New Salt Cell, but still not getting any Chlorine

[PoolStored]

12 hours

 

[mknauss]

Also, 112 hours? As in 4.5 days?

Typo. 12 hours should be fine.

 

[SecoSteve]

You are super helpful. I REALLY appreciate your patience with me. I am committed to learning this, and some things are starting to click for the first time.

I guess I need to see how to turn the generator off... haven't tried that before. Also, 112 hours? As in 4.5 days?

a typo. 12-24 hours after salt is added, you can turn it back up from 0%

 

[bigbankhank]

Lower it to 0%

Okay thanks

 

[bigbankhank]

Salt level need to be 3000-3500ppm for the cell to generate. You need to add salt. Turn the generator off when you add salt for at least 112 hours with pump running. Maintain FC for your CYA with liquid chlorine while the salt is mixing...Link-->FC/CYA Levels
. Put the salt in and brush until it is dissolved. Use Diamon Crystals Solar Naturals or diamond crystal pool salt...Link-->FC/CYA Levels

Clean strip is somewhere around 15-20%...MFger doesn't disclose...you will have to play with it. Chlorine at least 10 minutes after or before acid. You did good.

Get and keep your FC up for your CYA. What is your CY> Follow this

Good morning. So yesterday is when I finally had a chance to tackle some of this.

I turned off my SWG and added 80lbs of salt at 1pm (it is still off).

Then I tested my CL and it was a 1. So I added 80oz of Liquid Chlorine at 3:30pm and then 76oz at 8:00pm. I was trying to get the CL up so that when I turned the salt cell back on today, that hopefully it would maintain the correct level.

Also, I was trying to get the CL up because I was going to add some CYA stabilizer to get that up as well.

So I expected this morning for my CL to be up, my salt to be up, then to turn on my SWG and add stabilizer, and then maybe I would be good.

Well first thing I did this morning was test my CL and pH. CL is ready ZERO (pH is still at about 8). Salt is at 3000. How is this possible!!?? How was my CL at 1, then I added 156oz (76 of which was at night after dark), and instead of my CL being up the next morning to north of 3ppm, it went down to 0?

I did add water for about 80-90 minutes last night because it looked a little low and it doesn't look like it is going to rain at all over the next 7 days, but as a result of me adding water, that is what I went what I thought was a little heavy on liquid chlorine.

Needless to say, I have no idea what to do now. Probably still need another bag or two of salt? There is no chlorine. Salt cell is still off. I assume CYA is still too low.

 

[PoolStored]

You have algae even if you can’t see it.

Start the slam process. Link—>SLAM Process

 

[bigbankhank]

You have algae even if you can’t see it.

Start the slam process. Link—>SLAM Process

I have printed SLAM instructions.

I have tested CYA = 40
I have lowed pH = 7.2

On the FC/CYA tool, for SLAM with my current CYA of 40, it is saying SLAM Level = 16.... I am assuming that sounds correct? 16ppm is where I need to be?

Do I need to continue to leave the SWG OFF for the time being (during the SLAM)?

 

[TinFoilHat]

Yes, leave the SWG off for the duration.

 

[PoolStored]

Yes, you are correct. The more often you can test and replace the better. No more often than every 2-3 hours. SWCG off.

 

[Dirk]

I'll leave the FC mystery to others here, you are in very good hands. My comment is peripherally pertinent. If it's not too late, don't throw away the previous SWG. There may not have been anything wrong with it. Once you sort out the FC issue, it's very possible the old SWG will happily produce chlorine.

I would leave the new one in place, until its warranty expires (might be one or three years, check your docs), and then reinstall the old one to see if it has any life left. If so, use the old one until it's dead, then re-reinstall the new one. In the meantime, keep the old one in the new one's box, and store it properly. If it does have life left, it will likely still be OK years from now.

I'm suggesting you use the new one through it's warranty period, as opposed to trying out the old one now. Might as well take advantage of that warranty, instead of letting it expire while it's on a shelf in your garage.

I had a similar situation, and my old one is in a box, and might be for years, waiting to fulfill its destiny someday! It's also serving as a back up. If/when my current SWG dies, I'll be able to install the old one while awaiting the arrival of the next one.

Good luck with your FC.

 

[bigbankhank]

I'll leave the FC mystery to others here, you are in very good hands. My comment is peripherally pertinent. If it's not too late, don't throw away the previous SWG. There may not have been anything wrong with it. Once you sort out the FC issue, it's very possible the old SWG will happily produce chlorine.

I would leave the new one in place, until its warranty expires (might be one or three years, check your docs), and then reinstall the old one to see if it has any life left. If so, use the old one until it's dead, then re-reinstall the new one. In the meantime, keep the old one in the new one's box, and store it properly. If it does have life left, it will likely still be OK years from now.

I'm suggesting you use the new one through it's warranty period, as opposed to trying out the old one now. Might as well take advantage of that warranty, instead of letting it expire while it's on a shelf in your garage.

I had a similar situation, and my old one is in a box, and might be for years, waiting to fulfill its destiny someday! It's also serving as a back up. If/when my current SWG dies, I'll be able to install the old one while awaiting the arrival of the next one.

Good luck with your FC.

Yes, that sounds like a good plan. I will plan on doing just that.

 

[bigbankhank]

Yes, you are correct. The more often you can test and replace the better. No more often than every 2-3 hours. SWCG off.

So last night I added the recommended amount to raise my CL to 16 (which was 400oz of Liquid Chlorine).

I just went this morning excited to check the levels and really start the process but now I am stumped. The test tube column for the CL only goes to 5... So how will I be able to determine what ppm level it is above 5? Much less the recommended 16 ppm?

 

[Newdude]

Use the fas/dpd powder test for FC. The block test is horribly vague at best and also inaccurate. It's for spot checking that you have a presence of chlorine once you're at one with the pool. At that point, when you're sure it's above 5ppm still from yesterday and the block is taxicab yellow, you're probably right.

 

[bigbankhank]

Use the fas/dpd powder test for FC. The block test is horribly vague at best and also inaccurate. It's for spot checking that you have a presence of chlorine once you're at one with the pool. At that point, when you're sure it's above 5ppm still from yesterday and the block is taxicab yellow, you're probably right.

Completed my first FAS/DPD test. CL was 8.5 so I added 202 oz of chlorine (to hopefully get me back to 16) and CC was 0.5.

I guess I will wait a few hours now, then head back out. I appreciate everyone's help, and will keep reporting back. (Also logging everything in the app).

 

[Newdude]

The name of the game is to replenish to slam as often as you can, no sooner than 2 hours at a clip. We all have life in the way, do the best you can. Go right until bed.

As the process plays out, the FC holds better between doses. When it's mostly holding 3 hours, go to 4 hours. Then 5. Etc.

You can dose early at any time to buy yourself the next block of time away, or lessen the time under slam if longer.

Ph is invalid at 10+ FC. The rest of the parameters don't matter for now. You won't lower the CYA anything appreciable with cartridge cleanings.

Brush and vac at least once a day. Each swipe may remove another layer of biofilm on the walls/floor, exposing more algae to kill.

You got this.

 

[bigbankhank]

The name of the game is to replenish to slam as often as you can, no sooner than 2 hours at a clip. We all have life in the way, do the best you can. Go right until bed.

As the process plays out, the FC holds better between doses. When it's mostly holding 3 hours, go to 4 hours. Then 5. Etc.

You can dose early at any time to buy yourself the next block of time away, or lessen the time under slam if longer.

Ph is invalid at 10+ FC. The rest of the parameters don't matter for now. You won't lower the CYA anything appreciable with cartridge cleanings.

Brush and vac at least once a day. Each swipe may remove another layer of biofilm on the walls/floor, exposing more algae to kill.

You got this.

I guess I have either been a little distracted today, or perhaps just confusing / mixing up numbers....

On my midday SLAM I needed to add enough liquid chlorine to raise 4ppm (from 12 to 16). I guess I was on the wrong screen and looked at the 202oz I added this morning (to raise it 7.5... from 8.5 to 16) instead of the "Effects of Adding" screen, and therefore I added 202oz again.

So without retesting, I guess most likely I added 7.5 ppm from 12, so probably pushing 19 to 20.

Have I messed up? The target CL for my SLAM is 16. Do I just wait like 5-6 hours to retest instead of 2-3?

 

[Newdude]

It's all good. You may burn off a couple extra ppm today from the higher FC level, but most will be there for what you need. If you wasted 2 FC to the sun, I assure you, you won't lose your house over it.

Our Mustard algae slam FC (60% of CYA instead of 40%) is safe for 24 hours, you're well below that and will be back to regular slam FC soon. Totally no harm in any capacity done.

 

[bigbankhank]

It's all good. You may burn off a couple extra ppm today from the higher FC level, but most will be there for what you need. If you wasted 2 FC to the sun, I assure you, you won't lose your house over it.

Our Mustard algae slam FC (60% of CYA instead of 40%) is safe for 24 hours, you're well below that and will be back to regular slam FC soon. Totally no harm in any capacity done.

GREAT NEWS…. It took all week, but FINALLY I have successfully completed SLAM.

CL was sitting on 15ppm this morning…. But now what?

 

[Newdude]

CL was sitting on 15ppm this morning…. But now what?

And it was 15 last night ? No traces of algae whatsoever ?

But now what?

Your cell makes about 7 FC per 24 hous. It's easiest to round it and say 1 FC every 4 hours at 100%. You can mess with effects of adding in the upper left menu in poolmath so see what different hours and %s will produce.


Then produce enough per day to remain free and clear of min FC at the low point of the day. (Afternoon/evening depending on runtime).



Set it for the high loss days for that point of the season. Accept it will over produce on the cloudy days. I adjust mine when it lands beyond 8 to 12 FC.

 

[bigbankhank]

And it was 15 last night ? No traces of algae whatsoever ?





Your cell makes about 7 FC per 24 hous. It's easiest to round it and say 1 FC every 4 hours at 100%. You can mess with effects of adding in the upper left menu in poolmath so see what different hours and %s will produce.


Then produce enough per day to remain free and clear of min FC at the low point of the day. (Afternoon/evening depending on runtime).

View attachment 603058

Set it for the high loss days for that point of the season. Accept it will over produce on the cloudy days. I adjust mine when it lands beyond 8 to 12 FC.

Yes overnight it went from 16ppm to 15ppm this morning. Zero traces of algae.

So turn my SWG back on? And turn it to 100%?

Do I need to test salt first, and add enough salt accordingly?

Do I need to test pH and CYA now that SLAM is complete?