Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

[Ladsdale]

My Goldline SWG hasn't been used in a couple of years. My service company has been using pucks to add chlorine.
I recently took over and had to redo the plumping to put the SWG in the correct place. I just got my water chemistry to the level where I could turn on the SWG.

My diagnostic readings are:
2600
82
25.4
5.27
72P
-2600
AL-0
r 1.58
T 15

The check salt and inspect cell lights are flashing but the unit is generating.

My independent testing with a Taylor kit says I have 3200ppm of salt.
I'm assuming the lights are flashing because the SWG salt level is reading below 2700ppm

I'm inclined to ignore the flashing lights at this point?
Is there a way to recalibrate the SWG reading?
I read in an old thread that these units tend to measure the salt level below the actual level.

 

[JamesW]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

Add some salt.

 

[jblizzle]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

You need to make the SWG happy with the salt level. Mine was the same as yours when installed. My test is consistently 600ppm or so higher than the SWG reading. You should add about 600ppm more of salt.

 

[Ladsdale]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

I added 80# of salt and that brought the SWG reading to 3100ppm, and the flashing lights are gone. Thanks.
Now to see if this cell can really make enough chlorine. The reason my service guy stopped using it was that he said it wasn't producing enough chlorine. I'm hoping that was because it was plumbed into a return line that was only receiving a small portion of the return flow. Now I relocated it to where it is getting the full return. Keeping my fingers crossed!!!

 

[jblizzle]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

Can you post a full set of test results? Often people don't think they're swg is working because there is algae growing in the pool which is consuming it faster than the swg can make it. It is also very important that you maintain the correct cya level and then the correct corresponding FC level.

You should also not rely on the swg to bring the FC level up from 0. You should get your pool balanced using bleach and then the swg can maintain the chlorine level.

 

[Ladsdale]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

Yesterday my FC was reading .5 and I added the recommended amount of LC to bring FC to 4 (based upon Pool Math). Then I added the salt to bring my SWG up to 3100PPM,

Today I have the following test results:

FC 1.4
CC .6
PH 7.2
TA 100
CH 275
CYA 85
Salt 3000 (per test kit) 3200 per SWG

My SWG diagnostics show the following

83 Temp
25.1
6.23
66P
-3200
AL-0
r 1.58
T 15

Pool Math shows I should add 67 oz of LC 10% to raise the FC to 4, which I will do.
Not looking so good for my salt cell.

 

[JamesW]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

Your cell is working correctly and producing the amount of chlorine that it is rated for.

You need to SLAM.

What's the pump daily run time?

The SWG produces based on pump run time and percentage. If your run time is 12 hours, a setting of 66% would result in the SWG producing only 1/3 of its rated capacity.

 

[jblizzle]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

With those test results, you need to follow thr SLAM process until you pass the 3 criteria to stop. Note the SWG needs to be off to check the OCLT.

 

[JamesW]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

A T-15 produces 1.45 lbs chlorine gas per day assuming 24 hours at 100%. 1/3 is 7.7 oz of chlorine gas, which will give 2.9 ppm in 20,000 gallons.

 

[Philo]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

I'm not a moderator but when she completes the SLAM, I think she would be better off to run the SWG at 100% vs. the 66% she is at now.

 

[jblizzle]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

3ppm should likely be plenty added each day if the pool starts off clean and sanitized. After the SLAM, a 1/3 capacity should be easily enough SWG run time.

 

[Ladsdale]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

I mentioned in my last post that I was going to add LC to bring it to 4. When I tested later it was at 4.6. I decided to add enough LC to bring it to 6 since I have a high CYA number 85. What I added raised it to 8.2. (Will have to recheck my pool size or get a better measure for adding LC) I turned off my SWG and let the pump run all night. This morning my FC is still 8.2. So I don't think I need to SLAM? The water is very clear.
I'm going to turn the SWG back on and see what happens today

 

[Ladsdale]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

As I noted this morning, my FC was 8.2 as of last evening and with the SWG off, remained 8.2 as of early this morning. I turned the SWG back on this morning. Today was a partly cloudy day in North Florida with some rain and temperatures around 84. The SWG has been on for the last 11 hours. Tonight my FC = 7.6. My PH has gone from 7.2 to 7.8 in the last 36 hours. The pump has been running most of that time and we do have a spillway from the spa to the pool. Again my last CYA test was 85. I have been bringing down the CYA by lowering the pool everytime we have rain. That has gotten me down from way over 100. CYA of 80 appears to be the target in the Goldline manual.

It appears my SWG T-15 cell is generating chlorine. Will have to play with the %. Do you thing the rise in PH is attributable to the spillway?

 

[JamesW]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

Due to the spillway and your TA is too high.

 

[jblizzle]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

Spillway + high TA + SWG (internal bubbles cause aeration) = rising pH

 

[Ladsdale]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

I added 60 oz of Muriatic Acid this morning to lower the PH and TA. Tonight my PH was 7.3 (down from 7.8 last evening) and the TA was 90 (down from 100 a couple of days ago).
My FC jumped from 7.6 last evening to 12.4 this evening. The pump and SWG ran for 10 hours today. We had sun part of the day and some showers. My SWG is set at 66%. That increase appears to be out of the range of what the T-15 would produce at that percentage for that run time. Would the acid do anything to raise the FC?
Tomorrow, I will turn off the SWG and see what happens. I guess I should add more Muriatic acid to get the TA down further. I also shut of the Spa Make Up valve which cut the flow thru the jets and reduced the flow over the spillway. Now it only spills over when the in floor cycles to the pop ups in the spa.

 

[Ladsdale]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

I just recalculated my pool size and realized I have a 16,500 gal pool and spa, not 20,000 gal. as previously noted.

 

[jblizzle]

Re: Can I ignore the flashing "check salt" and "inspect cell" lights

Nope, the acid would not impact the FC levels. Looks like the pool size might be at least part of the story for the discrepancy.

I would not necessarily turn the SWG, no hurry to get the FC to drop. Just lower the output some and see if the FC eventually reaches an equilibrium.