Chlorine level won’t fall...actually rising!

[Jonesbackr]

Hi All,

my pool has been pretty trouble free and I guess I got a bit cocky. I was adding what I needed when I figured I should, like a little calcium and acid here and there and made it most of the summer without an issue while only checking chemicals monthly. Mid August chlorine was perfect at 4.5. Mid September it had climbed to 8, so I dialed back my SWCG. Early Oct it was 8.5 so I dialed it back more and a week later I was at 11, so I turned it off altogether. Just checked again, one week later, and I’m at 13.5! All tests are chlorine drop test, so I feel good about my readings. When in the spa I definitely can smell the chorine, as I would expect at these levels!

How do I get my chlorine right without messing up everything else?

Thanks to the community in advance!

JJ

 

[Jimrahbe]

jj,

Your FC level can't go up unless you are adding chlorine in one form or another..

If your SWCG is off, then you have to have some other source of chlorine.. Tabs in an old feeder, or from bags of shock or ????

The fact that you had to keep turning your SWCG down this time of year makes perfect sense.. It has no idea what the FC level is, it just makes the amount of chlorine you tell it to make.. This time of year your pool will use less and less FC ..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[proavia]

Post a complete set of current test results from you TF-100.

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Water temp

How many hours per day are you running your pool pump?

If your SWG is off, you aren't adding any other forms of chlorine and the FC is increasing, either your testing methods are off or someone is adding chlorine when you aren't looking.

If you are smelling chlorine while in the spa, most likely that is CC. Most likey from perspiration and other organics reacting with the chlorine.

As the sun angle changes and temps drop in fall, you will require less FC per day.

Adding chemicals "here and there" and only checking levels monthly is a recipe for problems.

 

[Jonesbackr]

Agree on the comment of my methods being a recipe for problems. Like I said, I got cocky and am paying for it now.

OK, so here are my full readings:

FC - 13
pH - 7.5
TA - 60
CH - 350
CYA - 60
Salt - 3600
Temp - 67deg

I have triple-checked and my SWCG is disabled on my Intelitouch remote and the actual unit shows that it is off.

I run my pump 10hrs a day in the summer, but bump that back to 6-8hrs during the winter. I maintain my chemicals throughout the year as my spa is used year-round and the kiddo and I actually like cold-water dips in-between hot spa soaks.

But as for my problem, I have no idea how it could be rising. I have never put tabs in it. I did have a new top-valve put on my filter recently, but that is the only change.

Should I get some chlorine reducer to bring it down and see what it does then?

JJ

 

[setsailsoon]

JJ,

Check your automation settings. You may not have turned it off or you may have turned it off and not stopped the scheduled run... just a guess. As other's pointed out you can't make FC without doing it on purpose with your swg or adding it. The FAS DPD test is pretty bullet proof.

Chris

 

[Jimrahbe]

JJ,

Disabling on the automation will not necessary shut off the SWCG.. If the cell still has lights on, it can produce chlorine. Makes sure all the % lights are off..

Once you figure out what is adding chlorine, and turn it off, then the FC will just come down on its own.. It is no going to hurt a thing to be a little high while coming down.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Jonesbackr]

Ok, so it appears something could be wrong with my SWCG. Last year I just changed it from "Enable: Yes" to "Enable: No" and that was it. I went back in and ran the percentages down to zero as well. It isn't on a schedule, just the pumps and valves are.

The interesting thing is what the lights on the SWCG show. I have attached two pictures, the first with the pump off shows the Status Cell light Green and the second picture with the pump running has that Status Cell light now off. The odd thing is the flow light stays on and my percentage lights are at 4%/40% even though the system says it has been moved to zero.

Salt cell was put in new 17 months ago.

Now I'm really scratching my head. Should I manually turn the salt cell down/off since I might have a communication issue? Flow light staying on even when pump is off makes me think the cell is bad, but that is a short life. Acid clean?

I defer to the gracious experts here...

Thanks everyone!

 

[Jonesbackr]

Another update. I manually hit the less button until all lights on the sanitizer output went off. So I think I have the thing turned off now. This probably explains why I was producing chlorine when I thought I wasn't. Not sure why my EasyTouch is not communicating though.

However, when I turn the pump off the flow light is still green. I'm leaning towards an issue with my salt cell...

 

[Jimrahbe]

J,

When you turn off the enable, the EasyTouch no longer knows to communicate with the cell. It does not understand that a cell is there.. So, you should have turned the percent down to zero and then turned off the enable..

If the cell has any lights on when the pump is off, then your EasyTouch is not wired correctly.. When the pump is off, all power to the SWCG should be turned off. The SWCG's power supply should be wired through the Pump/Filter relay. This is not an option, it is mandatory to keep your cell from exploding.. Rare, but can and has happened.

The cell light is only on when the cell is making chlorine.. So, if your output percentage is set on 50% the cell light will be on 50% of the time and off 50% of the time.

The problem is you, not the cell..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Jonesbackr]

Thankfully I didn't install this, my pool guy did before I took over his role. Looks like I need to fix his work!!! Thank you!

JJ

 

[Jimrahbe]

JJ,

If you want, show us a couple of pics of the inside of the EasyTouch with the circuit breaker cover removed.. We can then get you pointed in the right direction. Need one showing the breakers and the relays and then another one or two showing the relays, especially the pump filter relay which should be in the upper left corner..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Jonesbackr]

I'm taking you up on that Jim! Looks like this might not have been my temp pool guy as the IC40 connects in with a plug to a board, not manual wires. So this problem would have existed from when the system was originally set up. I've tried to chase this myself, but my electronics expertise isn't high enough. The board with the IC40 plug (mounted horizontally in the back) is powered from that large block on the upper right of the panel and that connects into the bottom right breaker. I don't see where a relay is getting involved, but like I said, my know-how is limited here.

 

[Jimrahbe]

JJ,

Look at the pic that shows all the circuit breakers.. The bottom right 220 volt circuit breaker has a yellow wire and a white wire that goes to a large transformer in the top right of the high voltage area.. The Transformer is what supplies power to the power supply board that you see in the back of the enclosure behind the main board.

As it is wired now, the circuit breaker is providing constant power to the SWCG's transformer. The transformer should be getting its power from the load side of the pump filter relay.

Before we move any wires, I need to know what is currently wired to the pump filter relay?? Do you know???

In "theory" the pump filter relay should be in the upper left corner of the high voltage area.. The problem is that you can make any relay be any place by just moving the coil wires around, so I need you to confirm which relay is the pump filter relay on your system.. If you look at the main board, you can see where all the relays plug in.. J8 thru J15.. J8 is where the pump filter relay should be plugged in.. I need for you to follow the wires from J8 back into the high voltage area and ensure that they go to the relay in the top left of the cabinet.

If J8 is not connected to the relay in the upper left.. do not move any wires, just find out were it does go..

If J8 is connected to the relay in the upper left... then you can remove the Yellow and White wires from the circuit breaker in the lower right and move them to the load side of the pump/filter relay.. Put the Yellow wires on load 1 and the White wire on load 2.. The relay has 4 screws on the bottom side.. From left to right they are.. Line 1 (Input), Load 1 (Output), Line 2 (Input), Load 2 (Output)..

The pump/filter relay will not come on unless the pump is supposed to be running. This relay ensures that the cell does not have any power unless the pump is running.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[proavia]

On the curcuit breaker pic - Where is that bare wire, just above and to the left of the orange wire connector on the lower right, supposed to run too? If it isn't needed, it at least should be capped off.

 

[Jimrahbe]

JJ,

I just looked at your signature... I had assumed that you had a VS pump, but it appears that you do not..

It does not make any difference, but it makes me pretty confident that the relay in the upper left is the Pump/Filter relay.. (I'd still double check to make sure)..

Let me know if you have any questions..

Jim R.

 

[Jonesbackr]

Ok, the pump does run to the relay in the upper left and it is connected to J8. So that seems normal. Looks like I can make the move you suggest and everything will be good to go!

As for that bare purple wire. I noticed that as well. It feeds into the transformer to the right of the control board. The wiring diagram on the door shows that line should be capped when wired to 240v, which it is. So I’ll cap it.

Once again. You guys are awesome!

I’ll report back once I’ve made the change.

 

[Jimrahbe]

JJ,

Sounds like a solid plan to me..

Jim R.

 

[Jonesbackr]

Happy to report all is well in my pool world again. IC40 now shuts down completely when pump is off. I'm also seeing the chlorine drop finally, from 13 to 8 in 9 days. Thanks again to everyone for the assist on this one. This remains the absolute best source for anything pool related!