Not new to TFP, new to salt

[phonedave]

I have been using TFP methods on my pool for a number of seasons now. I have decided to go to salt and a SWG this year.

I am using an Hayward AquaTrol (return jet model if that makes any difference)

I just opened on Sat (to clear water with a FC of 1.5 and a CC of 0.5 or less)

The pool was SLAMd (passed OCLT Sat into Sunday) and I am now waiting for FC to drift down to a point where I can fire up the SWG

Number this morning were as follows

FC = 16.5
CC = 0
pH = 7.8
TA = 100
CH = 100
CYA = 40
Salt = 2700

There is a currently a sock filled with CYA in the pool, and it should come up to about 80

I know I have to drive down the pH with muiratic acid (and that will help the TA as well)

Salt has to go up - I added 40 lbs after the above readings, and will add an other 40 tonight and see where it stands. The manual says to shoot for 3200, I know TFP says 3400. I don't want to go too high and have the cell shut down.

I was in the process of adding borates last year, and was up to 20 ppm (but I lost a lot of water over the winter). I plan on continuing to do so, once I get everything else dialed in.


So I guess the question is, any advice, anything I am doing wrong (or right). My filter normally runs about 4 hours a day. That is enough to keep the pool clean and clear. I am hoping I can generate enough FC in 4 hours to keep it at that level. When I was using bleach, I kept my pool at around 5.0 ppm and it would loose about 1.0 ppm of FC per day on average. Anybody have any experience with the AquaTrol settings to know what percentage setting, at 4 hours per day, will generate 1.0 ppm of FC in a 27' x 48" round ABG?

Thanks

 

[Texas Splash]

I don't have experience with the AquaTrol, but your plan of attack looks quite solid. You seem to have a good handle on things.

 

[Richard320]

I think you're doing just fine with the chemistry.

I have no SWG, so I;'m no help with the rest, but maybe this will help: SWG Run Time Calculator

 

[phonedave]

Unfortunately my SWG is not listed, so I don't know how many pounds of Cl gas it generates at full power in 24 hours. I used 0.7 as a start. If that is around what it generates, then it should run for about 5 hours at 100% to keep up - not too bad.

Now the question is, when you run a SWG at a percentage of full power is there any advantage? Does it run at a lower voltage and perhaps have less scaling, or is it simply an adjustment to the duty cycle with the SWG cycling on and off.

Wondering if 5 hours at 100% or 6 hours at 80% is better (keeping in mind that the extra hour is wear and tear on my pump, as well as the cost of electric)

Thanks


-dave

 

[duraleigh]

don't be in a rush to lower your pH. The pH test tends to read a little high in the presence of FC over 10 ppm......you might be just fine.......test again when FC drops below 10 ppm.

 

[phonedave]

don't be in a rush to lower your pH. The pH test tends to read a little high in the presence of FC over 10 ppm......you might be just fine.......test again when FC drops below 10 ppm.

Thanks, I will wait. That makes sense, as my pH normally hangs around the 7.3 to 7.4 level. I was kind of surprised it was so high.

 

[phonedave]

It just never ends.

Went to fire up the SWG last night, just to see if it works, and nope - a low flow light.

The kicker is, this is an RJ model - no flow switch needed (or included)

For the record, the cell is installed correctly, right at the return, in a vertical position, and I have insane amounts of flow.

Googling around, it seems that the control boards for both the RJ (no flow switch) and the HP (flow switch needed) are either different, or are the same but need to have certain options enabled or disabled.

So the question is. If this is case of setting an option on the board (either via diagnostics or DIP switches) does anybody know how to do so?

or

If I somehow got the wrong board, Does any body know what pins on the RJ-11 need to be jumpered to make the board think it has flow (yes I know the dangers of bypassing a safety device, but that is not an issue here, the RJ is designed to work without a flow switch, and it is mounted vertically just below the return so even if there is no flow, the gasses can vent and nothing goes boom). An RJ-11 (i.e "phone jack" has six pinouts on it, its not just two wires) I assume its the center two pins, which is what Line 1 of your phone is on, but I don't want to assume and toast the board.

For the record, the good people at Hayward still have not gotten back to me.

-Thanks

Dave

 

[Texas Splash]

I'll PM someone who may be able to help.

 

[phonedave]

I'll PM someone who may be able to help.

Thanks

 

[Jimrahbe]

pd,

The cell does not care if you run at 100% for 5 hours or 50% for 10 hours... As far as the cell is concerned, the same amount of chlorine has been generated... Personally, I like generating a little chlorine all the time vs. lot of chlorine all at once, but the cell does not care one way or the other...

As far as the flow switch, run the Diagnostics and see what step 6 "Product Name" says... It should say "AL-7" indicating the Return Jet version.. If it says "Al-6" it thinks it needs a flow switch. I am not a Hayward guy, so I don't know if you can select this item or not...

Thanks,

Jim R.