SWG Chlorine Production Ratings

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

I'm trying to evaluate the effectiveness of my SWG. It's rated at "up to" 1.35 lbs of chlorine gas per day. My unit has four settings; 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% and Boost. Are the max chlorine production claims based on the 100% setting or the Boost setting? My unit was branded as a "Calimar Platinum" but is the same unit as the SGS Chlorinators Wave-40 and probably the Circupool SJ-40.

 

[mgtfp]

Not sure how your "Boost" is defined, but with my SWG, "Boost" just means that the system will run for 24h on 100%, and then turn itself off. I assume that the 1.35lbs rating is based on 24h@100% - which is probably exactly what "Boost" is doing - or just running in standard mode at 100% for 24h...

 

[Dirk]

Same for Pentair SWG. Boost = 100% for x-amount of time (never used it so don't know what my "X" is). Then it reverts back to the "normal" % you had set up. No doubt they would define "per day" as 24 hours, to give themselves the best-sounding spec.

 

[Dirk]

I thought I read here about how to check your output against the spec, but I can't now remember how. A little math plus Pool Math and measuring FC gain (I guess at night?). Something like that. There's a "Chlorine Gas" option in the FC section of the old Pool Math. Sounds like something Marty would know how to do.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

If you want to test the amount of chlorine your cell generates, then I suggest the following..

1. Run the standard OCLT just to confirm that your overnight loss is close to zero.. This test is done with the SWCG off.. Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

2. The next night run the same test, but with the SWCG on.. In theory, the increase in FC will tell you the amount of chlorine gas your cell produced per hour. You then compare that info with how much gas the cell should be producing from the factory specs.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Thanks for the responses. I guess I assumed boost mode generated more chlorine gas than the 100% setting. My manual does state the SWG will run at boost mode for 72 hours, then reduce to 100%. It kinda makes the boost mode pointless.

Mike,

If you want to test the amount of chlorine your cell generates, then I suggest the following..

Thanks,

Jim R.

This is what I've been working on the last couple nights. It looks like my SWG is performing to spec, but my OCLT shows a loss of 0.8 ppm nightly. Somewhat concerning since I recently completed a SLAM for what I believe was mustard algae.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

I just looked up the manual for the Circupool SJ-40, which I believe is the same unit. The manual indicates "Super CL-Mode" generates more chlorine than the 100% setting:

"SUPER CL MODE: Generally, it is not necessary to “shock” a saltwater pool. Occasionally however, a large amount of sanitizer may be required to contend with rising chlorine demand, such as high bather loads, heavy rainfall, or other water conditions. In this case, simply activate the SUPER CL MODE. Press (+) to boost the Chlorine Output Level past 100%. The red SUPER CL LED will illuminate, and your system will begin to “super chlorinate” the water for 72 hours of run time. At the end of the SUPER CL boost period, the Output will reduce back to 100%; be sure to re-check your pool's water chemistry and make any necessary adjustments."

This may also explain why Circupool rates the SJ-40 at 1.6 lbs per day while differently branded units are rated at 1.35 lbs. I'll run tests the next couple nights at 100%, then boost mode, to see if there's a difference.

 

[Dirk]

"SUPER CL MODE: Generally, it is not necessary to “shock” a saltwater pool. Occasionally however, a large amount of sanitizer may be required to contend with rising chlorine demand, such as high bather loads, heavy rainfall, or other water conditions. In this case, simply activate the SUPER CL MODE. Press (+) to boost the Chlorine Output Level past 100%. The red SUPER CL LED will illuminate, and your system will begin to “super chlorinate” the water for 72 hours of run time. At the end of the SUPER CL boost period, the Output will reduce back to 100%; be sure to re-check your pool's water chemistry and make any necessary adjustments."

Well, that's interesting. I'm wondering if that's a discrepancy between the engineers and the manual writers. Why would it return to 100%, instead of your normal %? And why would there be a 100% setting that wasn't actually 100%? Weird.

For Pentair IntelliChlor:

Boost mode sets the sanitizer output to run 100% for the next 24 hours of pool pump run time. If the time clock switches off the pump cycle, then switches power back on the next day, Boost mode will continue until 24 hours has elapsed since Boost mode was turned on or Boost mode is canceled by the user.

The manual doesn't state what happens to your % setting after Boost mode. I've never used it. My "boost mode" is accomplished with liquid chlorine.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

The manuals for the Calimar and SGS units indicate the same for boost mode...after 72 hours, the unit "reduces to 100%". While my pool was struggling to keep up with FC demand as algae was unknowingly cultivating under my solar cover, I did run the SWG in boost mode and it did seem to generate more FC overnight. But those are just unscientific observations. I'll find out in the next couple nights.

 

[Brett S]

Well, that's interesting. I'm wondering if that's a discrepancy between the engineers and the manual writers. Why would it return to 100%, instead of your normal %?

Looking at the Circupool SJ manual it would appear that it’s a pretty minimal interface. There are only two buttons... + and -. In order to get it into the super chlorinate mode you just keep hitting + until it goes past 100% into super chlorinate. Since there’s not a dedicated button for super chlorinate and you need to change your percentage setting to get there I suspect that it forgets where you had it set before you went into super chlorinate mode. Definitely not an ideal interface.

 

[Dirk]

Looking at the Circupool SJ manual it would appear that it’s a pretty minimal interface. There are only two buttons... + and -. In order to get it into the super chlorinate mode you just keep hitting + until it goes past 100% into super chlorinate. Since there’s not a dedicated button for super chlorinate and you need to change your percentage setting to get there I suspect that it forgets where you had it set before you went into super chlorinate mode. Definitely not an ideal interface.

That explains it. Not ideal, for sure. A nicety of a boost button would be to return you to the previous state without having to think about it, or do anything about it... Sounds like its "100%" is more like "90%" (or whatever), and the unit reserves that last 10% and calls it boost mode. I like how the Pentair gives you the full session of boost mode hours, even if it has to span multiple runtime schedules.

 

[laprjns]

Well, that's interesting. I'm wondering if that's a discrepancy between the engineers and the manual writers. Why would it return to 100%, instead of your normal %? And why would there be a 100% setting that wasn't actually 100%? Weird.

I think your assuming that it uses a duty cycle like the Pentair and Hayward systems to control the level of chlorine production. The Calimar, SGS and Circupool SJ systems adjusted the voltage and / or current to the cell based on the % settings. So at the 25%, 50% , 75% , and 100% settings, a corresponsing voltage /current level is set for each. When the boost mode is selected it increases the voltage /current level above the 100% level for 72 hours. After 72 hours the voltage/current is reduced back to the 100% level.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

I think your assuming that it uses a duty cycle like the Pentair and Hayward systems to control the level of chlorine production. The Calimar, SGS and Circupool SJ systems adjusted the voltage and / or current to the cell based on the % settings. So at the 25%, 50% , 75% , and 100% settings, a corresponsing voltage /current level is set for each. When the boost mode is selected it increases the voltage /current level above the 100% level for 72 hours. After 72 hours the voltage/current is reduced back to the 100% level.

This is correct, and consistent with what the manual states. The unit does not work off of duty cycles and instead adjusts voltage. So I'm curious if the unit actually creates more than the rated capacity of 1.35 lbs.