Hayward Aquatrol chlorine generator

[Octavarium]

Just looking for some advice. We got a new salt water pool installed in the spring, did the whole balancing thing and started the chlorine generator. We set it to auto and adjusted between 40-50% as we were told by the store. Anyhow, since then, the free chlorine has been a touch on the high side so we turned it down to 30%. It is still quite high even after taken the cover off and letting the sun hit it.

So my question is, are we supposed to turn it to off from automatic when the pump isn't running? The store said to just leave it to auto since there was no flow, but it still seems to produce chlorine as you can see it come out of the jet (at least I think that's what it is).

Or do I just need to turn it off, get the chlorine down a bit and then leave it on auto regardless if the pump is running or not?

Thanks in advance.

 

[woodyp]

Please tell us exactly what you mean by....." a touch on the high side". Welcome to the forum.

 

[Octavarium]

Thanks. Last reading we had from the store was 5.92ppm (free chlorine) and total 6.6ppm. The strips we have seem to be consistent with that (judging by the purple on the test strip). You can also smell it quite a bit. We were told to aim of 0.6ish to 1.

 

[Philo]

I think you are saying that the power to the SWG is on when the pump isn't running. If that's the case, it's not wired right and could cause BIG problems.

P.S. how long are you running the SWG & Pump per day?

 

[Octavarium]

Hmm, the SWG is just plugged into the outlet, and the pump is on the other outlet. We currently don't have any timer setup. When I turn the pump off, it still says that it's generating chlorine (while on auto), and you can see it coming out of the return jet, it keeps puffing some misty white stuff.

This is the one we have: AquaTrol | Hayward Canada

We run the pump about 10 hours a day right now, it's not that hot over here.

If I turn the SWG to off, the power generation light is still on (since it's plugged in) but the chlorine generation light is off.

I'm starting to think I have to flip this thing to off every time. I suppose it would make sense to leave it on auto if you had it on a timer that was cutting power to it.

 

[kplaster]

Look's like this one doesn't have a flow switch.If it doesn't have something to tell it to cut off it will continue to run.

 

[Philo]

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Look's like this one doesn't have a flow switch.If it doesn't have something to tell it to cut off it will continue to run.

I always thought that was a big problem with Chlorine gas build up....Ka-Boom!

 

[LFrankow]

I have the same unit, turn it to off when the pump goes off, or slightly before and after you turn on/off the pump. Timers are available.
Also what size of pool mine is 12.6k gal I was running it at 5% this spring on maintenance cycle, just turned it up to 20% recently.

 

[kplaster]

[

I always thought that was a big problem with Chlorine gas build up....Ka-Boom!

That's why I would not have one unless it has a flow switch.Remember that you set the %.So it only producing the % per hour.

 

[Octavarium]

I have the same unit, turn it to off when the pump goes off, or slightly before and after you turn on/off the pump. Timers are available.
Also what size of pool mine is 12.6k gal I was running it at 5% this spring on maintenance cycle, just turned it up to 20% recently.

Alright, thanks. I'll definitely lower it then, ours is only a 15'x54'', so it's probably less than half of what yours is. Anyways, the whole thing is turned off for now and will remain that way for a couple days until the level of chlorine comes down. It never got overly high, but I was wondering why it was never coming down.

Now do you turn yours up as the summer progresses, or does it stay around the 20% mark? It's only been 20-30C around here, with no heatwave in site.

Thanks for the replies guys, appreciated. Glad this was only done over a couple weeks, shouldn't be too much damage done to anything hah.

 

[kplaster]

Alright, thanks. I'll definitely lower it then, ours is only a 15'x54'', so it's probably less than half of what yours is. Anyways, the whole thing is turned off for now and will remain that way for a couple days until the level of chlorine comes down. It never got overly high, but I was wondering why it was never coming down.

Now do you turn yours up as the summer progresses, or does it stay around the 20% mark? It's only been 20-30C around here, with no heatwave in site.

Thanks for the replies guys, appreciated. Glad this was only done over a couple weeks, shouldn't be too much damage done to anything hah.

Should be no damage.They are designed to run that way.Remember the % is based on per hour.So it doesn't run all the time.You just happen to see it running.Just cut the % to 0 instead of turning off.Just play with the % till you get it in range.If it bother's you just put the SWG on a timer and set it close to the pump timer.

 

[LFrankow]

I do turn it up a bit when we get lots of heat or lots of bathers. Running it without circulation may have caused scale to build up on the internals, have you checked it?
Are you able to test your water properly, more specifically for cya? If your Cya level is right it should work like a charm, if it is low you will panic around the third week in July. TFPC recommends from 70-80 ppm of cya in a salt pool.