New to SWG: managing pH while away

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txtroutbum

txtroutbum

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Bronze Supporter
Apr 13, 2018
53
Houston, TX
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
After a lot of help from this forum, we converted to SWG a few months back and it's been fantastic. I've gotten a good handle on where my SWG needs to be set to maintain good FC levels, and am now ready to head off for a few weeks of vacation with little worry.

I have, however, seen a good bit of rise in my pH since conversion, and I've learned from various threads/articles here the reasons why; added to that, our pool has three scuppers/waterfalls that are always "on", so I'm sure the aeration is contributing to the rise in pH.

Our three waterfalls are on manual Jandy valves, not automated, so basically when the pool pump is on, the waterfalls are on. So my question is: If I manually shut off the waterfalls for the time I am away, I'm assuming this will slow the pH rise, due to reduced aeration? correct?

Appreciate the input.
 
Turning off the water falls will lessen aeration and pH rise.

You may see some algae build up if any water is trapped in them. But that should be easily taken care of when you return.
 
@mknauss thanks for the reply!

As I've looked into this today, I've now gone down the rabbit hole of trying to understand my EasyTouch/ScreenLogic programming of various circuits and features. I'll confess that, while I use ScreenLogic frequently to check the status of the pool, turn lights on and off, etc., I've never changed any of the original programming from my PB. After reviewing some threads on the forum about EasyTouch/ScreenLogic, I'm realizing there is so much I don't understand about my automation system.

But, I did play with this:
1) I used ScreenLogic to manually lower my pump RPM from the original setting of 2450 RPM; I wanted to see at what point the waterfalls would stop flowing, just due to reduced pump pressure. They all 3 stopped around 1,600 RPM.
2) I wanted to see how low my pump could run and still have adequate flow for the IC-40 to register on the flow light. It appears to be somewhere around 1,450-1,500.

So, rather than shutting off the manual Jandy valves as I asked in my OP, would it serve the same function to lower my "vacation" pump RPM's to 1,500 and let the SWG work at that level? Does the flow rate affect the amount of Cl produced by the SWG?

Lastly, I'm also guessing I could just create a new "feature" in ScreenLogic called "waterfall" with enough RPMs to kick on the waterfalls for the period of time I desire (or turn on manually when needed).

(I'm also wondering, with so many other posters, where the EasyTouch/ScreenLogic for Dummies book is!)
 
Since you do not have an automated valve for your waterfalls (would not be a bad idea) you can use what you say. And schedule a 30 minute period each day to run the waterfalls. I would suggest you do that now and see what it does to your pH rise issue. Set your normal schedule to the 1500 rpm (that will close the flow switch on the SWCG and you will generate your chlorine) and then schedule a 30 minute period sometime during your normal schedule to run at the higher rpm for the water falls. The highest rpm scheduled takes precedence.

As long as the flow switch is closed on the SWCG, the same amount of chlorine is generated.
 
I am noticing now (that I'm currently running at 1,500 RPM) that the Cell light on my IC-40 is not lit; Flow is lit. My SWG is set at 16%, which has been keeping me in line for FC the past week or so.

Does the Cell light only come on when there is power being applied to the cell? I.e. 16% of the time, in this case?
 
Correct. The IC is a 300 second cycle. So set at 16%, it would be on 48 seconds of every 300 seconds.
 
I am surprised you are making enough chlorine each day at 12 hours and 16%. That is only 1.5 ppm FC per day.
 

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Be sure you are keeping your FC well above minimum for your CYA. Houston is full of airborne organics. The swamp!!
 
Oh, it's a swamp!

Here's a sample of my test results, all with the pump running 12 hours per day, and CYA of 70.

8/18: FC of 4.6, CC of 0; SWG @ 20%

8/20: FC of 5.4, CC of 0; dropped SWG to 16%

8/23: FC of 5/2, CC of 0; SWG at 16%.

Will probably go ahead an bump it back to 20% again.
 
In your climate, I would keep the FC absolutely no lower than what you show.

You can use a 10 ml water sample for FC testing. One scoop of powder, each drop of reagent to clear is 0.5 ppm.
 
mknauss said:
In your climate, I would keep the FC absolutely no lower than what you show.

You can use a 10 ml water sample for FC testing. One scoop of powder, each drop of reagent to clear is 0.5 ppm.
Click to expand...
I've read about using the 10ml sample vs 25. I've tended to use the 25 as the relative cost of testing supplies (relative to the investment in the pool) is minor. But your comment got me thinking, so I did an evening test using both methods:

10ml sample, 1 scoop of powder, 9 drops reagent; FC = 4.5
25 ml sample, 2 scoops, 25 drops: FC = 5.0

With CYA of 70 per the CYA/Chlorine chart for SWG, I'm on target with 25ml sample, but low for 10ml.

Thoughts?
 
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