Can "dirty" SWCG cell impact pressure to water features?

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poolnoobgrandma

poolnoobgrandma

Gold Supporter
Sep 15, 2018
939
Seminole, FL
Pool Size
17000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Hayward Aqua Rite Pro (T-15)
So, this week I started getting a "clean your cell!!" error message. Around the same time, my spa spill over stopped spilling over...
I added some chlorine to the pool to keep it from getting funky, and will be cleaning the salt cell tomorrow. I'm crossing my fingers that that is what's messing up the spa waterfalls. I know I'll find out tomorrow after I clean the cell, but in the meantime, do you think that could be the issue? (we cleaned the filter a couple of weeks ago, so I don't think that's it...)

Thanks!!
 
SWCG does not get 'dirty'. If poor water chemistry practices have occurred they can collect scale on the plates. I suppose it could get to be enough to restrict flow. I would think the cell would quit generating chlorine way before that happens.

If you have significantly reduced flow I would suspect a dirty filter.. What is your filter pressure?
 
Do a complete set of water tests. Your PM logs show the last time you tested CYA was November 30.

Do a Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. If you cleaned the filter a few weeks ago and it is now clogged you likely have algae due to your SWG having shutdown and your FC dropped.
 
I've been testing, just not logging. And yes, I am not generating chlorine, so I added liquid chlorine. I haven't tested CYA because we haven't been using the pool, and with the cool weather we weren't using much Chlorine. I'm going to add CYA in the spring when we are closer to swim weather. Also, pool has been unfailingly chrystal clear.
 
Crystal clear water does not guarantee algae free water. Algae begins growing in pool water and clogging filters way before anything turns green.
 
Grandma,

Please let us know what you find... I too doubt that your SWCG is so clogged up that it will not pass enough water to the spa for a spillover, but it would nice to know if I need to change my mind... :mrgreen:

As others have pointed out, the most likely culprit is the filter.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 

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What is your filter pressure and how does that compare to clean? I guess if your swg cell is terribly fouled it could have high pressure drop but you water would have some big balance issues. A complete analysis would be helpful for our experts.

Chris
 
OK - inspected salt cell. It looks fine. So I turned off the fountain, and the spa spillover started working. It occurred to me that the water level had gotten really low, and the skimmer could have sucked in some air. We added water a couple of days ago (thus the non-stop rain since then) so I turned the pump on and turned the air vent to vent out any air. Turned the fountain back on, and everything seems to be working now. I cleared the "clean your cell" error, so the SWCG should start generating again, and I threw in some shock to give it a headstart. I'll do full chems this afternoon, make adjustments as needed, then test again tomorrow. Fingers crossed for now!

Thanks, all!
 
Grandma,

Your baked cookies are great, but I can't believe that you use "shock? I have three saltwater pools and have never added a single bag of pool store shock for over a combined total of 22 years. :poke:

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jim -
I had it handy (leftover from PB supply), and the salt cell hasn't been generating because of the error. I have been working like crazy, and had already added the only gallon of liquid chlorine I had on hand. Also, now I can sit and drink my coffee instead of heading out to buy chlorine. I promise this is NOT my usual approach to pool care. :)
 
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No overnight chlorine loss. I'm going to clean the filter again today. We had a large tree cut way back, and I'm wondering if the all the sawdust (which we caught in skimmer hairnets, vacuumed up with robot, and washed out when we cleaned the filter) was sappy enough to shorten the filter life. (This is the first filter since build (6/7/2019), so it also got all the initial plaster dust.) Has any used any filter cleaning products? Maybe I should just buy a new filter....
 
So, our spa waterfall had stopped falling. Things I have done so far:
  • Inspected salt cell (I was getting a warning about that.. it was spotless)
  • Recleaned filter (also soaked in solution with TSP) and filter box (there was gunk down there, so I pulled out the shop vac and cleaned it out)
  • Lubed ring in filter box/container.
  • Verified valve settings (all valves to features are open)
  • Turned one valve on at a time to push water through all features
  • Verified no algae (0 CC, pool is crystal clear, no overnight chlorine loss)
After all of the above, the waterfall is working again, BUT, the starting pressure after cleaning is higher than I remember it being when the pool was new (didn't take a picture in June..grrr).

Everything is still under warranty. What do you think I should do next....Call the PB? Replace the filters? Leave it be because it's in tolerances?

Thanks!!
IMG_20200202_124616.jpgIMG_20200202_124632.jpgIMG_20200202_124636.jpg
 
I cannot imagine your cartridges are plugging unless you used some kind of pool store magic. I have had my cartridges for 6 years and still work just fine. Monitor your filter pressure and when it rises by 25% (less than the red arrow on that dial) then clean the filters. If you think they may be plugging from oils (that can happen in the summer with the use of sunscreen, etc) then use TSP to soak them in.

Is that filter pressure at low speed on your pump motor?
 
Does your pressure gauge drop to 0 when the pump is off?
 
You state that your pool was built this past summer. I would call builder and have him send someone to check it out. A lot of times they do sloppy work with the plastering, and pvc lines get partially plugged and need to be cleared. I was picking out plaster that was almost golf ball size from my pump filter basket for at least a year. Had one line to spa that they had to come out and clear.
Feel your supply outlets to spa to check for good pressure, should be about the same for all of them in the pool.
 
Last edited:
mknauss said:
I cannot imagine your cartridges are plugging unless you used some kind of pool store magic. I have had my cartridges for 6 years and still work just fine. Monitor your filter pressure and when it rises by 25% (less than the red arrow on that dial) then clean the filters. If you think they may be plugging from oils (that can happen in the summer with the use of sunscreen, etc) then use TSP to soak them in.

Is that filter pressure at low speed on your pump motor?
Click to expand...
No, that's high speed.
 

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