How to run my SWCG in the Winter.

[stevo777]

For X number of months you'll have a saltwater pool that doesn't need to be. Just is. When the water warms up, test the pool for salt, then if you have enough, turn on the SWG! That's it. Well, adjusting it just so is the step after that, but that's for another thread.

Which brings up another question… for those of us in temperate climes, like southern Utah (think Las Vegas climate) we won’t close and winterize the pool, just watch for freezing overnight temperatures, and make sure freeze protection protocols are working. In fact we will frequently heat and use the integrated spa year round. For those months where the SWCG will be offline due to water temperature, is it just a matter of monitoring FC levels and periodically adding LC? Hopefully not needed every day….

 

[mknauss]

is it just a matter of monitoring FC levels and periodically adding LC? Hopefully not needed every day….

Correct

 

[Dirk]

Similar climate where I'm at. I add chlorine once a week, 12 weeks out of the year. It goes from about FC7 down to FC3. I don't go near 3 in the other weeks, but I think I'm OK doing that in the winter. It's a little too cold for algae and the sun exposure is way less.

 

[tcat]

Curious too here in Texas. Just getting into SWG, will be warm by then times I install it. I cover the pool in October and uncover after oak leaves stop falling, maybe April. I typically use Stenner to run 4% rather than 10% bleach, but I seldom check FC. I heat the water to at least 55 year around. I guess I'll have to check FC more often in winter if SWG is going.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Curious too here in Texas. Just getting into SWG, will be warm by then times I install it. I cover the pool in October and uncover after oak leaves stop falling, maybe April. I typically use Stenner to run 4% rather than 10% bleach, but I seldom check FC. I heat the water to at least 55 year around. I guess I'll have to check FC more often in winter if SWG is going.

If you heat your water to 55 year-round, then your SWG should work year-round. Just curious, why do you heat to 55? Seems like that is way too cold to use, so I'm not sure the benefit.

My SWCG has been off since November, and just kicked back on this week. I always use the winter to replenish my CYA by using a floater with chlorine tabs.

 

[tcat]

I have a cover about 18" above water in about half the pool. So it's really heated to 80 up until it gets real cold and not worth heating. I set it at 55 just to keep heat pump cycling occasionally (hardly ever runs, since cover keeps heat in). Also heats up faster when I feel like swimming under the cover (soon, probably after next week's freeze).

New item by Tom C (TCAT)

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New item by Tom C (TCAT)

photos.app.goo.gl

So in winter I'd just dial back the SWG percent I'm guessing.

 

[newdude]

So in winter I'd just dial back the SWG percent I'm guessing.

Probably runtime also. You will need as much from the SWG as you did of bleach, which is far less in the winter as you know. The lowest swg% may still be too much.