Pentair, Chlorinator

[Desert123]

Always having white flakes in the pool and it gets old, always cleaning them out. Pool is well balanced and it has about 50ppm of Borates to help with stabilization (which it does.)
I was wondering if anyone knows if its possible to stop the Pentair chlorinator from making chlorine while the pump continues to run? I read somewhere that cooling the chlorinator down
while still running the pump can help minimize the calcium flakes. However, my pool water here in Arizona is pretty warm, like bout 92F. Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[mknauss]

Can you post a full set of pool water chemistry results from your own proper test kit?

You need to keep your CSI below 0 and your TA below 90 or so to keep from making the scale in the SWCG.

 

[Desert123]

Can you post a full set of pool water chemistry results from your own proper test kit?

You need to keep your CSI below 0 and your TA below 90 or so to keep from making the scale in the SWCG.

Yes,
TA @ 86
ph @7.6
FC @2.7
TC @2.7
CYA @62
CSI @ .08 (per pool calculator)
Phosphates @ 0
Pool temp. 90f
Calcium Hardness @ 529 (Hard water where I live)
Salt @ 3750

 

[mknauss]

What test kit did you use for those results?

 

[Desert123]

What test kit did you use for those results?

The readings are per the local pool supply store, Leslie's. I also checked some readings with a 3-way test kit (ph, fc, tc) and also test strips (I know those are just ballpark readings) but those readings followed the pool store readings, as best as I could tell. I forgot to mention, the borates are at about 50. The borates have helped alot by stabilizing ph swings that are usually associated with the chlorine generator. I've read that what can help to minimize calcium flakes (due to high ph inside the swg when its on) is to cool down the swg by keeping the pump running but not having the swg generate chlorine. However, on my Pentair swg I haven't found a way to continue to keep the pump running automatically while not generating chlorine (swg automatically works whenever pump is on.) Anyway, don't know if that would help or not. Perhaps calicum flakes are just a fact of life with swg's so best to do is try to minimize? Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[mknauss]

You need a proper test kit. I suggest the TF100 or the Taylor K2006C. A proper test kit is needed to get the accurate water chemistry results needed to follow the TFP protocols.

 

[Desert123]

You need a proper test kit. I suggest the TF100 or the Taylor K2006C. A proper test kit is needed to get the accurate water chemistry results needed to follow the TFP protocols.

I'll check it out, thanks.

 

[Desert123]

Haven't received that particular test kit yet. However, I've had the water tested several times now, including a different pool supply store. All the readings continue to be the same within a very small % so I'm confident pool chemistry is accurate. What I did do just recently is adjusted the timing of the swg/pool pump. That and combined with the boric acid I added I now have next to nothing of any calcium flakes, happy! In the past low pump speed would come on and the swg starts generating chlorine. Then after low speed cycle the pump turned off and a few minutes later pump high speed would kick in and I'd get a lot of white flakes going into the pool. I'm guessing because of the high ph environment in the swg and then not having water flowing for a few minutes (cooling it) after low speed. Anyway, now I have high speed kicking in a few minutes before the low speed (chlorine generation speed) turns off, Net result is pump stays on, water continues moving through the swg to cool and I get little, if any, calcium flakes. Also, I can't say enough about the boric acid. My ph is so much more stable and I don't have to add muriatic acid nearly as much! Also, before adding the boric acid I cleaned/scraped off the mineral ring that normally devlopes on the tile (waterline) and so far it hasn't even begun to form again. Time will tell but so far so good!

 

[Newdude]

Haven't received that particular test kit yet

Belated Welcome !!!

Haven’t received it or haven’t ordered it ?

You’ve gotten consistent readings from the pool store(s) which certainly goes in your favor, but for how long ? Next week/month is not guaranteed if the machine needs calibration and you simply cannot know all the variables as to when it won’t be accurate.

Nobody will care for your pool like yourself. Surprisingly we will too as total internet strangers, but both you and us need set, reliable, repeatable parameters to do so.

 

[Desert123]

So far to date, next to nothing of the white flakes (calcium) being generated from my pentair chlorine generator (swg.) I attribute this to the changes I made while pool readings were all within established guidlines
1) Added borates (boric acid) to bing borate level up to around 40ppm. Amazon, Duda Energy 5 lb bag's.
2) Started adding a phosphate eliminator and continuing to add if phosphates exceed around 150ppm.
3) Changed timing on my swg to minimize heat. When running, swg's have a high ph environment inside which in turn promotes conditions for the generation of the calcium flakes. To minimize heat I now start the high speed cycle about 5 minutes before the low speed cycle is to end. Chlorine is only generated (and heat) on the low speed cycle.) This way the inside of the swg stays cooler after low speed cycle.) Before, my low speed cycle ended and about 5 minutes later high speed cycle started.
4) I keep the ph at the low end (7.2-7.4.)

In conclusion:
Adding Boric acid is a big positive! It also helps a lot to stabilize the ph which in turn has cut the amount of muriatic acid I add by about 50%....Its no wonder pool supply stores don't sell boric acid! Also, changed the timing of swg as mentioned above and keeping the ph at low end.

All good as far as I'm concerned. This works for me in Arizona where my pool temp during the day is around 90F.

 

[mknauss]

Great it works. I do none of that but use softened water for make up water. Same result, no scale from my SWCG.