First day with SWG

[AZAA]

Me again . I've changed my Pool Math parameters to reflect my new SWG and output.
I ran the whole battery of TF-100 tests and came up with a FC of 3. My CYA is 90. I know I need to get my FC way up and my CYA slightly down to match up with the Chlorine/CYA Chart.
In Pool Math, with chlorinator set to SWG and SLAM switch turned on, I get a SLAM target of 35 and a warning that my target is outside the recommended range. What I would like to know is how much liquid chlorine I need to add at this point. I can't find that recommendation in the app.

 

[mknauss]

Why do you need to follow the SLAM Process?

Touch the FC box in Overview and you can adjust the level FC you are targeting (if you do not want to use the suggested level) and it will tell you how much chlorine to use.

 

[AZAA]

I didn't know if I needed to follow the SLAM Process or not.
OK, I see what I needed to do: Change my type of sanitizer selection to Bleach temporarily. Now I get the recommended bleach volume needed. Simple. Thanks. I guess I was too hung up on setting my pool parameters correctly and not thinking about short term solutions.
You've been very helpful and gracious Marty. Thanks again.

 

[AZAA]

I'm having trouble with the salt levels and my newly installed Hayward SWAG. Since I already have a Hayward Prologic controller, the Aqua Rite controller was not included with the installation. I started by adding just one 40lb bag of salt knowing that wouldn't be enough but not wanting to go over 3100 or so. The Prologic readout was immediately 3100 so I tested with the Taylor K-1766 and got a reading of 1800. I added salt and the next day got 2200 on the Taylor. Adding 4 cups of salt brought that up to 2400; 4 more cups to 2600. All this time the Prologic continued to read 3100. After another 4 cups and then another 4 cups my Taylor test remained at 2600 (13 drops X 200). But now the Prologic display read 3500! I hope I don't have to drain water! What do you think is going on?

 

[mknauss]

When you add salt, you need to run the pump system for at least 24 hours and brush the pool very well to get the salt levels well mixed. Also, the salt level readout from the SWCG is not real accurate. Use it to be sure the cell is generating chlorine and happy. Use your K1766 to determine how much salt to add, if any.

 

[AZAA]

OK. Two or three of these "adds" were over only a 12 hr period. I will go out and brush thoroughly, wait until tomorrow and test again. I will rely on the Taylor results.

 

[mguzzy]

Also, you should turn your SWG off while adding salt. The sudden influx of high salinity water, since it sinks to the bottom of the pool, into the cell can cause amperage spikes, that not good for the cell. Also, and I learned this the hard way with my first SWG, add half the amount of salt you calculate. Then measure and check the cell.. the add half of what is left. You may find a massive difference in what the cell is reading and what you are measuring. A SWG cell detects salinity electronically and the cell uses that reading to manage the operation of the cell. So, in the end you want to differ to what the cell is reading. Your K1766 is going to give you a truer reading of the salinity.. but try telling that to the cell.

 

[AZAA]

Thanks. I added my first full bag of salt the day before the SWG was installed and ran the pump all night. The additional salt (now up to about 3/4 bag) was added with the SWG running but pretty gradually...4 cups at a time, 3 times over a 12 hr period. I've brushed the pool floor and sides thoroughly as Marty suggested, so now I'll wait and test again tomorrow.
If the SWG operates on what it displays as the salinity level, but that level differs appreciably from the Taylor test, then it's really quite a Crud shoot. I hope the numbers start to come a bit closer together.

 

[Dtkokay]

Definitely trust your test results over what your SWG says. Check whether you can calibrate your SWG readings to match your test results. I have a Jandy SWG and was able to calibrate that machine’s salt level to match my own test results.

If you do have to add a lot of salt at once, be sure to turn off your SWG for a day and run the pump continuously so let the salt mix. Otherwise you can ruin the salt cell. The tech who installed ours told me he didn’t know that when he first started and sure enough the SWG was burned out.

Good luck - I love having a salt system. It’s very convenient once you get it dialed in.

 

[AZAA]

it's really quite a Crud shoot.

Crud? Seriously? (Don't dump on me...I find this a hilarious glitch in the "system")

 

[mguzzy]

Crud? Seriously? (Don't dump on me...I find this a hilarious glitch in the "system")

It boils down to the fact that the salinity measured by the cell uses a different method than how you test with the k1766. One is electronic, the other is chemical. The test kit is more accurate, but the Cell uses its own reading to manage the cell function. Some cells you can calibrate, some you can't. If you can't calibrate the controller display, you have go by what the cell says. I have seen SWG's that are much different than the measured salinity, but if the measured salinity is used the SWG is always throwing alarms. Most of the time that happens when the cell is starting to fail. You just need to know both values and juggle it accordingly. Remember this is a pool, not a NASA project. To quote my dad, the retired pilot, "If you can't see it from 50,000ft, it probably doesn't make any difference." But then he would obsess over his brick wall being off my a 1/16th of an inch.

 

[AZAA]

Ha! I can relate. I guess it's like what most of us must do with water temperature. The little floaty thing says one thing and the control readout says something else. We pick one and find the temp we like.
Seriously, what bothers me is that although I've tried to sneak up on my target, the Taylor test doesn't record an increase in salinity. In fact, my last reading was 200ppm less! I'll wait another day and try again.

 

[mknauss]

I suspect you are not adding enough salt at once to see much change.
20 lbs would be about 400 ppm. That is about the minimum you should add at once to see it in your testing.

 

[ajw22]

Hayward SWG's are sensitive to high salt and should be run at the low end of it's range. The higher the salt level the more amps it draws and the hotter components on the board get. They have been known to burn out components and solder joints on the board. See Hayward Aquarite SWG - Further Reading which is the same basic cell and board components as the Prologic.

The Hayward cells do not have a salinity sensor The Prologic/ AquaRite uses the performance of the cell to determine salinity. For each cell (T-3, T-5, T-9 OR T-15), Hayward knows the performance of a properly functioning cell at each temperature and salinity combination. The higher the salinity and/or water temperature, the higher the performance (chlorine output). .

Check that the T cell setting on your Prologic matches the actual cell. If the Cell is larger than the T-Cell setting, the salinity will read higher than actual.

Too high salinity will draw over 8 amps and the system will shutdown. So 3500 is about the maximum you want the Prologic to read. Around 3,000 would be better for the life of your board. As long as the system is generating chlorine you are good with the discrepancy between your K-17666 tests and the Prologic display salinity.

 

[ajw22]

To check your T-cell type setting see...

 

[AZAA]

Hayward SWG's are sensitive to high salt and should be run at the low end of it's range. The higher the salt level the more amps it draws and the hotter components on the board get. They have been known to burn out components and solder joints on the board. See Hayward Aquarite SWG - Further Reading which is the same basic cell and board components as the Prologic.

The Hayward cells do not have a salinity sensor The Prologic/ AquaRite uses the performance of the cell to determine salinity. For each cell (T-3, T-5, T-9 OR T-15), Hayward knows the performance of a properly functioning cell at each temperature and salinity combination. The higher the salinity and/or water temperature, the higher the performance (chlorine output). .

Check that the T cell setting on your Prologic matches the actual cell. If the Cell is larger than the T-Cell setting, the salinity will read higher than actual.

Too high salinity will draw over 8 amps and the system will shutdown. So 3500 is about the maximum you want the Prologic to read. Around 3,000 would be better for the life of your board. As long as the system is generating chlorine you are good with the discrepancy between your K-17666 tests and the Prologic display salinity.

Thank you for your response. After 2 days of not adding salt, my Hayward reports salt level of 3500 while multiple Taylor tests still read 2600. That's quite a discrepancy.

 

[AZAA]

To check your T-cell type setting see...

Great group of videos. Although the board differs considerably from my Prologic, I'm sure the info is the same.

 

[AZAA]

I suspect you are not adding enough salt at once to see much change.
20 lbs would be about 400 ppm. That is about the minimum you should add at once to see it in your testing.

I added a 40lb bag the day before the SWG and no more that 4 cups at a time after installation to attempt to adjust, with 6 hrs or so between doses.

 

[AZAA]

One final question on this based on all your responses:
IF the salt cell continues to read 3500 and operates as it would at that level, and IF the salt level in the pool is actually CORRECTION 2400 as the Taylor test indicates, and IF I can find an output % that results in an accurate and stable FC level, would it be OK to leave things as they are and not add salt and risk pushing the T-cell level past 3500? Would there be any damage to the T-cell operating under these conditions?

 

[mknauss]

If the SWCG is happy, you are happy.