How does salt generator setting impact salt & chlorine levels

[BHouge]

Just started up my first pool. I'm confused on when I change the dial setting how does that impact chlorine levels and salt levels.

For example, if I change the setting from 50 to 80 does this increase chlorine and reduce salt levels? Or does it decrease chlorine and increase salt levels? Reason I ask is my salt shows around 4000 ppm and chlorine levels are low. Should I decrease the setting from 50 to 30?

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum.
A SWCG creates chlorine and hydrogen gas. The chlorine gas goes into the water instantly. They hydrogen exits as bubbles.
The salt level in the pool does not change. The salt does not get consumed.
The dial you refer to is the % generation. So depending on what SWCG you have and what volume your pool is, as well as what your FC demand is each day, depends on the setting.
Read SWG How It Works - Further Reading

 

[PoolStored]

Welcome to TFP!!!

A couple other resources for you...
You should have a recommended test kit to manage your water chemistry...Here are our recommended kits...Link-->Test Kits Compared

As for the FC level, you want to maintain FC based on your CYA. More here-->FC/CYA Levels

You may also find, it is easier and quicker to raise your FC with liquid chlorine and maintain it with the SWG. This avoids a period of time with low FC...inviting algae.

 

[BHouge]

I'm a new member and have a new salt water pool. The pool company didn't hook up the chlorinator until yesterday and the chlorine level went from zero to 5-10 range in one day. I had the chlorinator set at 75%. I just lowered it to 25%. Is this what you should do if you have high chlorine levels?

Also, PH is 8.7 ppm and I'm working to get this lowered as my pool guy is adding muriatic acid each week. Salt levels are too high also at around 3910 ppm. I added some water to hopefully lower the salt levels. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated too.

Since I'm new to this it does get confusing trying to adjust multiple elements.

 

[ajw22]

Just started up my first pool. I'm confused on when I change the dial setting how does that impact chlorine levels and salt levels.

For example, if I change the setting from 50 to 80 does this increase chlorine and reduce salt levels? Or does it decrease chlorine and increase salt levels? Reason I ask is my salt shows around 4000 ppm and chlorine levels are low. Should I decrease the setting from 50 to 30?

Welcome to TFP.

What model SWG are we dicussing?

Read SWG Generation Cycle Times - Further Reading

In general, increasing the dial increases the amount of chlorine generated and decreasing the setting reduces the amount of chlorine generated in a 24 hour period.

 

[PoolStored]

Is this what you should do if you have high chlorine levels?

Yes, or change the pump run time. You can use pool math to help you figure out pool pump run times and % output.

Your FC may or may not be "HIGH." You need to follow this and keep your FC based on your CYA. Link-->FC/CYA Levels

Also, PH is 8.7 ppm and I'm working to get this lowered as my pool guy is adding muriatic acid each week. Salt levels are too high also at around 3910 ppm. I added some water to hopefully lower the salt levels. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated too.

How are you getting a pH of 8.7? How are you testing your water? I'd recommend you get one of these kits...Link-->Test Kits Compared
Accurate testing performed by you is one of the foundations of TFP.
You really need to manage pH and FC more often than weekly...

Can you fill out your signature to help us help you?

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[sande005]

Get one of the recommended test kits, with the salt addition. Readings on the generator itself can be pretty far off. Best to use a standardized, repeatable, test before making adjustments. Believe the test kit far more than the reading on the generator.

As noted, the salt never goes away. It may increase slowly IF you have to augment with liquid or other forms of chlorine beyond what the generator makes. The only way to lower is to partially drain and replace with fresh. Check your manual for the range of salt needed for your generator - while 3900 may be highish, if it is in the range the manufacturer calls for, you are fine. Higher or lower (if in range) doesn't effect the overall output of the cell.

The generator will make a maximum amount of Cl if run at 100% in 24 hrs. The max is variable depending on the make/model of your generator.
If you set it to, say 50%, it will turn on and off by itself, to reduce its 24 hr maximum by 50%.
Turning off your pump will shut off the SWCG. So running the SWCG at 100%, but only running the pump for 12 hrs, gives you the same 50% reduction in Cl - since the pump was off for 50% of the time. Pump speed doesn't matter, only whether water is flowing or not.
You can therefore balance the amount of Cl made by either method - cell % or pump run time. Or by doing both.

Many of us, if the pump has variable speeds, will run the pump 24/7 at a very low setting to save huge amounts of energy. And then just adjust the SWCG setting to give the amount of Cl level we want. While the speed doesn't matter for the generator, you may have to (or want to) have the pump a little above the lowest speed if you have items that won't function on the slowest (heaters, water features, skimming of surface debris is poor, etc.)

Finally - the setting you find for your SWCG will vary during the year, proportional to the amount of daylight. So going into winter, you may need to dial it way down, but in summer it may need to be dialed much, much higher. For mine, during summer I find 60-70% is perfect. This time of year, 20% was almost too much. Your numbers will be very different from mine, though.

 

[BHouge]

Get one of the recommended test kits, with the salt addition. Readings on the generator itself can be pretty far off. Best to use a standardized, repeatable, test before making adjustments. Believe the test kit far more than the reading on the generator.

As noted, the salt never goes away. It may increase slowly IF you have to augment with liquid or other forms of chlorine beyond what the generator makes. The only way to lower is to partially drain and replace with fresh. Check your manual for the range of salt needed for your generator - while 3900 may be highish, if it is in the range the manufacturer calls for, you are fine. Higher or lower (if in range) doesn't effect the overall output of the cell.

The generator will make a maximum amount of Cl if run at 100% in 24 hrs. The max is variable depending on the make/model of your generator.
If you set it to, say 50%, it will turn on and off by itself, to reduce its 24 hr maximum by 50%.
Turning off your pump will shut off the SWCG. So running the SWCG at 100%, but only running the pump for 12 hrs, gives you the same 50% reduction in Cl - since the pump was off for 50% of the time. Pump speed doesn't matter, only whether water is flowing or not.
You can therefore balance the amount of Cl made by either method - cell % or pump run time. Or by doing both.

Many of us, if the pump has variable speeds, will run the pump 24/7 at a very low setting to save huge amounts of energy. And then just adjust the SWCG setting to give the amount of Cl level we want. While the speed doesn't matter for the generator, you may have to (or want to) have the pump a little above the lowest speed if you have items that won't function on the slowest (heaters, water features, skimming of surface debris is poor, etc.)

Finally - the setting you find for your SWCG will vary during the year, proportional to the amount of daylight. So going into winter, you may need to dial it way down, but in summer it may need to be dialed much, much higher. For mine, during summer I find 60-70% is perfect. This time of year, 20% was almost too much. Your numbers will be very different from mine, though.

Thank you for your response!! This information really helps and makes sense.