Salt Levels SWG is action needed | Just Started

[Barkyman]

Hi!
I just started my new pool and chemicals last week. My salt levels have been running at 3800-4000 which is at the upper end. Was wondering for new pools if this will drop over the summer or if I should drain the pool and put hose water in.

Today I finally got all most my chemicals levels balanced so I'm a bit hesitant to start draining the pool.

I am worried about running high on salt, but not sure how these levels fluctuate in new pools.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Barky,

Is your current salt level between the min and max recommended for your cell?

If so, then you should be fine.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Barkyman]

I have an Hayward Aquarite T-15. The manual says 3,200 is ideal and to dilute over 3600. The panel has yet to say high salt.

I took out a few inches and put hose water in tonight. Just not sure how much to dilute if it's really needed. Keep reading that over summer with rain and such it will trend lower. Just not sure.

 

[Alba666]

Is your salt reading from the SWG or an independent test? My SWG always reads high once it gets warm compared to the level when I pull a sample and take it up to Leslie’s.

 

[Barkyman]

SWG says 4000 and I did a salt test strip tonight that said ~3,750. So there is a small difference. I'm close kind of close and once we get some rain that number will fall.

Wanted to make sure I'm not too high where I need to worry about corrosion or if diluting is necessary.

 

[woodyp]

I'd let it ride. It won't gain any more just sittin' there running.

 

[ajw22]

Post the diagnostic information, especially the volts and amps.

High salt causes high amps which causes heat which burns out components and causes the board to fail. For Aquarites it is better to keep salt at the low end of its range around 3000.

Hayward Aquarite SWG - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Pressing the diagnostic button sequentially will display:

• Default salt display
• Pool temp
• Cell Voltage - When not generating, the voltage is about 30 to 32 volts dc. When generating, the voltage drops about 1 volt per amp of current.
• Cell current
• Desired output (% of the knob)
• Instant salinity
• Product name
• Software revision (r.XX)
• Cell type

The Hayward Aquarite Troubleshooting Guidelines explains each reading.

• Instant salt = the cells reading of the current salt PPM
• Average Salt = the average salt reading of the last 3 cycles of the cell.

 

[Barkyman]

What's the best way to know how much water needs to be removed and replaced to get a desired level. I'm just purely guessing, but wasn't sure if I could get a calculation somehow.

I'll check tomorrow and post the diagnostics - system off over night.

 

[ajw22]

What's the best way to know how much water needs to be removed and replaced to get a desired level. I'm just purely guessing, but wasn't sure if I could get a calculation somehow.

I'll check tomorrow and post the diagnostics - system off over night.

The percentage you need to lower the salt is the percentage you need to drain the pool.

If you need to lower the salt level by 25% from 4000 to 3000 then you need to put 25% fresh water into your 27,000 gallon pool or about 7000 gallons.

See the No Drain Water Exchange in Draining - Further Reading

 

[Barkyman]

Great. Thanks.

I'll test again tomorrow after the fresh water I put in today is mixed in. I'm thinking 3500-3600 bc we will be getting rain and that will drifting lower all summer.

So that's about 200ppm or 1,500 gallons given the test showed 3750. I'll check the pump and see how many gallons per min and time the drain.

Then I'll shock and put in more CYA to get back to balanced. You are right the panel runs high.

 

[Barkyman]

Here are the diagnostics from this morning. I just started it up. Just tested salt and it's 3730 per the salt strips.

4100
66
25.9 Generating goes to 32 when off on a 20 Amp Circuit
6.43
62
-3900
AL -0
r 1.59
T -15

 

[ajw22]

Your water is cold. Your salinity and amps will rise as the water warms. Keep an eye on it and don’t let the amps get much above where it is now.

 

[Barkyman]

If they do, should I drain some water out and refill to dilute? Yesterday I drained about 3inches and refilled.

 

[ajw22]

If they do, should I drain some water out and refill to dilute? Yesterday I drained about 3inches and refilled.

Yes, keep your salt down to around 3000 to keep your amps down.

 

[Barkyman]

Great - Thank you!

I'll keep an eye on the voltage/level and likely dump and replace 3-4 inches at a time over the next week or so to get the salt down to 3500 which is the ideal level per the manual. Then with rain the salt level will keep drifting lower.

For the salt level I should trust the test versus the SWG correct? There seems to be a decent difference of about ~200ppm.

 

[ajw22]

The most accurate salt test is the Taylor K-1766 or TFT Salt Get one of those tests.

The Hayward system is not measuring salt levels. It is calculating a salt level based on the volts and amps and the performance of a new cell. When the cell ages the calculation will drift wrong and lead you astray. Never add salt based on the Hayward salt display.

Hayward Aquarite SWG - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Barkyman]

Gotcha. That makes sense now.
Yesterday afternoon it was reading 3900 before I diluted about 3 inches. Then I started today and it was up to 4100 on the panel bc it was likely using more power at start up.

I'll look into the salt tests so I can get an accurate reading . Can I rely on the instant salt reading on the diagnostics or just disregard that as well?

 

[ajw22]

. Can I rely on the instant salt reading on the diagnostics or just disregard that as well?

Nope. Instant salt is a derived calculation and may have no connection with the actual pool salt level. It is there for diagnostic purposes.

 

[Barkyman]

Great - this was extremely helpful!

I'll start testing the salt for the most accurate reading and adjust from there. The higher salt the more volts used. It's all correlated, but if I get to 3500-3600 I should be fine going forward.

 

[Barkyman]

Is there any other reason the volts would be high other than salt level?