High Salt/Amps shutting down chlorinator

eggman · Sep 11, 2019

I couldn't log into my old account "eggman" so I created this one to ask this question.

Here's my problem/question. My old salt cell was giving me low readings while my test strips were telling me the level was 3900-4100 PPM. I just installed a new cell and it's getting a "High Salt/Amps" reading which means - hooray - the new cell is probably reading correctly.

The Pool Calculator says I need to change out 22% of my water - which I would rather not do. Can I turn the chlorinator off and maintain my chlorine using 12.5% bleach until mother nature lowers the salt PPM back to a working level?

mknauss · Sep 11, 2019

That depends on where you live. Can you add a location? In my area, you would have to wait forever. If you are located where it rains, it is possible.

I have notified our Admin to merge your accounts.

wireform · Sep 11, 2019

You need the k1766 salinity test kit to get a difinitive salt reading. Don't do a drain before you know what you have.

JamesW · Sep 11, 2019

What are the diagnostic readings?

What cell size do you have?

eggman · Sep 12, 2019

mknauss said:
That depends on where you live. Can you add a location? In my area, you would have to wait forever. If you are located where it rains, it is possible.

I have notified our Admin to merge your accounts.

Sorry for the lack of details. I live in Pearland, Texas - just outside of Houston. We get plenty of rain.

eggman · Sep 12, 2019

JamesW said:
What are the diagnostic readings?

What cell size do you have?

I can get diagnostics for the salt/amps/etc because the chlorinator kicks off before anything is read. Both the old and new cells are T-15s. The pool is 16K gallons.

eggman · Sep 12, 2019

wireform said:
You need the k1766 salinity test kit to get a difinitive salt reading. Don't do a drain before you know what you have.

I'm testing with Aquarite strips - they're giving me the same reading +/- 200 as the pool store. The rest of my testing is done with a TF-100 test kit. I will order the K1766 kit.

JamesW · Sep 12, 2019

Move the switch to off and check the diagnostic readings.

Then, move the switch to auto and check the readings again before the unit shuts off.