Crazy high salt reading on IC40

[doncaruana]

Water is a bit cold (in the 50s), so I'm not 100% confident of my readings. But it was reading pretty low, so I put a few bags of salt in. Each 40lb bag does about 300ppm in my pool. The readings came up each time, so at 3000, I said what the heck we'll put in one more bag (making 5 total). So now it thinks my salt is at 7400ppm and the status is "OK - No errors", but the salt level light is flashing (high salt).

Is the 7400 because it's just over 4500 and so it went crazy?

Or is the whole thing just because it went crazy? I mean I don't get how 1 bag made it jump 4400ppm. I could see that maybe it was reading low and then that last bag flipped it out and over 4500 but I'm at a loss.

It doesn't look like from my manual that it's stopping production of chlorine. But what the heck do I do with this? I haven't tried to test the salt level with a strip yet but that's the next step...

 

[Jimrahbe]

Don,

It take 24 hours for the salt to get fully blended with the water.

Since the salt cell only takes a reading twice an hour, it is never a good idea to rely on that reading alone.

In theory you are suppose to shut the cell off, add your salt, wait 24 hours with the pump running, and then turn the cell back on.

I always compare what my cell says against the results of the Taylor K-1766 salt test kit.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[doncaruana]

Well, the weird thing is that it went from 3000 to 7400 and it's been about 12 hours. It's usually pretty good and that amount of time is typically okay.

I had used a strip the other day before the last bag but it was too darned cold and I spilled the vial!
I just took a reading with a strip and got 3850. I know the temp affects the reading of the IC40, but not sure the same is the case for the strips. So I'm going to let it warm up to room temperature and try again.

As I read around here, there are several cautionary warnings that the intellichlor is pretty stupid below 60-65 degrees. So that was my first mistake. The other thing I read is that full dissolution at these temps might be an issue as well.

So that begs a bigger question...assuming my strip measurement is okay and I'm at ~3800 or so, what risk does that pose? Do I need to drain/refill and bring it down to "ideal" at 3400 or should it really be fine at this level? Pentair has some prose about corrosion so I'm wondering if I need to be worried.

 

[pooldv]

According to the manual the intellichlor does not give a high salt warning until 4500 ppm of salt. And it will come tinge to make chlorine even if salt is above 4500 ppm. I also relied on the low salt reading at low temp my first year with the SWG and had salt above 5000ppm. The hi salt light stayed for a long time and it kept making chlorine. I didn't have to add any salt for over a year. That was 4 years ago and it's still working great.

 

[Mr. Muriaticacid]

According to the manual the intellichlor does not give a high salt warning until 4500 ppm of salt. And it will come tinge to make chlorine even if salt is above 4500 ppm. I also relied on the low salt reading at low temp my first year with the SWG and had salt above 5000ppm. The hi salt light stayed for a long time and it kept making chlorine. I didn't have to add any salt for over a year. That was 4 years ago and it's still working great.

My salt is reading 4500 ppm per the pool store and the high salt light is flashing. Pooldv, did you drain it down? Will high salt damage the chlorine generator? I'm wondering if I need to drain some to dilute the salt.

 

[mknauss]

It will not harm the SWCG. Normal splash out should reduce your salt level. Also you get some rain in Oklahoma, you could lower the pool level before a storm to replace some.

Take care.

 

[pooldv]

No, I didn't drain any and I didn't have to add salt for over a year.

 

[Mr. Muriaticacid]

Thank you!