Flu/Sick = Green pool = Installing SWG this week. Any advice welcome

[Rq120]

Hi all,

I live in FL so pool never closes. I was down with the Flu and neglected my poor pool so of course I was rewarded with a green pool. I was on the fence about a SWG and I thought I could do the chlorine liquid long term. Well this sickness was the final straw. I ordered a Circupool Edge-25 yesterday for my 10,000 gal pool and plan to install it on Friday.

Here is what I have so far.
1. Got water tested at pool store for existing salt level. Ordered some test strips to have on hand.
Results were 1200. Will add enough salt per Pool Math to bring pool up to approx 3500. Should have salt in at least 24 hours prior to SWG install.
2. Currently, CYA is very low, but we had a solar cover on so it hasn't been a big deal.
I will use Pool Math to bring CYA up to 70-90 after my current SLAM is done (getting close, pool is blue,cloudy)
3. Will run a full panel of tests before starting the SWG and I have the "Water Balance for SWGs" article.
4. Will wire the SWG into our intermatic timer. This shouldn't be too hard, correct??

I think I have everything for right now, unless anyone has advice? I know to test FC daily until we have the SWG dialed in.
Currently we have the pump running 12 hours per day (variable speed) but I might knock this down some. Might be overkill for winter (less use) and because of the cover. We have a pool cage so no debris. Any recommendations?

Thanks everyone for their input and this website. Friends/family pay for a pool service ($50 a month) where a SWG is installed as part of their service. We thought about that at first, but I got the SWG on sale for $740 so it made he most economical sense to buy/install our own. The pool store wanted $1300 for SWG/install.

 

[Shirker]

4. Will wire the SWG into our intermatic timer. This shouldn't be too hard, correct??

I'm not super clear on how to wire the SWG, but it is my understanding that it needs to be wired in such a way that it can not get power unless the pump is running. Hopefully an expert will chime in soon.

 

[Rq120]

Thanks Shirker. I don't think it will be too hard, but just in case I've just enlisted my brother to install. He has plumbing and electrical experience. We will wire it to be turned on/off with the pump. I would love automation, but I don't have the time, energy, or money to invest in it.

 

[Jimrahbe]

RG,

Sounds like you have a pretty good plan to me...

I personally do not like test strips for salt.. I use the Taylor K-1766.. it will last forever..

I almost never trust what the salt system says the salt level is, unless I double check the actual salt level with the K-1766.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Remember that once you're ready to turn the SWG loose and let it take over, make sure your FC is already where you want it via use of liquid chlorine. Then the SWG will work to *maintain* this level. You can't expect the SWG to raise your FC up faster than algae is apt to visit if your FC is low to begin with.

Don't overtax yourself either.... influenza is nothing to sneeze at. You can feel wiped out for weeks. Take breaks as needed.

Maddie

 

[RMcGirr83]

If you hard wire your pump so it has direct electricity you can use the controller in it to tell it to come on at a certain time and off at a certain time. Then connect the SWG into the intermatic to come on an hour, or whatever, after the pump comes on and turn off and hour, or whatever, before the pump turns off.
Or simply set your VS pump to run 24 hours per day at different speeds so it's constantly running and producing flow without causing a huge increase in your electric bill.

 

[Rq120]

Thanks for the advice.

Remember that once you're ready to turn the SWG loose and let it take over, make sure your FC is already where you want it via use of liquid chlorine. Then the SWG will work to *maintain* this level. You can't expect the SWG to raise your FC up faster than algae is apt to visit if your FC is low to begin with.

Don't overtax yourself either.... influenza is nothing to sneeze at. You can feel wiped out for weeks. Take breaks as needed.

@YippeeSkippy, We are slamming due to the green pool so we will start when the chlorine is at goal and let the SWG take it from there.
Oh, and totally true on the Flu. I'm still recuperating and have a few symptoms. It has been 2.5+ weeks for me. Just now starting to feel somewhat normal and get some of my energy back.

 

[Rq120]

@RMcGirr83, we have our variable speed on the intermatic timer. I know you can use the pump's program controls but we don't. Is this wrong/bad? We have the variable speed program set up to match the timer.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

You just need to *know* that at no time the SWG is "on" while the pump is off.

 

[RMcGirr83]

Is this wrong/bad?

I believe the industry standard is to have the pump direct wired to electricity and using the intermatic to power the SWCG. The way you have it isn't necessarily "wrong" or "bad". I don't have a SWCG yet but do have my pump running 24/7. 2100 rpm for 8 hours and 1100 rpm for 16. Our electric bill last month with a ~2700 sq ft house and two adults was ~$150 (electricity costs ~.11 per kWh and we used 1321 kWh, we have dual electric hot water tanks, an upright freezer from the 80s, a kegerator, a wine fridge, etc.). Point is setting your VS to run 24/7 probably won't break the bank if setup correctly and you're assured you'll always have flow for when the SWCG comes on.

 

[sean.a.hyde]

I believe the industry standard is to have the pump direct wired to electricity and using the intermatic to power the SWCG. The way you have it isn't necessarily "wrong" or "bad". I don't have a SWCG yet but do have my pump running 24/7. 2100 rpm for 8 hours and 1100 rpm for 16. Our electric bill last month with a ~2700 sq ft house and two adults was ~$150 (electricity costs ~.11 per kWh and we used 1321 kWh, we have dual electric hot water tanks, an upright freezer from the 80s, a kegerator, a wine fridge, etc.). Point is setting your VS to run 24/7 probably won't break the bank if setup correctly and you're assured you'll always have flow for when the SWCG comes on.

I'm confused about this. Pardon my ignorance because I haven't set up this system yet (have all the parts!). The only way to *know* that the pump is on when the SWG turns on is to wire them to power together through the time. And even then you might not know, since the pump has its own controller, it might not be on. The way most people recommend of hardwiring the pump and then setting the program in the pump and then using the timer for the SWG seems to rely a lot on the program working correctly. If the power goes out, doesn't it reset the timer on the pump (which is frequently just a 24 hour timer and not an RTC)? That would almost certainly de-sync the pump and SWG.
I guess this is why there is a flow switch?

 

[RMcGirr83]

There are pros and cons with everything. The flow switch is a secondary fail safe. No flow, no chlorine.

 

[Holydoc]

RQ,

You must be in southern Florida because it is cold up in the Panhandle. Well cold for me. Not Pittsburg cold, Sean. But still cold. /smile
One of the things you need to know about your new SWG is that once your water temperature goes below approximately 60 degF, the SWG no longer produces chlorine. The nice part is that algae also does not produce very quickly in the cold water either. Just be aware that even if you are in Miami, you may need to continue to test and add liquid chlorine during January and February. Once the water warms back up, the SWG will kick back in.

 

[Rq120]

Thanks! We have a solar heater and a solar blanket so our pool doesn’t get too cold very often. We had it up to 86 yesterday. I will keep an eye on it when we get cold fronts.

 

[setsailsoon]

Rq,

After 5 years of lugging liquid chlorine I put a Circupool swg in back in Feb. Easy peasy and makes pool ownership much easier. Bigger plus is my wife loves the spa-like feel of the water. Happy wife...

There are different opinions about wiring up the swg. Some owners manuals even indicate you can rely on the flow switch. But most of the experienced experts here say don't do it. Even though it's low chance the consequences of a failure are catastrophic. You can Google the videos. Just wire the swg to the source of power for the pump and you are doing the max you can to avoid the very bad things that happen when swg has power with no flow. Once you get your settings trimmed up on % power and hrs per day you'll only rarely have to tweak it. As Jim mentioned, the reading on your swg display is know to be extremely inaccurate. All brands have this issue. I used strips when I first installed the unit and then when I needed a reload I looked at the price of the drop test. It wasn't all that much (~$20 as I recall) and has enough reagent to last forever. It's also the easiest to read drop test there is. Circupool tech support also confirmed what Jim said about swg salt accuracy.

I balance my chemistry weekly and always maintain a slightly negative CSI. At 6 months I inspected the cell and it looks brand new. Not even a trace of deposits.

I hope this helps and good luck!

Chris

 

[mguzzy]

I still have a single speed pump and my SWG is wired into the Intermatic timer as well. Works just fine. Sounds like you are planning something similar. I see you have a VS pump.. and since many run them 24/7, you will find they will put their SWG on the timer and run it when the VS is at a speed high enough to actuate the flow switch and for enough time to generate the required CL.
However you decide to set it up.. you will love how much easier it makes pool maintenance, freeing your schedule up to get sick whenever you want!