Scale on my Circupool RJ45+ plates already???

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DeanP66

DeanP66

0
Mar 26, 2014
1,230
San Jose, CA
I bought and installed a Circupool RJ45+ back in early March and convinced my friend to let me install one in her pool as well. Mine has been rock solid from the start. I made sure to balance my pool before installing it and I specifically concentrated on keeping the CSI on the negative side (between -0.3 and 0).

I did the same with my friend's pool. Her CH is up near 600ppm, so I concentrated on keeping pH and TA low to compensate. Imagine my surprise this week after seeing the Low Salt and Maintenance lights both on, and removing the cell to inspect it, I see quite a bit of calcium scale on the titanium plates. I was flabbergasted. The only thing I can think of is that her pool plaster is very old and down to the gunite in a lot of areas. Could the plaster be dissolving and flowing back into the pump and catching in the plates? Wouldn't the filter catch that stuff. She has a good Pentair DE filter that I just cleaned completely in March.

I hope she doesn't have a defective cell. Any thoughts??
 
With a K-2006 in-hand, you certainly understand the concept of CSI and where the water parameters should ideally be. Not sure etching or dissolved plaster could make it back to the cell, although it could potentially increase the overall CH level while in soluble form I suppose. But if the pH and TA are compensating for that CH on a regular basis, it should be fine. Are you the only one testing her water? How often are you able to confirm those readings?
 
Yes, im the only one testing her water. I usually go there once a week to see how things are. I've been doing it for about 3 years since she fired her pool guy on my advice.

I test Fc, pH, and TA every week, and have checked CSI as well ever since I convinced her to get the RJ45+.
 
DeanP66 said:
I bought and installed a Circupool RJ45+ back in early March and convinced my friend to let me install one in her pool as well. Mine has been rock solid from the start. I made sure to balance my pool before installing it and I specifically concentrated on keeping the CSI on the negative side (between -0.3 and 0).

I did the same with my friend's pool. Her CH is up near 600ppm, so I concentrated on keeping pH and TA low to compensate. Imagine my surprise this week after seeing the Low Salt and Maintenance lights both on, and removing the cell to inspect it, I see quite a bit of calcium scale on the titanium plates. I was flabbergasted. The only thing I can think of is that her pool plaster is very old and down to the gunite in a lot of areas. Could the plaster be dissolving and flowing back into the pump and catching in the plates? Wouldn't the filter catch that stuff. She has a good Pentair DE filter that I just cleaned completely in March.

I hope she doesn't have a defective cell. Any thoughts??
Click to expand...
I would call Circupool. It’s possible it was not matched correctly in the settings at the factory and they can walk you through that, plus they may have some advice.
 
Clean it and run the CSI a little more negative than you have (Though running at -.3 might be bad for what's left of her plaster...).... The CH at 600 isn't probably helping you. The CSI in the pool is going to be more negative than in the cell because of the OH- production.
 
Interesting, I am having the same type of problem in Phoenix area with my Circupool plates scaling up, I replaced the cell in March and have the same issues this year with the RJ45+ (no problems last year with older RJ45)) . My CH was 600, currently doing a water exchange to see if that helps, just posted a question today to try and figure out what is going on and if it might be Calcium Sulfate?.
 
I just cleaned my friend's cell again today because the calcium buildup returned. I've been reading that adding borates might help keep the pH in the cell lower and help prevent some of the scaling. Anybody have any experience with this?
 
Oddly enough, I'm also having the same issue in Florida. My original cell lasted over 4 years, and would go 5-6 months without the need for cleaning. My new cell was installed in April, and I've had to clean it twice already, and there's clearly calcium build-up in it. I'm also struggling with the fact that the cell is reading a salt level of 5,200, while my test shows 3,200, which the pool store confirmed this morning.
 

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are all of your cells switching polarity, confirming with the lights... I have an SJ and it has a light for each polarity when it switches... Mine has been going strong for 5 years and no buildup ever but my CSI is on the negative and my TA is low... I have a vinyl pool so no worries about plaster...
 
I'm with cowboycasey on this one, check to see if the polarity is changing each cycle. This is easily done by looking at the cell current using the menu button, a negative sign should show before the number every-other cycle. Checking salt and current values and comparing between the clean system and one with quick deposits (before and after cleaning) may also provide some clues.

My RJ30 has been running for about 18 months, never cleaned and the plates look like new. My CH runs low 200s and CSI normally -0.3 to 0. I'd be amazed that one of these RJ units working properly could load-up that quickly unless the water has high CSI. I'd check date codes on the CH test chemicals and maybe try a newer set to ensure the CH readings are accurate. I had a very low CH reading one time (about 100) that made no sense and multiple tests repeated perfectly. The chemicals were about 18 months old. I ordered new set and my readings were normal again (about 230).
 
Thanks, I have verified the polarity is changing, that was the first think I thought too. I talked to Circupool tech about this and if the amp +- indications on the display guaranteed the controller was reversing and he said yes, every 200 minutes of operation. My chemicals do have good dates but am going to get fresh to double check, I do keep a log and check my water to obsession, always maintaining a negative csi. I am baffled on this, just finished my water exchange today, took about 43% out, Thanks TFP Pool Math Calculator! We will see in a few weeks. As far as salt readings, my current cell reads very accurate withing 200 ppm. The previous RJ45 cell read 1000 ppm low, the RJ30 before that 800 ppm low.
 
For what it's worth, the RJ cycle time is evidently 180 minutes. I know Circupool states 200 minutes but many users have witnessed 180 minutes including me with my electrical circuit monitor. Not that the difference means much unless you're hanging around at the controller waiting for it to shift cycles.
 
I haven't timed it, the Circupool tech guy told me the RJ plus was 200 minutes when I was questioning if it was reversing, wouldn't surprise me they are off.
Off subject a little, my water exchange went perfect, what an easy, efficient way to drain water. My water tests today show I had no measurable mixing and its right where I wanted it. The CH is lower than I expected though, the TFP calculator showed I should be around 350 CH and It measures 240, the salt and cya are exactly per the calculator. I used a water meter that JoyfulNoise used so it should be spot on.
 
Just another data point: my newer RJ45+ has been running perfect for 4 months now (my first experience with SWG).
I did have startup issues (3 variables for me in an otherwised chem balanced pool) and I did have numerous discussions with DiscountSaltPool (of course my initial thought was this thing must be defective):
  • my RJ45+ salt reading is about 400 to 600 ppm lower than 2 different Taylor test kits (so I trust the Taylor test). This caused me heartburn at first. But as long as salt is above minimum that the RJ45+ measures then no big deal.
  • and of course what's pool ownership without the dreaded Phosphates discussion...I had a relatively low amount of phosphates and so DSP insisted I had to get that to near zero. Easiest answer, just get the phosphates to zero and move on....its relatively painless to do and to be fair DSP does promently state for their equipment phosphates need to be zero. So I did that and certainly eliminated phosphates as any potential SWG problem with producing FC
  • water temp was another variable being debate at my startup since I was early in the season but if you meet the RJ45+ min operating water temp, then that variable won't be a problem.
Oh yeah I did have a user error in my pool size calculation (whoops) which did obviously impact the the amount of FC being generated by the RJ45+. So if your chems are "balanced" close enough and you tests verify the chems as advise from TFP you should be good to go.

Net-net I am extremely happy with my RJ45+ and DiscountSaltPool was very responsive. Hopefully I will get many, many years out of this unit.
 
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