Going to SWG, would like automation, is Aquapure enough?

[swampthang]

Hello everyone,
I've 20x40 36,000 gallon plaster pool with a built-in spa. It was an existing feature when I purchased the home. It already had all of the Jandy automation installed, which I upgraded to a late firmware RS6 unit + iAqualink 2.0. After shopping for chemicals this year, I have finally hit my breaking point. The price gouging is out of control!! Chlorine in any form has risen more than 150% in some cases. I know folks have mixed emotions about Jandy products in general, but my experiences have been largely positive over the last 4 years of pool ownership. I like the automation and want to include that in my purchase decision, meaning that my only real choice is an Aquapure 1400. My concern is that it is only rated for 40,000 gallons. Most everything I read suggest over-sizing an SWG by a much large amount than 4,000 gallons. I do have a VGreen 165 VSP and got the automation setup with Aqualink, so I can potentially tune the pump to it's lowest speed that the SWG would accept and run it a LOT. To add to the puzzle, I just picked up a new Aquapure Foundation Power Center (control box) for <$500. A new cell is <$1000 making my hardward costs <$1500 if I go that route. Would I be better served by forgetting the automation and going with a 60,000 gallon system?

Many thanks for any and all input!!!

 

[PoolStored]

I think that the 1400 has .6lb of chlorine output. That cell is really going to struggle.

You need to get at a MINIMUM of a 60K cell.

 

[swampthang]

It is rated for 1.25 / 24hr and rated for 40,000 by the manufacturer. Still seems like it's going to struggle though hence my post

 

[mknauss]

I assume NEPA means somewhere in the Northeast of the USA? If so, the Aquapure 1400 will likley keep up if you are willing to run the pump 24/7 and the SWCG at near 100% generation levels. You will have to supplement with liquid chlorine when any high bather load days are anticipated or significant organics are blown into the pool.

The best is to use a 60K unit, but there are none that will work with your automation, other than to have them turned on / off.

 

[PoolStored]

It is rated for 1.25 / 24hr and rated for 40,000 by the manufacturer. Still seems like it's going to struggle though hence my post

My 60K circupool is 3.1/day.

 

[gkw4815]

I have Jandy automation and a generic Pureline 60k salt system. Works just fine. I routed power to the SWG in series through the filter pump relay and the spare relay, which is configured to only switch on in pool mode (off in spa mode).

The only real missing feature is the ability to control SWG output through iAqualink, but IMO that's a small tradeoff for a significantly larger and less expensive SWG system than anything Jandy currently offers.

 

[swampthang]

I assume NEPA means somewhere in the Northeast of the USA? If so, the Aquapure 1400 will likley keep up if you are willing to run the pump 24/7 and the SWCG at near 100% generation levels. You will have to supplement with liquid chlorine when any high bather load days are anticipated or significant organics are blown into the pool.

The best is to use a 60K unit, but there are none that will work with your automation, other than to have them turned on / off.

Hehe, NEPA is Northeast PA (Scranton Area )

Thanks for your input, it's helpful!

 

[swampthang]

I have Jandy automation and a generic Pureline 60k salt system. Works just fine. I routed power to the SWG in series through the filter pump relay and the spare relay, which is configured to only switch on in pool mode (off in spa mode).

The only real missing feature is the ability to control SWG output through iAqualink, but IMO that's a small tradeoff for a significantly larger and less expensive SWG system than anything Jandy currently offers.

Really appreciate your response as you have real world experience with a some of the same gear.

Just so I understand:
You added additional lines to the load sides of the pump relay, ran them to the corresponding line sides of the spare relay and then the load side lines of the spare relay to the SWG?

Thanks again!

 

[gkw4815]

That's correct - here's a wiring diagram (it's a bit more complex than yours because I also use the Aqualink relays to select speeds on my non-Jandy VS pump.

 

[generessler]

I have Aquapure 1400 in North Carolina. It gets hot and sunny, but my 19.5 kgal pool is shaded pretty well so Cl demand is probably lower than normal. Though the cell is quite old, it manages at 40% for 10 hours at the mid-summer max

This is with CYA = 70 (TFP-recommended for swg pools). Highish CYA keeps demand down. Cl target for this CYA is 5-10. I maintain ~6.5.

I have done some tests to measure production. The 1.25 lb/day seems to be exactly what I'm getting.

So we can do the math for your case. 1.25 lb/day / (36k gal * 8.34 lb/gallon water) * 1,000,000 ppm = 4.16 ppm per day.

But that's with the cell at 100%, running 24x7. Not great. You'll want to keep it at a lower fraction and/or run fewer hours. Decrease the 4.16 accordingly. For example 50% for 12 hours gives .5 * (12/24) * 4.16 = 1.04ppm. As @mknauss said, these numbers seem okay for Pennsylvania.

Not great, but the only path to full integration with Aqualink I've found. The relay method doesn't quite do that. I really like the flexibility when away from home. Storm rolls through? No problem. Turn it up. Etc...

Fwiw, this article has some great additional info about this system. I haven't seen the corrosion problem discussed there. Ymmv.