Salt reading is too low

[y7Ihshaz]

I have a aquatrol system, it's been reading low salt for a while. I read some of the other threads but usually people had old salt cells. Mine is very new, bought this March. I took it off and cleaned it this month it didn't have any residue. I've had my pool water tested at the store, and salt levels are around 3500 but my unit shows 2500. I've tried recalibrating but the highest it will show when I do the procedure is 2900 and then slowly decreases throughout the day. What can I do?
Edit: added images

 

[Major_in_MS]

Do you have a variable speed pump? I've noticed on my salt cell, that if I'm running my pump at too low of a speed I will get the low salt and check cell errors and my cell will turn off. I'm talking about speeds high enough to not trigger the no flow error. Do you get this error when running at top pump speed?

 

[y7Ihshaz]

Do you have a variable speed pump? I've noticed on my salt cell, that if I'm running my pump at to low of a speed I will get the low salt and check cell errors and my cell will turn off. I'm talking about speeds high enough to not trigger the no flow error. Do you get this error when running at top pump speed?

I dont believe so.. here is a photo of the serial number of the pump. I also added some images for the diagnostic screens on my original post.

 

[Major_in_MS]

I would recommend that you buy a Taylor salt test kit, K-1766, and test your salt level yourself. The pool store may be right, but they may not even be close. If you do the drop based test yourself you will know what your salt level is. Also, if you don't have one, go ahead and order a Taylor SpeedStir, it will make testing so much easier.

 

[Major_in_MS]

One of the tenets of Troublefreepool.com is that we do all of our own pool water testing with a drop based test kit. The pool stores goal is to make money and sell you stuff. They also may not perform the testing accurately, and the technique of one employee over a different employee will give different values. They also may not keep up with calibration of electronic testing equipment.

Test Kits Compared - Trouble Free Pool

 

[JamesW]

What is the cell size?

Do you have a picture of the whole system?

In diagnostics, AL-6 means regular Aquatrol, AL-7 means return jet.

 

[y7Ihshaz]

What is the cell size?

Do you have a picture of the whole system?

In diagnostics, AL-6 means regular Aquatrol, AL-7 means return jet.

Aquarite power cell 15k

Skimmer basket > pump > sand filter > t-cell > return jet.
It's a 10000 gal vinyl above ground pool. The t-cell is basically hooked up right to the liner.

 

[y7Ihshaz]

One of the tenets of Troublefreepool.com is that we do all of our own pool water testing with a drop based test kit. The pool stores goal is to make money and sell you stuff. They also may not perform the testing accurately, and the technique of one employee over a different employee will give different values. They also may not keep up with calibration of electronic testing equipment.

Test Kits Compared - Trouble Free Pool

Thanks, but I do have a strip based salt test too. It also reads high, 3500-4000. I am without a doubt that the salt ppm is more than enough in the water currently.

 

[JamesW]

Is the cell a T-3 or a T-5?

 

[y7Ihshaz]

Is the cell a T-3 or a T-5?

Currently installed its a T3. Is it compatible? I'm looking online and I think aquatrol needs a GLX-CELL-5

 

[JamesW]

The aquatrol takes a T-5.

It won't work correctly with a different cell.

That's why it is reading low.

 

[y7Ihshaz]

The aquatrol takes a T-5.

It won't work correctly with a different cell.

That's why it is reading low.

Thanks for your help. Let me pitch this idea, would it be possible just to buy a aquarite controller board and swap out the aquatrol control. These systems seem similar, with the only distinction I see from hayward is that the aquatrol is meant for above ground pools and was meant to accept the smaller salt cell

 

[JamesW]

I think that the boards are mostly the same.

The GLX-PCB-RITE does not have the J1 connection from the timeclock, the pump relay or the output terminals (E5 and E6) to go to the plug. (See three red arrows).

So, you lose the timeclock function unless you can figure out a way to make it work.

 

[JamesW]

You can get a separate timer to power the SWG and pump.

Install the timer next to the SWG and supply 120 volt power to the SWG at the terminals.

Set the GLX-PCB-RITE board for 120 volts.

Connect the plug power supply to the power input terminals instead of the E5 and E6 output terminals.

Don’t do anything unless you are 100% sure about what you are doing.

Do at your own risk.

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