SWG Going Bad?

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GuerillaRadio

Member
May 21, 2025
8
Kansas City
Hey All —

Just introducing myself! I’m in KCMO and have a 28k gallon in ground saltwater pool. Have had a good few years but running into some challenges. Just ordered a Taylor testing kit (TF-Pro Salt) to stop running to true local pool store.

Currently battling a situation where I’m not seeing any free chlorine. Working on raising CYA levels. But even with my ichlor 30 in boost mode, I am not seeing even a temporary increase in free chlorine. Concerned it’s not producing chlorine. It only has 3k hours on it as it was installed in July ‘23 (it was a replacement for a leaky ichor 30 originally installed in Aug ‘21 when pool was built).

Hoping to learn from everyone here!
 
Hi All -

Went to local pool store on 5/18 to have water tested. Pool master test strips showing no free chlorine. This happened last year too and I had basically no CYA at opening. I would notice I would have chlorine after a boost but it would fade fast. Once CYA got to the right levels, everything was good.

Readings on 5/18:
Ph: 8.1 Alk: 100 Hardness: 124 Salt: 3500
Free Chlorine: .4 Total Chlorine: 3.7 CYA: 28 Phosphate: 256

They recommended I add 4 more pounds of granular CYA and 7 pounds of non chlorine shock. I did both of those yesterday around 5 PM. I know CYA takes 24-48 to dissolve (granular added to skimmer very slowly).

What I’m concerned about is that even when I run my ichlor in boost mode, the strips aren’t reading any change in FC — even temporarily. Which is different than last year.

I have read a lot of issues with ichlor 30. My first one was replaced in July ‘23 before it was even 2 years old bc of a leak. I am concerned that this one is now not producing any chlorine.

I would expect that boost mode would at least show temporary increases in FC before lack of CYA made it dissipate.

Also, it has not been very hot here (60s/70s for the most part) so the water is still cool.

Am I looking at a broken SWG? I’ve checked the cell and there is no visible build up at all.
 
Hey GuerillaRadio and Welcome !!!!

You need to Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

To do so and the likely SLAM Process to follow or to ensure you won't need to, you need reliable home testing.

Test Kits Compared

The TF100 salt and TFpro salt whoop the Taylor equivalents, using their own reagents to do so.

It has to start somewhere, it has to start sometime
What better place than here, what better time than now ?
 
GuerillaRadio said:
love the lyrics!

I just ordered a TF-Pro salt tonight! Not sure how long they take to get delivered. I will do the test as soon as that comes in.

EDIT: I should add that the pool is crystal clear. It was opened on 5/12 and has had zero cloudiness since 5/13.
Click to expand...
Welcome to TFP! :wave:

Add 3-5 ppm of liquid chlorine daily until your test kit arrives and you can provide quality, accurate numbers.
Use PoolMath to determine how much liquid chlorine that is, based on your pool volume and strength of liquid chlorine.
 
Thanks!

Looks like using the Walmart Pool Essentials 10%, a 1 gallon jug will get me 3.6 ppm so I should grab some of that and add daily until I can get my kit, do the overnight test, and explore SLAM.

Based on everything I’ve said, is it possible that the SWG is working but not raising the FC levels? Or is it seeming likely I have an SWG issue? Or too early to tell?
 
Welcome to TFP.
Please post a full set of test results in the proper forum when you get the test kit.
For now you can purchase some liquid chlorine (LC) and add it to your pool. See if that holds.
If not, you could have algae. Is your pool clear?
do you have
PoolMath app? Suggest you get that to track your test results.
 

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GuerillaRadio said:
Thanks!

I did post some details in another forum.
Click to expand...
Welcome...

SWG Going Bad?

Hi All - Went to local pool store on 5/18 to have water tested. Pool master test strips showing no free chlorine. This happened last year too and I had basically no CYA at opening. I would notice I would have chlorine after a boost but it would fade fast. Once CYA got to the right levels...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
GuerillaRadio said:
Thanks!

Looks like using the Walmart Pool Essentials 10%, a 1 gallon jug will get me 3.6 ppm so I should grab some of that and add daily until I can get my kit, do the overnight test, and explore SLAM.

Based on everything I’ve said, is it possible that the SWG is working but not raising the FC levels? Or is it seeming likely I have an SWG issue? Or too early to tell?
Click to expand...
Good plan

SWG is great for maintaining the FC level but not good for raising is a bunch.
Let's see what the test results look like when you get your kit and what the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test result is.
 
And the sad news: it appears your ichlor 30 can deliver 1 lb/day CL max. So set for 100%, and pump running 24 hrs, that would raise your CL level by 4.3 ppm a day. BUT, it can be typical to have 3-4 ppm (or more) burn off due to sunlight. Your current need might be less, as we are not into full summer yet. But the poor thing will be working its heart out, and barely able to keep up. An IC-60 would double that production, so you could dial back the % or pump run time, and keep up, with a margin. An after market cell version would be about $1300.
Getting CYA up (to 60-70) after you have tested for loss (and perhaps have to do a SLAM) would help smooth out the fall in CL when it burns off, and allow the SWCG to recover the level overnight. But it will still be working at almost max output.
 
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