IC60 Initial Readings Right After Adding Salt

[DB-Cooper]

I have an ~27,000 gallon spa/pool as I best guess (based on water bill spike when I filled). Conservatively, I used pool math and based on a 25,000 gallon pool. I used the Taylor K-1766 test prior to adding salt and got the salmon/brick color at 3 drops, estimating a salt ppm of 600 (perhaps less since it's between 2-3 drops).

Trying to get to somewhere around 3200 ppm, Pool Math suggested adding roughly 560 pounds or 14 bags, and that's what I did that. My PB told me my IC60 would come to life after adding salt, but in reality, the IC60 was never actually added in as a Chemistry source in IntelliCenter. So after adding the salt, I realized it didn't "come to life" and added it on the panel and sure enough, it came to life (it was always on, flashing low salt, but I mean come to life in the app). Regrettably, in hindsight, it would've been nice to add the IntelliChlor ahead of time and see what it reported as reading against the 600 ppm I tested via the K-1766.

The salt added was very fine and exactly for pools from AquaSalt. Needless to say, upon adding the IC60 to IntelliCenter, it immediately reported at first reading 3800 ppm within minutes after adding the salt and brushing it around. I'm able to force updates to it by turning the Pool On and Off (leaving the pump on). The salt levels are slowly increasing and now it reads as 4300 PPM (it's been 2-3 hours since salt added).

Is this expected? I know best practices say to let the salt fully dilute for 24 hours with pumps on until testing, but my anxiety is going up. I've looked at countless salt calculators, and I felt 14 bags was conservative, I have extra bags I intended to add as part of this conservative strategy. I'm hopeful it's just not fully diluted and reading high because it's not diluted and/or we dumped the salt in the shallow end and it hasn't fully circulated through the larger/deeper body of water and through the spa and spillover. Additionally, I added a gallon of chlorine as I was at 0.5ppm shortly after adding the salt, doubt that has anything to do with this. That said, it's still rising. For what it's worth, I have the IC60 set at 0% and intend to turn it on when I have a good idea of where I'm at.

I redid the K-1766 test just now, I got 12-13 drops in before it stabilized in color, so that's somewhat reassuring (call it 2,500 ppm), but again it's too early to tell. In the time it took to write this post and do the K-1766, it's now showing 4350.

I searched and couldn't find any comments (high or low) that discussed immediate readings by ICx0 systems immediately after adding salt. Any thoughts/opinions?

 

[Jimrahbe]

DB,

It takes 24 hours for the salt to fully combine with the water...

The salt reading for an IntelliChlor is +/- 500 ppm.. I almost never believe what the cell says. I go by what my K-1766 says.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[DB-Cooper]

DB,

It takes 24 hours for the salt to fully combine with the water...

The salt reading for an IntelliChlor is +/- 500 ppm.. I almost never believe what the cell says. I go by what my K-1766 says.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thanks, of course the anxiety is killing me. I somehow figured in my head that the salt readings would gradually increase as it dilutes, but to see it immediately read so high sort of broke my logical thinking up.

 

[JamesW]

If your main drain is open, the salt is getting sucked into the main drain and causing the high reading.

Brush the pool well several times and run the automatic cleaner.

 

[DB-Cooper]

If your main drain is open, the salt is getting sucked into the main drain and causing the high reading.

Brush the pool well several times and run the automatic cleaner.

Thanks. Yes the drains are open. I did brush and will continue to. I’ll throw the robot in as well.

 

[DB-Cooper]

Haven't put the robot in, but did a big sweep around the drains and floor, reset and it's gone from 4600 to 4100. I feel I can trust the math and just wait this thing out. Thanks for the advice and putting my concerns at some ease.

 

[DB-Cooper]

Went for a swim. Now it’s down to 3650 on IC60. Definitely can taste the salt, not bad at all, but detectable.

 

[Jimrahbe]

DB,

I "try" to run between 2800 and 3300. I can start tasting it when over 3300.. Usually just for the first few seconds I am in the pool, and then it goes away..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[DB-Cooper]

3200-3500 was my goal. I saw it go down to 3100 so I added another bag as my original calculation was for 15 bags. Shortly after adding and brushing it went back to 3650, so for future readers, it does seem the ICx0 are sensitive to freshly added salt and will temper down after a handful of hours.

 

[DB-Cooper]

Ran the pump overnight, two readings 3500 and 3450, so it seems the math adds up and I got it pretty close. I'll do another K-1766 tonight and compare and report back, but I hope people adding salt for the first time find this post and can rest easier.