate the night time chlorine generation with the IC40 at 40%. If it gets hotter, I can resume the night chlorinating or run a longer day time schedule.

I hope this was as helpful to the OP as it was to me.

 

[Newdude]

I was debating shortening my run times vs cutting back the IC40 to 20%. I think you guys answered my question.

*shameless vote to put that VSF pump to good use and run 24/7. You’ll only have to adjust the SWG % once a month or 2 and the pool will skim, filter and produce FC all the time. It’s only about $20 a month in electricity.

If a particularly high UV day, a freak 2 AM storm, or an impromptu get together happens you are well covered.