SWG in Socal Winter

[beegee226]

Since it's been pretty cool here in Socal for the winter, I've noticed the chlorine levels in my pool from my SWG being really high. I resorted to having the pump run less and the SWG on the lowest setting, but it's still super high. I ended up just shutting off the SWG and the chlorine level it staying pretty high. I also have a solar cover on the pool. Is that pretty typical in cold weather?

 

[mknauss]

In winter your FC loss is much less. If you have the pool covered, the FC loss is also less. If your pool water is warm enough for your SWCG to generate chlorine, you should have it set to create about 0.5 ppm FC per day. But watch the pool water temperature, as once it gets above 60F again it will need more chlorine every day. Test often.

 

[beegee226]

In winter your FC loss is much less. If you have the pool covered, the FC loss is also less. If your pool water is warm enough for your SWCG to generate chlorine, you should have it set to create about 05 ppm FC per day. But watch the pool water temperature, as once it gets above 60F again it will need more chlorine every day. Test often.

Thanks! I've dropped my testing to about once a week in winter. Nothing has really been changing, CH and pH have been pretty constant. I'll ramp it back up when the temp increases though.

 

[ping]

Once the water hits the low 60's I turn off the SWG and reduce the pump speed to low, in your case maybe 1000 RPM, for 6 hours a day. With a cover your pool might only use 1ppm of FC a week at this point. The water usually hits this mark in December but this year it was early November due to the unusually cold nights we had. Test the FC and add liquid as needed. As of my last addition, I only put in 2 ppm in the last 2 weeks and my pool is not covered.

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

So, I have had difficulty finding bleach reasonably priced out of season. I have been turning on the SWCG later in the day on days it reads "cold" and by then it has always generated. If there any harm in doing this to the unit? My unit shuts down at very close to 50F and for a few weeks it's been 49F in the morning and 50+ by afternoon.

I want to do this as long as I can get away with it. Maybe I can make it through the season. I have it set at a very low percentage and I am pretty stable in all respects with pH and Chlorine levels (and everything else really.)

Enough so I can adjust up and down by turning it on and off occasionally to adjust.

What is the consensus on that?

 

[setsailsoon]

Here in S Florida the coldest the pool gets is in the 70's. I do have solar heat and swim year round even if I have to run the gas heat to supplement so my numbers aren't at all comparable to CA. But I do see a dramatic reduction in FC loss with the reduced sun. I run my swg 'till 7:30 during spring through fall. This time of year I'm dialing it back to 2 pm and still running high FC.

 

[mknauss]

If there any harm in doing this to the unit?

No. The unit can generate at low temperatures. The companies put a cut off so you do not generate too much chlorine when the water is cold.

 

[Jaimslaw]

What exactly is the down side to high chlorine levels, during winters and non use (water temp being in the high 50s? I’ve always been tardy in ramping down the SWG and so high levels Do occur for a month or so in some years.

 

[mknauss]

Biggest issue is not being able to measure pH accurately if FC greater than 10 ppm

 

[Jaimslaw]

I’ve noticed that it takes quite a while to get the clorine level down to under 10ppm when SWG is turned off (pool in semi shade, water temp in the 50s). Guess there is no way to get those levels down quicker in order to get accurate/reliable ph readings.

 

[mguzzy]

I’ve noticed that it takes quite a while to get the clorine level down to under 10ppm when SWG is turned off (pool in semi shade, water temp in the 50s). Guess there is no way to get those levels down quicker in order to get accurate/reliable ph readings.

Your Aqua-Rite SWG has an off switch.. just turn it off, and let it drift down. Mine stops generating below 50 and I get a "cold" notice on the LCD. Specifically what is the CL you are measuring?.. It may be no big deal. I would totally expect that all chemistry reacts slower at colder temps. If you really want to get rid of the CL in your pool just throw something in there that reacts with the CL.. like an algecide (NO I AM JOKING...DON"T DO THAT)... or something with ammonia (NO I AM JOKING...DON"T DO THAT).. or pee in it (Its your call on that one)

 

[mknauss]

or pee in it (Its your call on that one)