Do SWG maintain Chlorine or increase Chlorine?

[Elementalwindx]

Just got our generator installed this summer. I've had it on 100% output at 2600ppm all summer. I keep periodically having to shock my pool or it goes green on me. Especially when the lawn gets mowed and grass gets in the pool.


Is this normal? I figured if I had a SWG, I wouldn't really ever have to shock my pool.

Also what are the pros vs cons to having 2600ppm vs 3600ppm? Other than the salty taste

 

[ajw22]

What SWG cell do you have?

2600 ppm of salt is low for most cells. How do you test your salt level?

 

[Jimrahbe]

E,

As long as the flow switch is closed, the speed makes zero difference... (oops, I read that at pump speed not salt ppm)

You control the amount of chlorine your SWCG produces by adjust the output percentage and pump run time. You did not say how long you are running the pump..

In order for us to help you will have to supply the specific SWCG you have and how long you are running your pump.

You have been here since 2015, so you know the routine...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[DirtyRat91]

SWGs provide a source of steady FC (free chlorine) production for your pool. A lot of factors determine HOW MUCH FCs they add daily. Pools have a daily appetite. So if your SWG is producing as much FC as your pool is consuming daily (through swimmer load and sunlight exposure), it will 'maintain' your chlorine. If your SWG is producing more FC than your pool uses daily, it will increase.

Salt level, SWG duty %, pump times, SWG capacity all influence how much FC your SWG will produce in a day.

But even a SWG is no replacement for regular pool chemistry testing (using accurate testing methods, i.e. NOT test strips) to make sure things are in balance.

And you're right, if you have an SWG which is monitored regularly you shouldn't need to shock your pool. I just switched to a SWG this season, and there is some tweaking (to pump times and SWG %) that is required to get your daily SWG output to closely match your daily pool's FC appetite. But so far the SWG is proving to be a huge time saver/assistant to your constant pool care.

 

[Philo]

^^^

 

[Elementalwindx]

These are the test results I have on my pool.

Cya 30 or less.
Calc hardness 170
Total alk - 170
pH test - 7.6
Free chlorine - 2
Combined chlorine - .5

The cya test chemicals are a year out of date so I don't know how much that's affecting my reading but I filled it to the top and could see that dot perfectly.

I'm reading my salt levels through the computer installed with the swg system. Currently showing 2800ppm. It says ideal range is 3500-4000 so I'll add a few bags.

It's a blue works swg.



What should I add/do to bring down the total alk and up the cya?

 

[ajw22]

Add stabilizer using the sock method to raise your CYA to 70. Use PoolMath to determine how much to add.

I wouldnt worry about your TA if your PH is stable. To lower TA you raise PH to 8 by aerating and then lower PH to 7 and lower TA using muratic acid and aearate to raise PH back up. Repeat as needed to lower TA. PoolMath will tell you how much lowering PH will lower your TA.

 

[shingles]

So one question is what is your SWG rated for? If it’’s too small for your pool, you can run it 100% all day long and it will not produce enough FC for your pool. What model do you have?

 

[Elementalwindx]

What's weird is my invoice from the place that did the work says "Aqua-Rite Salt System 925 expert line" but it's a blue works....wt.... I can't remember which exact model of the blue works it is. I question the work this pool company did though. I paid them to resurface the whole bottom of my pool and if you saw it, you'd go w-t-. So many bumps and ruts all over the slope.

Also random question but what can cause a DE filter/pump to stop pumping after a certain amount of time? If I've shaken all the DE off the filter, would lack of DE on the filter cause such a thing? I paid the guy to redo my whole plumbing system with a new 2 stage pump too. Doesn't seem to matter if it's on high or low, it still eventually stops pumping.

 

[ajw22]

Also random question but what can cause a DE filter/pump to stop pumping after a certain amount of time? If I've shaken all the DE off the filter, would lack of DE on the filter cause such a thing? I paid the guy to redo my whole plumbing system with a new 2 stage pump too. Doesn't seem to matter if it's on high or low, it still eventually stops pumping.

By “stop pumping” do you mean the flow out of the returns slows to a trickle while the pump still runs?

If so, that means the filter is dirty and needs to be backwashed which dumps out the dirty DE and you then load in fresh DE. You should have a pressure gauge on the filter. The pressure rises as the filter gets dirty. My DE filter pressure is 22 when clean and needs to be backwashed by when it gets to 30.

Check that your filter pressure gauge works. They often fail. See that it goes to zero when the pump is off and rises when turned on. You should see filter pressure increase over time as the filter gets dirty.

You should not run a DE filter without DE for more then a few minutes while you get new DE in. If you do run it without DE you will clog the grids and backwashing will not clean it. The only way to clean it will be to open up the filter and soak the grids.