SWG Suddently Stopped Making Chlorine

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BubbaCowtown

0
Mar 5, 2017
11
Calgary, alberta, Canada
Hi Guys,

My old Jandy pool heater died about a month ago. We kept the pump, filter and SWG running during the time while I was waiting for a new Hayward heater to arrive and be installed. Shortly before installation I noticed a kind of bubbled film on a section not covered by the solar blanket. But after the installation I realized the SWG was not producing chlorine.

I have cleaned the SWG, check the flow of water, checked the SWG panel for any error messages and I'm getting nothing.

Any suggestions?

Colin
 
The guys at the pool shop suggested testing it's production when I cleaned it. He said/I did: fill the cell with chlorine-free water, add some salt, turn on and watch for bubbles. I saw some very, very small bubbles.

I forgot to post originally: the cell and controller are new in August 2016 and bc it's an indoor pool we use very little chlorine (so the cell is not burned out). All chemical levels are good including pH and salt. We usually set the SWG at 7% when not in use and then 50% for about 24 hours when we have a bunch of people over. It always tests good with strips.

I'm beginning to think the cell is not producing chlorine. Can't imagine what would be eating up the chlorine now (only change is a new heater which is upstream of the SWG). Also, the pool was hardly used during the no-heater time so there shouldn't be a bunch of organics in it.

Richard320, to answer your questions: No I'm not confident I saw bubbling in the cell when I tested it. Have tested samples from the jet.

Other suggestions?

Colin
 
When you say "I'm getting nothing", what testing showed that result, or are you just assuming that because there is no detectable chlorine in the pool the cell is not working?

My gut feeling is that the cell is producing chlorine, but it is being consumed by something in the water as fast as it is produced. Clear water does not = unseen organics.

You really need to perform an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test, but to do that you need a test kit, strips or pool store testing will not suffice. In Canada your option for a test kit is a Taylor K-2006. Be careful comparing prices because the K-2006 comes in sizes, designated by a letter. The basic K-2006 has .75oz bottles. You need to get the K-2006-C to get the larger bottles that you want. Even then it is a little short on the reagent & powder for the FAS/DPD test. Or, if you have a US address for deliveries you can order aTF100 test kit as it was designed for residential use and has more of what we do use and less or none of what we don't use often. But, they can not deliver to Canada as one company has an exclusive to sell Taylor reagents (these are what the best kits are based on) in Canada.
 
The Aquarite panel shows no error lights, if that's what you mean by diagnostic readings.

How obvious should the bubbles have been when I tested the Salt Cell?

If the chlorine is getting eaten up by something, what could that be? What do you think has changed? Also, rather than order (and have to wait for) the test kit you've suggested could I just shock and then see if the chorine level will accumulate?

Thanks
 
If you press the diagnostic button, you will see a series of numbers.

Move the switch to off and record all numbers.

Then move the switch to auto, wait 30 seconds and recheck all numbers.
 
BubbaCowtown said:
If the chlorine is getting eaten up by something, what could that be? What do you think has changed? Also, rather than order (and have to wait for) the test kit you've suggested could I just shock and then see if the chorine level will accumulate?

Thanks
Click to expand...
We base our pool care system on accurate testing and only adding what the pool needs, when it needs it. To do that you need your own accurate test kit, which you should have no matter what.

In our system of pool care we do not "shock" our pools, we follow the SLAM Process when there is a problem.
 
I understand now. Did not mean to offend with the 'shock' term. I am new to this and fortunately have not shocked the pool nor needed to. Once the SWG was installed I watched very closely and kept the chlorine and other levels good and found it took very little to keep them right.

I will order a test kit but would like to keep diagnosing in the mean time.

Diagnostic numbers: with switch off:
Salt 3400
Temp 90
32.5
pH 0
Chlorine generation setting 60%
Instant salt level 0
AL-0
r 1.59
t-15 (cell type)

When I switch to auto the only change is pH to 8.14, and instant salt level which changed to 3400. Ph is usually is about 7.7 when this all was working.

Colin
 
What you're calling pH is actually amps. At 8 amps, the SWG shuts down with a high salt warning.

The high salt warning goes by amps and not salt level.

With the high water temperature, normal salt levels can result in the current exceeding 8 amps.

It's kind of a design flaw.

To compensate, you need to lower the salinity enough to keep the current below 8 amps.

When the heater kicks on, the water temperature going through the cell gets even higher and makes the problem worse.

You might have to lower the salinity to about 2,700 ppm.
 

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Correction: with switch at off:
Salt 3400
Temp 90
voltage 32.5
current 0
Chlorine generation setting 60%
Instant salt level 0
AL-0
r 1.59
t-15 (cell type)

With switch to auto:
Salt 3400
Temp 90
voltage 25.4
current 8.35
Chlorine generation setting 60%
Instant salt level 3400
AL-0
r 1.59
t-15 (cell type)

- - - Updated - - -

Ahhhhh!!! Yeah James!! I will try that and get the salt level down and get the current under 8 and then let y'all know in a couple of days.

THANK YOU!!

Colin
 
Your diagnostic readings indicate that the SWG is working properly and the only problem is the amps over 8 causing the unit to shut down.

Note that at 2,700 ppm, the low salt warning light comes on but it still produces chlorine.

It doesn't shut off due to low salt until it gets to 2,300 ppm.

So, to keep the amps below 8 but avoid a low salt light, you have very little room.

You can go down to 2,700 ppm if necessary but you would have the light.

Hopefully, you can get the current below 8 amps with the salinity above 2,700 ppm.
 
I have drained enough water to lower the salinity to about 2700 ppm (will be able to verify the exact number tomorrow morning after it has refilled). Cell current has dropped to low 7's so I believe we're good now (and will test chlorine tomorrow).

Scanning the online manual for the Aquarite I saw a breakdown of shutdown amperage for the different T Cells. Mine is T-15 and page 7 here says shut down is at 10 amps. Is that wrong? https://www.hayward-pool.ca/pdf/manuals/AquaRiteDiagnostics.pdf

I guess we'll know for sure tomorrow morning.


Thanks
 
Some references say 10 amps, but the actual is 8.

I don't know why the reference says 10. Possibly some versions of the software go to 10, but as far as I know, most are 8 amps.

It does say "T-15 Amp Range: 3.1 – 8.0 amps", which is the actual high amp limit.

High water temperature makes a big difference in how well the cell performs. At around 90 F, the amps typically begin to go into the 8s at normal salinity.

Low cell production causes shutdown at lower water temperatures.

"Output is scaled back to 20% at 60° F and output stops at 50° F"

Have you ever seen the high salt error on your box?
 
James,

When I first converted to salt I added too much salt and yes I got the high salt LED but it was over 4600 at that point.

It seems you've fixed my problem. Lowered the salt to 3200 and current is steady around 7.2 amps. I'll test chlorine level soon and let you know but the bubbly film I was concerned about seems to be dissipating. If need be I'll lower to 2900-3000 and give myself more of a margin with the amps.

Thanks so much.

Colin
 
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