Salt coming from returns

[FrankM]

Pentair IC40 startup for the season. Added salt and waited about 18 hours, powered it up and salt is flowing back into pool from returns. Flows for 3 mins 30 secs, stops for 1 min 20 secs. Cell set at 80 %.

 

[mknauss]

That is not salt. That is hydrogen bubbles from the SWCG when it is operating. The IC has a 5 minute cycle time. So what you are seeing is normal.

 

[FrankM]

Really? I’ve never saw it before, are you sure it’s normal? Will it stop and should I be concerned about damage to the liner or SWG?

 

[mknauss]

It will not stop. That is a byproduct of the chlorine generation process.

Your flow rate from you single speed pump is pretty high. If you had a lower speed pump, the bubbles would come out bigger and thus not look like a cloud.

No harm to any components.

 

[FrankM]

I’m sorry, I don’t accept that this is hydrogen bubbles. It has to be something else, how can I expect to swim in this? It can’t be the pump either, like I said I’ve never seen this before. I did change the percentage down to 20% but that just changed the cycle times.

 

[mknauss]

Not sure what to say. It is not salt. The only things that come off a SWCG is chlorine, hydrogen bubbles, and calcium scale when it builds up on the plates, and only at polarity reversal.

Can you post a full set of test results?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Frank,,

How did you determine that you needed to add salt???

I also don't believe this is "salt"... Since it turns on/off with the SWCG cycle what else can it be but hydrogen bubbles???

That said, it does not look right to me... Did you add salt with your main drain open?

Thanks

Jim R.

 

[mknauss]

I am wondering if the pH drop in the SWCG is creating a calcium cloud? Need to know your pH, TA, CH, and water temperature.

 

[FrankM]

Determined need to add salt from water test I took to pool store, I know that was probably a mistake but it’s too late now. And yes, the main drain was open.

 

[FrankM]

Mknaus the PH 7.3, TA 90, and CH 50, water temp 74°

 

[Jimrahbe]

Frank,

It was a trick question...

What I was really looking for is how high is the actual salt level in the pool.. I'm wondering if the salt level is way too high...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[mknauss]

Doubt that water chemistry would cause a calcium precipitation.

Let's ask @JoyfulNoise if he has any ideas.

 

[mknauss]

But if salinity was very high, would not the SWCG be showing high salt? Is it?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Marty,

My initial thought was that the cell was showing low salt, and the OP kept adding salt until the cell was happy.. Not a big deal unless the cell's salt measurement was way off... Not unlikely with an IC40...

Jim R.

 

[FrankM]

That’s what I’m thinking Jim, shouldn’t have gone to the pool store. They had my salt level at 1800, told me to put in six 40lb bags.

 

[mknauss]

I still do not see chemically how you concentrate salinity enough to form a cloud in the SWCG.

Again, does the SWCG show high salt?

 

[FrankM]

No, all indications are normal.

 

[FrankM]

Here’s the display

 

[JoyfulNoise]

It’s not salt. The chemistry wouldn’t cause that.

Turn off the SWG or set the output to zero. Does the cloudiness go away?

 

[FrankM]

With the SWG off there is no cloudiness. I haven’t set it to 0 yet but when I changed the percentage from 80% to 20% the only thing that changed was the cycle time.