IC60 flow error AND salt/CYA loss question

[Luric]

This is a 2-parter:

1.) We came home from a 5 day vacation to a low salt light, a reading of 1950 and the SWCG not running (due to low salt). I tested myself using a drop test and got 2000, then also had pool store confirm when I went to pickup (overpriced) salt, and they got 2050 - so yes, low all around. PoolMath told me to add 9 bags which I did in 2 parts (6 bags, retested, added 3 more). I waited 24 hr then turned the cell back on. When I took a peek over this afternoon I saw the salt light was blinking back & forth green & red and the FLOW light was red. I checked ScreenLogic and the salt was reading 3400/ideal, but there was a System Alert for a flow error. Our FC had dropped from 4 last night to 1.5 t his afternoon, so it must have s topped producing fairly early on. I checked all the skimmers & baskets, the returns all feel like normal pressure, we backwashed, but the error persists. The pump is running at 1600 RPMs. Thoughts?




2.) Our pool has been up & running for about 5 wks. Is it normal to have had to add NINE 40-lb bags of salt already? We've backwashed twice, and due to super amounts of rain this season also had to lower the pool a tile or 2 twice. We've had enough rain that I've only had to add water once which was more precautionary before we left for this most recent trip (was forecasted to be in the 90s all week). Before I added about 2' of water, the salt level was 3000. When we came home it was 1950 and our troubles began.

On a related note, I've been really working to get my CYA up, but it's been tough. I was at 60 before we left (before I added water) and are at 40 now that I checked again today. Because I still don't have great confidence in my CYA test, I've checked with the pool store to confirm, and both tests were accurate. We had another monster rain storm yesterday where we debated draining a little but opted not to this time. My level 40 reading was after the rain.

I'm doing the bucket test, but do these levels sound reasonable or might we have a leak?

 

[Jimrahbe]

L,

If you get a low flow light, but have good flow, then most likely the flow switch is bad. I would think that 1600 RPM with a heater, would be right on the edge of closing... You should be able to feel the flow at the pool returns (eyeballs) and tell if you have good flow or not. What is your filter pressure???

The flashing red/green light is the normal calibration routine that your cell goes through.. If you never have a good flow, the cell will never calibrate.

What I would do is increase the pump speed to say 2500 and see if the switch closes, if it does, I would drop the speed 100 RPM at a time until the flow light just goes off. I would then increase the speed by 100 RPM and use that speed as your minimum run speed.

After a new pool is built a lot of "stuff" can get in the filter. Backwashing will not get it all out. I would think about breaking the filter down and cleaning all the grids, if this has not been done since being built.

If the flow light is still on at 2500 RPM, then the flow switch or cell itself is bad. Since it is so new, just have your pool builder come out and fix it.

Thanks,

Jim R.