SWG, No timer, Pump run time

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Whatrymes

Whatrymes

0
LifeTime Supporter
May 30, 2011
149
Pensacola, FL
Hi all,
New to the SWG world. I have a variable speed pump with built in timer. Didn't think ahead but there is no timer installed for the SWG. Can the SWG stay on when the pump is not running and there is no water flow?
Will it cause damage/shorten longevity?

Thank you very much.
 
We've moved from New England to NW Florida. Seems the consensus here is to leave the pool open all year. I'm also new to using a SWG for sanitation. Is it any harm to my system to run all winter long? There aren't a lot of freezing nights here. I know that my SWG drops production when the water gets too cold but is that harmful/excess wear?

Thank you
 

Preparing Pool for Cooler Months - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

Whatrymes said:
Is it any harm to my system to run all winter long?
Click to expand...

You can run the pool 12 months out of the year or close it and winterize it.

What type of harm do you think can happen?

Whatrymes said:
There aren't a lot of freezing nights here. I know that my SWG drops production when the water gets too cold but is that harmful/excess wear?
Click to expand...

No.

COLD WATER / WINTER MODE: To protect the Cell, the Control Module is programmed to decrease chlorine production when it senses low temperatures automatically. In case of low water temperature below 64°F, the unit reduces chlorine production to 50%, and the LED below the 50% bar will be lit. Below 59°F, the unit reduces chlorine production to 25%, and the LED below the 25% bar will be lit. In both cases, the LED below the required level bar will blink, and the "Cold Water" warning LED will be illuminated.
 
At what speed do you normally run your pump???

I run my 3 HP IntelliFlo 24/7/365, mostly at 1200 RPM, for less than $20 bucks a month..

I do this because I like making a little chlorine all the time, and I like skimming all the time.. I also enjoy looking at my pool when there is a little motion to the water..

I actually have three pools, and all three of them operate the same way.. They have been running this way for well over 10 years, and the pumps work today just like they did when new. At 1200 RPM, they still move a lot of water, but are so quiet that I have actually had to touch them to make sure they were still running,, :mrgreen:

In my personal opinion, running 24/7 is better for the pump than turning it on on off several times a day..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JamesW
Jimrahbe said:
At what speed do you normally run your pump???

I run my 3 HP IntelliFlo 24/7/365, mostly at 1200 RPM, for less than $20 bucks a month..

I do this because I like making a little chlorine all the time, and I like skimming all the time.. I also enjoy looking at my pool when there is a little motion to the water..

I actually have three pools, and all three of them operate the same way.. They have been running this way for well over 10 years, and the pumps work today just like they did when new. At 1200 RPM, they still move a lot of water, but are so quiet that I have actually had to touch them to make sure they were still running,, :mrgreen:

In my personal opinion, running 24/7 is better for the pump than turning it on on off several times a day..

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
All of this new tangled stuff is new to me. My last AGP had a one speed pump, DE filter and I chlorinated via jugs of
Jimrahbe said:
At what speed do you normally run your pump???

I run my 3 HP IntelliFlo 24/7/365, mostly at 1200 RPM, for less than $20 bucks a month..

I do this because I like making a little chlorine all the time, and I like skimming all the time.. I also enjoy looking at my pool when there is a little motion to the water..

I actually have three pools, and all three of them operate the same way.. They have been running this way for well over 10 years, and the pumps work today just like they did when new. At 1200 RPM, they still move a lot of water, but are so quiet that I have actually had to touch them to make sure they were still running,, :mrgreen:

In my personal opinion, running 24/7 is better for the pump than turning it on on off several times a day..

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
I'm debating with myself to run the pump 24/7. A lot of this stuff is new to me. My last pump had one speed and it was fast and loud. It's a variable speed and it's default settings change rpms through the day and runs for only 18 hours
 
ajw22 said:

Preparing Pool for Cooler Months - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com



You can run the pool 12 months out of the year or close it and winterize it.

What type of harm do you think can happen?



No.

COLD WATER / WINTER MODE: To protect the Cell, the Control Module is programmed to decrease chlorine production when it senses low temperatures automatically. In case of low water temperature below 64°F, the unit reduces chlorine production to 50%, and the LED below the 50% bar will be lit. Below 59°F, the unit reduces chlorine production to 25%, and the LED below the 25% bar will be lit. In both cases, the LED below the required level bar will blink, and the "Cold Water" warning LED will be illuminated.
Click to expand...
I just didn't know if running a SWG 24/7 is the best way to go, if it would cause more wear and tear.
 
"Wear and tear" mostly comes from actually generating Cl. The per cent setting on it is "% of time it will run when getting power" So if it is powered 24/7, at a 50% setting, it will only actually be generating half of that time. In cold water situations, where it shuts itself down, it doesn't actually generate at all.
The only other possible drawback to having water flowing through it (running or not) is if the rest of your chemistry is way off. If the CH level is high AND the CSI level is not slightly negative one can build up calcium deposits on the plates over time. In really bad cases, if they can't be removed using mechanical means (a stick!), that means an acid dip - which shortens the life of the plates. Keep the CSI in range and that won't likely ever be an issue.

As far as running with the pump - many of us run the pump at the lowest setting we can 24/7 to maintain skimming and operation of other equipment (SWCG, Heater, etc.). That saves a massive amount of electricity over higher speeds, even when run for shorter times. The SWCG has a flow switch that will turn it off if water is not flowing or not flowing enough. While some depend on that only, it is not advised - it is a backup safety and not a primary control. Call CircuPool and see if there is a way to wire the SWCG to their pump, so it only will get power when the pump is running. Some other systems have that. Absent that, you can set up a second timer to turn the SWCG on only within the times the pump is running. Or search here for "SWCG Relay" - an relatively simple DIY add-on that only powers the unit when the pump is running. That does need a bit of electrical wiring knowledge, though.

And - get in the habit of turning off the SWCG when backwashing your sand filter or pumping to waste. The flow switch will save you if you forget, but as noted, not a good practice.
 
sande005 said:
"Wear and tear" mostly comes from actually generating Cl. The per cent setting on it is "% of time it will run when getting power" So if it is powered 24/7, at a 50% setting, it will only actually be generating half of that time. In cold water situations, where it shuts itself down, it doesn't actually generate at all.
The only other possible drawback to having water flowing through it (running or not) is if the rest of your chemistry is way off. If the CH level is high AND the CSI level is not slightly negative one can build up calcium deposits on the plates over time. In really bad cases, if they can't be removed using mechanical means (a stick!), that means an acid dip - which shortens the life of the plates. Keep the CSI in range and that won't likely ever be an issue.

As far as running with the pump - many of us run the pump at the lowest setting we can 24/7 to maintain skimming and operation of other equipment (SWCG, Heater, etc.). That saves a massive amount of electricity over higher speeds, even when run for shorter times. The SWCG has a flow switch that will turn it off if water is not flowing or not flowing enough. While some depend on that only, it is not advised - it is a backup safety and not a primary control. Call CircuPool and see if there is a way to wire the SWCG to their pump, so it only will get power when the pump is running. Some other systems have that. Absent that, you can set up a second timer to turn the SWCG on only within the times the pump is running. Or search here for "SWCG Relay" - an relatively simple DIY add-on that only powers the unit when the pump is running. That does need a bit of electrical wiring knowledge, though.

And - get in the habit of turning off the SWCG when backwashing your sand filter or pumping to waste. The flow switch will save you if you forget, but as noted, not a good practice.
Click to expand...
Thanks for all that great info. I'm 95% convinced down here in FL, I'll run the pump 24/7. I'll need to experiment with RPM's and SWG percentages. This is a whole new world than the simple old set up we had in New England.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Just FYI - the SWCG doesn't care what speed the pump is run at, as long as it is just fast enough to prevent the flow switch from tripping. It won't make more or less CL because of the speed. What does count is the amount of time the pump runs. So, if running for 24 hrs at a cell setting of 50%, it will only produce 50% of what it would at 100%. But if you then run the pump for only 12 hrs (50% of the day) and still keep the cell at 50%, you get 50% of 50%, or only 25% CL production of what a full day at 100% would make. Finally a use for those grade school word problems!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Whatrymes
Whatrymes said:
Hi all,
New to the SWG world. I have a variable speed pump with built in timer. Didn't think ahead but there is no timer installed for the SWG. Can the SWG stay on when the pump is not running and there is no water flow?
Will it cause damage/shorten longevity?

Thank you very much.
Click to expand...
You really should have a flow switch that will turn the supply off when there is no flow, whatever the reason. If you do not have one, your salt water chlorinator *should* have an input for it so I recommend you check the manual and install one.
 
Jimrahbe said:
At what speed do you normally run your pump???

I run my 3 HP IntelliFlo 24/7/365, mostly at 1200 RPM, for less than $20 bucks a month..

I do this because I like making a little chlorine all the time, and I like skimming all the time.. I also enjoy looking at my pool when there is a little motion to the water..

I actually have three pools, and all three of them operate the same way.. They have been running this way for well over 10 years, and the pumps work today just like they did when new. At 1200 RPM, they still move a lot of water, but are so quiet that I have actually had to touch them to make sure they were still running,, :mrgreen:

In my personal opinion, running 24/7 is better for the pump than turning it on on off several times a day..

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
Do you think running my system at 1200 rpm, 24/7 would be enough to turn the water over the recommended 2X?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply