Really dumb SWG question

[GMTK]

This is starting to get very expensive.

 

[ajw22]

With a spa and waterfall a VS pump needs automation control to effectively work with different features.

Your old Aqualink will limit what you can do.

 

[an1vrsy]

With a SWG, you pay now (upfront) for your next 5 to 7 years of chlorine. You could add up $7.20 gallon of liquid chlorine or the cost fro a bucket of tabs and compare after buying that for another 5 - 7 years.

 

[GMTK]

Do you HAVE to have the VS pump or will the two speed work?

 

[ajw22]

Do you HAVE to have the VS pump or will the two speed work?

Can you find a 2 speed pump available?

Jandy Aqualink RS - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Controlling a 2 Speed Pump​

You need the Jandy 2-Speed Relay Kit for Pumps JDY6796 and the AUX2 relay free.

S1 DIP #2 ON- AUX2 Controls Low Speed of Filter Pump Turn this switch ON if you want to control both speeds of a two-speed filter pump. With this switch on, the filter pump button on the AquaLink RS control panel will control high speed and the AUX2 button will control low speed.

 

[GMTK]

Maybe I'm dumb - don't I have a two speed pump now? My system will run in "filter pump" and "low speed". I thought this was a two speed pump.

 

[ajw22]

Maybe I'm dumb - don't I have a two speed pump now? My system will run in "filter pump" and "low speed". I thought this was a two speed pump.

I have no idea what you have.

You have no pump model listed in your signature.

 

[guinness]

You can also get variable speed pumps that have digital inputs so pump speeds can be controlled by relays. If you have spare relays that could be more cost effective for you. You can also hook up any SWCG system to the filter relay so either the CircuPool or CMP 60K cells would work (see Compare SWCG Systems). It basically comes down to your budget and what level of integration is required.

 

[ajw22]

How many relays do you have in your Aqualink and how many are unused?

 

[HermanTX]

In the summer I run the high speed pump 5 hours a day and low speed 5 hours - adjusting if I think something is off.
Winter I run the high speed 4 hours and the low speed 3 hours - but also find myself turning on the high speed manually after wind storms (like last night) or when the stupid pollen is coming off the trees.

According to the picture of your equipment pad, you have a Hayward pump. Can you identify the model of it?

Also, take the panel cover off of your AquaLink box and snap a picture of the PCB and the dip switches (they are to the left of the PCB) as this will help identify how it is set up.

 

[ajw22]

This control panel shows he has six relays and one is not being used...

 

[GMTK]

Here is the pump. Google says a Northstar 2 speed. Will snap a photo of the control box inside tomorrow morning.

 

[HermanTX]

Here is the pump. Google says a Northstar 2 speed. Will snap a photo of the control box inside tomorrow morning. View attachment 459839

Great - glad we have that 2 speed confirmed. I searched for a manual on the Hayward website but no info.
Post pictures of the automation hookups with the panel removed. Need pictures of the dipswitchs, the PCB and all the electrical relays.

 

[trivetman]

Do you HAVE to have the VS pump or will the two speed work?

Two speed is probably ok. Theres a chance the low speed doesn’t generate enough flow for the swg to operate. Hopefully that won’t be the case. Running on high speed 24/7 for the swg will result in a very expensive electric bill

 

[jmastron]

Not all capacity ratings are equal. Theres been a lot of debate over whether various brands of swg truly live up to their production specs and Circupool often has come up as suspect.

I have a Hayward T-15 (rated 40k gallons). on my 25k pool and the production has been way more than enough to keep up (with 24 hr pump time). I would not have the same confidence in a Circupool 40k rated model.

I agree with this. I have a generic Calimar CMARSHA15, rated 40k gallons, and it keeps up fine with my ~25k gallon pool well enough. At the very peak of the summer (all day full sun at highest angles, hot air and water temps), with the solar cover off during the day I only need 8-9 hours of SWCG generation time. Rest of the summer (and days when the solar cover is on all day) I have to dial it back quite a bit. I have the SWCG on a separate WiFi timer so I can adjust easily by an app for when the cover is on/off etc from the convenience of the house (I leave the controller at 100%). The key is that if the CYA level is at the recommended levels (70-80ppm), the FC consumption is quite a bit lower even in the peak.

I agree cells should be oversized in general, but I don't know that a blanket 2x minimum is required, and there is a sweet spot of a lot of "40k" units that generate ~1.2-1.5 pounds a day. I've read your other thread and agree it seems some manufacturers are playing games with the capacity ratings. And the "8 year" warrantees are less attractive when you read the details -- usually all you get in later years is a 10-20% discount on a new cell...off of MSRP prices, when they're otherwise selling them at a "discount" all the time anyway. So I decided on this $625 generic unit with 3 year warranty (even that's prorated in the 3rd year I believe) and am happy with it so far through 2 summers and 1 winter.

 

[GMTK]

Here’s pics of the internals. Sorry for the delay, been working 14 hour days.

 

[HermanTX]

Here’s pics of the internals. Sorry for the delay, been working 14 hour days.

Thanks for the photos of the AquaLink. The dipswitches to the left show #1 & #2 to be on which indicates the cleaner and the 2 spd pump. Just confirmation of what was brought out in earlier discussion.
Also, those 4 little wires connected to that RED connector at the top lead to your inside control panel.
Your actuators on the valves that dictate whether in Spa or Pool mode is controlled by those plugins at the top right - intake and return.

 

[HermanTX]

Also, what I did on mine, was take a Black Sharpie and write on the bottom of the control box what electrical component was coming through. It made it easier to identify what was connect to which of the black relays. Then you can mark your schematic so if something doesn't work, for example the blower, you know which relay to check for loose wires, etc.

Now your original question was about adding a SWCG. Just wondering if you made any decisions on which type you were considering. A SWCG will work with a 2 spd pump. Hopefully the low speed of the pump is sufficient to operate the flow switch/sensor on the SWCG which allows it to turn on. This way you would want the majority of the time to set the pump to run on low speed and yet produce chlorine.

 

[guinness]

@GMTK Can you update your signature to include the following equipment?

• cartridge filter
• 2-speed filtration pump
• waterfall pump
• spa blower
• gas heater
• aqualink rs4
• ray-vac cleaner
• inline chlorinator
• smartpure ozonator

 

[GMTK]

Done. Thanks.

Got my saltwater test kit in. 3000 ppm.