should I reinvest or move on?

[GoofyYno]

Hi,
I have been frustrated by my AquaPure 1400. I've gone through 4 sensors in 2 years. I was trying to stay on it but even with proper salt levels it would stop working. at the time I was doing all the maintenance on my own. But when an issue with the Aqua pure came up (and I checked all the normal stuff- ie it was cleaned and should have been working) it was like pulling teeth to get someone out to fix the thing. my wife saw the frustration, and trying to help, hired a pool service. I wouldn't have spent the money, but I figured the headache of the aquapure was off my shoulders, and It was nice not to have to vacuum the pool anymore, so i went with it.
The nice older gentleman who owns the service (and does our pool) said he needed to call the jandy/zodiac guys to fix the problem. several weeks later I was wondering why my bound clorine levels where so high, but the clorine tablets in the float seemed to explain that after a few conversation with him I learned he is old school and does not believe in the SWGs. he says they only get 1-3 years on the cells in the az sun, are too much trouble, and cost so much more than chlorine tablets. when my wife objected due to the feel of the salt, he said we can maintain the salt levels, so the soft water feel will still be there.
I'm conflicted now. I feel he may be right about the cost/benefit of the system. i have already lost the money to install the system, but I don't want to waste more money if I'm going to need to buy a new cell every 3 years. I don't love the chorine smell, but it is minimal (I seem to be the only one that can smell it). He is doing a good job keeping the pool looking good, but if I want the SWG functioning, I feel I'll need to get someone else who believes in the system.
what should I do?

 

[Isaac-1]

You could consider a liquid chlorine injection pump, just refill the tank once every week or two and let it do the dosing throughout the week.

 

[harleysilo]

Hi,
several weeks later I was wondering why my bound clorine levels where so high, but the clorine tablets in the float seemed to explain that after a few conversation with him I learned he is old school and does not believe in the SWGs. he says they only get 1-3 years on the cells in the az sun, are too much trouble, and cost so much more than chlorine tablets.

I'm not following you here. Are you saying you are now getting CC Combined chlorine levels in your pool? Are you doing any testing yourself? I'm sorry i can't tell from this if you understand what pucks can do to CYA or CH or not, i think so because of the but am not sure If you can smell the chlorine and have CC's you need to shock to get rid of them.

I would say get another SWG, but you are not having much luck with them. Have you considered going straight BBB and dosing bleach on your own daily? Have you looked at the automated ways to dispense bleach/liquid chlorine?

 

[linen]

Often times people with swgs run their pools with to low cya levels requiring the swg to work harder (on more) than it has too, and the cells fail early. In general you should expect to get 3-5 years cell life when it is properly sized.

What was your cya before the pucks?
What is your cya now?
Using pucks is adding to it...and it can get too high very fast.

You will find many examples of people on here in AZ that are happy swg users.

I don't love the chorine smell, but it is minimal (I seem to be the only one that can smell it).

Your swg produces chlorine as well. If you can smell it, it probably is CC not FC and therefore is not properly chlorinated. CC should always be below 0.5 ppm. Post a full set of test results and how you got them, and we can help (FC, CC, TA, ph, CH, and cya).

Make sure you read this poolschool article: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/types_chlorine_pool...we would definitely not recommend using pucks for your daily chlorine source!

 

[JasonLion]

The big issue in AZ is usually preventing calcium scaling inside the cell. Frequent calcium scaling, and the associated cleaning, significantly shortens the cell life.

 

[GoofyYno]

Boy, am I lousy at asking these questions. I do appreciate the responses though. My main question is the one posted about weather it's worth it to try an use the swg. right now i don't think it's even on.
I expected Calcium build up because my water is extremely hard, but there was never a build up on sensors.

as for how to maintaining the chemicals, I appreciated the different options. I did mean CC (in my mind separating them from the FC as produced by the swg ), not so good with nomenclature. I had been check very methodically , and was initially having issues. Until, thanks to the help of this board, I got my CYA levels high enough. But honestly, since i'm now paying the pool guy, I have not been checking the chemistry. I guess I need to either decide to go back to maintaining it myself (with or without the SWG) or being lazy. (and I guess I should include the fact that I was not the most compliant. i'd do fine for a while, or when fixing a problem, but then miss a week or two)

 

[GoofyYno]

ok, I felt really guilty for neglecting my poor pool, so I tested the water:

FC: 2.0
CC: 1.0
TA : 140
Ca : 340
CYA: 50
PH : 8.2
NaCl : 2740

after 3 months of using the poo guy, they seem pretty good. CYA under control. I was have problems with the acid also.

 

[jblizzle]

CYA is too low for a SWG pool. CC is too high pointing to the need for the shock process.
pH is too high which is not surprising given the rise caused by the SWG and the high TA.

EDIT: Just remembered the SWG is not running . So CYA is fine, but your FC is too low, your CC is too high, and your pH is too high.

 

[harleysilo]

Those numbers indicate your headed for trouble.

 

[linen]

What did you use to get your test numbers?

As jbliz said, if your cya is 50 (or probably lower since the pucks raised it) you would have trouble maintaining your chlorine level with the swg. For swg pools your cya should be 70-80 pm (see:http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/water_balance_saltwater_generator). Now if you are going to go to manual dosing, then your cya should be ~50 ppm, so you are good right now...but you won't be for long if you keep using the pucks.

Either way as harley indicated, CC 0f >0.5 ppm means it is time to do the shocking process and that should be done before you mess more with cya. See: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/shocking_your_pool As jbliz said, make sure you adjust your ph down ( and confirm it is down) before starting the shocking process. An indicated ph value of 8.2 can actually be higher.

 

[GoofyYno]

I use a TF-100 kit.

He has not been using the swg, so I think he is treating the numbers for manual dosing.

I don't know where the CYA was when he started. could I be that he was using the puck to increase the cya, and now he'll control it?

I know: :blah: :blah:

and I guess I thought the CC is higher because there is not a constant influx of chlorine from the swg (or liquid injector).

again: i"ll do it myself: Back to pool school I go.

Oh, I did add acid.

 

[Seanhan]

The SWG numbers in pool school really work ..
After 2 months of following them my pool is perfect every peramater in spec.
We had had 2 rain storms that produced 1.5 inches each .. And my numbers have held ...
Get your numbers in spec, keep a log , its kinda fun !!!
Salt Cell life is also a buy product of a well ballanced pool .