Stenner input points and timing

[Alex_K]

Hello all,

Long story short, I have a 23,000 gallon, very exposed pool to south Texas sun, and much prefer the LC route. But as I prefer to add chlorine in the late evening, and my schedule does not allow this I'm looking to automate using a Stenner system, and a 5-7 gallon small drum.

My question is, would there be any problem with feeding this drip into the cap of the existing Trichlor column? I ask because I tend to adjust pump run times quite a bit, for convenience, swim times, etc. So I worry about injecting into plumbing that may accidentally get timed when the pool isn't running. By injecting into the column, I could do up to a days worth of LC (I calculate the column to be a hair over .6 gallons) into a vessel that should be chemically resistant as it is meant to hold concentrated chlorine, and then would just feed in the next time the pump runs with some level of dilution. It would also mean tapping into an easily replaceable cap that could be replaced cheap if it ever leaks, rather than into pool plumbing. It is also on the downstream side of any and all equipment.

Just wondering what thoughts would be, and what downsides that I may not be anticipating.

Also has anyone been successful in wiring it into a Jandy controller, to more easily automate run time to adjust for seasonal fluctuations?

 

[1poolman1]

Hello all,

Long story short, I have a 23,000 gallon, very exposed pool to south Texas sun, and much prefer the LC route. But as I prefer to add chlorine in the late evening, and my schedule does not allow this I'm looking to automate using a Stenner system, and a 5-7 gallon small drum.

My question is, would there be any problem with feeding this drip into the cap of the existing Trichlor column? I ask because I tend to adjust pump run times quite a bit, for convenience, swim times, etc. So I worry about injecting into plumbing that may accidentally get timed when the pool isn't running. By injecting into the column, I could do up to a days worth of LC (I calculate the column to be a hair over .6 gallons) into a vessel that should be chemically resistant as it is meant to hold concentrated chlorine, and then would just feed in the next time the pump runs with some level of dilution. It would also mean tapping into an easily replaceable cap that could be replaced cheap if it ever leaks, rather than into pool plumbing. It is also on the downstream side of any and all equipment.

Just wondering what thoughts would be, and what downsides that I may not be anticipating.

Also has anyone been successful in wiring it into a Jandy controller, to more easily automate run time to adjust for seasonal fluctuations?

If there have ever been tablets in that feeder you should NEVER run any other chemical into it. It could, quite literally, explode. If you are not going to use the the feeder, remove it. Chlorine should only be fed to the system with the pump running.
If you have an open relay in your Jandy it can be used to power on and off the Stenner.

 

[pjt]

Can you share why you're opting for LC instead of a SWG? You're an ideal candidate for a SWG. In the summer, your pool will need around a gallon of LC every day.

 

[Alex_K]

Can you share why you're opting for LC instead of a SWG? You're an ideal candidate for a SWG. In the summer, your pool will need around a gallon of LC every day.

I've gone back and forth, and between having an already flaky flagstone, an extra 400sq ft flag patio adjacent to the pool and equipment, barstools in the pool on stainless columns, and running robotic sweepers, I'd rather not. Additionally, my pool sits above (uphill from) my leach field, and all backwashing and draining activities would end up building up salts in that area, which could be problematic (although this is to a lesser extent).

 

[Alex_K]

If there have ever been tablets in that feeder you should NEVER run any other chemical into it. It could, quite literally, explode. If you are not going to use the the feeder, remove it. Chlorine should only be fed to the system with the pump running.
If you have an open relay in your Jandy it can be used to power on and off the Stenner.

I know this is the case for CalHyp, because of the interactions, but going through my chemistry, I can't come up with any problem running sodiumhypo behind 2 year old leached our Trichlor. And this would in essence, only feed chlorine in while the pump is running, diluting it in the process. But the column would actually be a failsafe in the event that the Stenner did run while the pump wasn't.

I didn't realize the Jandy had open 120 relays. I am currently running a sprinkler valve for autofill off of one of them that's 24V, I just assumed they all were. Thanks for that!

 

[pjt]

I've gone back and forth

Have you measured the current salinity of your water? You might be surprised.

Every chlorinated pool has salt in it. The salt levels required to operate a SWG are low.

 

[Alex_K]

Have you measured the current salinity of your water? You might be surprised.

Every chlorinated pool has salt in it. The salt levels required to operate a SWG are low.

yeah, last check was a hair under 600. So quite a bit lower than I'd need. Our big problem is high pH/lack of acid, since I can literally walk out and dump a gallon of 20o in on a given day and stay in safe ranges. I'm kind of figuring I may do this for a year or so to see what I think, as it's about 1/3 the cost of SWG, and if I decide to go SWG, I can always switch this system over for muriatic and adjust the dosing.

 

[PoolStored]

yeah, last check was a hair under 6000. So quite a bit lower than I'd need. Our big problem is high pH/lack of acid, since I can literally walk out and dump a gallon of 20o in on a given day and stay in safe ranges. I'm kind of figuring I may do this for a year or so to see what I think, as it's about 1/3 the cost of SWG, and if I decide to go SWG, I can always switch this system over for muriatic and adjust the dosing.

Most SWCGs work with Salt between 2800 and 4000. You will actually have to replace water to get your salt down.

The reason for your acid demand is high TA.

PH TA Relationship - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I too went your route. I have an empty stenner and pump now. I used it one season and it worked great! Got sick of chasing chlorine (I'm rural). Changed to SWCG and would fill in the pool if I had to give up my swcg.

 

[Alex_K]

Most SWCGs work with Salt between 2800 and 4000. You will actually have to replace water to get your salt down.

The reason for your acid demand is high TA.

PH TA Relationship - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I too went your route. I have an empty stenner and pump now. I used it one season and it worked great! Got sick of chasing chlorine (I'm rural). Changed to SWCG and would fill in the pool if I had to give up my swcg.

That was a typo and should have been 600 (not 6000). about 25% of what I'd need. And the TA comes with our input water. It's a beast and full of Ca and K.

But after reading through more forums here driven by your comments, I'm beginning to consider it. Looks like plenty of people are finding it to work well enough with stone, and TBH I vacuum out more than my share of the stone sand on the regular. Totally feel you on the chlorine, being rural. I generally clear out Wal-Mart the first week of the year I see them have it, hoping it will spur their inventory into carrying it more regularly during the warm months, but alas, no luck the last few years. Then its loading up at HD when I'm in the metro for other things a couple times a year. We finally have a pool house in the "town" now, but its 3Xs the price, so I try to support them through parts and other stuff to keep them in business, because having that aspect nearby is always a plus.

One last factor would be the copper in my heat pump. Any hope that salt wouldn't matter on that end? Because it sure is nice to have 78 degree water in late February, and swim all the way through late October or so.

 

[1poolman1]

That was a typo and should have been 600 (not 6000). about 25% of what I'd need. And the TA comes with our input water. It's a beast and full of Ca and K.

But after reading through more forums here driven by your comments, I'm beginning to consider it. Looks like plenty of people are finding it to work well enough with stone, and TBH I vacuum out more than my share of the stone sand on the regular. Totally feel you on the chlorine, being rural. I generally clear out Wal-Mart the first week of the year I see them have it, hoping it will spur their inventory into carrying it more regularly during the warm months, but alas, no luck the last few years. Then its loading up at HD when I'm in the metro for other things a couple times a year. We finally have a pool house in the "town" now, but its 3Xs the price, so I try to support them through parts and other stuff to keep them in business, because having that aspect nearby is always a plus.

One last factor would be the copper in my heat pump. Any hope that salt wouldn't matter on that end? Because it sure is nice to have 78 degree water in late February, and swim all the way through late October or so.

With the huge prevalence of SWGs in the market, manufacturers of heaters, heat pumps, etc. are aware of what can cause problems with their heat exchangers. They always have a list in the manual of how they would like the water to be maintained.
Proper water chemistry, even with salt, maintaining all the parameters correctly, will add to the longevity of your system. Salt will build in any pool that uses chlorine, especially liquid chlorine.
The amount of salt that is required to generate chlorine, +/-2500-3200ppm, is less than half that of human tears,+/- 9000ppm.

 

[Jaimslaw]

Re: concerns about stone patios with salted pool: Flagstone degradation around SWG pools will be considerably less than sandstone (noting that both technically are considered to be “sandstone”; this largely because sandstone is far more porous than flagstone (there are vary degrees of hardness in both).

I have both flag and sand stone around my pool, and after 15 years of exposure, all the flagstone is unaffected; whereas some sandstone pieces are taking a real beating (flaking). Regrettably, sandstone varies widely in hardness, accounting for why some of the sandstone is completely unaffected…and why pieces right next to the degraded pieces look perfect.

FWIW, sealing the sandstone - and/or flagstone - annually will help with flaking…however I found that sealing the really porous sandstone pieces around my pool has not really worked to diminish the degradation of those pieces. Now contemplating the means and method of removing and replacing those pieces. No doubt that is going to be an arduous undertaking.