Switching to salt, do I need a new test kit and routine?

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It really only matters if the cell and controller is happy. I have found that keeping it just above the midpoint PPM (look in the manual generally 3500 PPM but some are different) for the cell seems to be the best bet, at least with my Circupool Universal 40.. which is similar to the Hayward... As the cell scales up, the controller generally thinks there is less salt in the pool, so keeping it on the higher end can lengthen cleanings somewhat. Maybe you are lucky and won't have the TA problems we have in more-rocks-than-water-in-the-water Arizona, though. You are completely good to go regardless though.
 
For the swg, is there any kind of cleaning or maintenance I am supposed to do with it that I need to add to my regular pool routine?

How often do I need to replace the cell itself or whatever it is that goes into the unit? Where do I even buy something like that and what is it going to cost so I can start saving.
 
SWCG have a set life span in hours but with proper water balancing can be extended by quite a lot. The poolmath app gives you all the tools for it but you'll need to focus on the CSI which is a culmination of all the chemistry levels you've input.
 
Skenn81 said:
For the swg, is there any kind of cleaning or maintenance I am supposed to do with it that I need to add to my regular pool routine?

How often do I need to replace the cell itself or whatever it is that goes into the unit? Where do I even buy something like that and what is it going to cost so I can start saving.
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With proper water balance you should rarely need to clean your cell.
www.troublefreepool.com

Calcium Saturation Index (CSI)

How is CSI calculated? Very simple – use our PoolMath tool. To ensure long plaster life and save money, click here to learn more.
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
Your cell reverses polarity & this should help keep it clean as well. I don’t have hard water & keep my ch low so i never really need to clean my cells but I check them at the beginning of each season.
Every time you clean it with acid you remove some of the precious metals that help create chlorine & reduce its producing life so this should be avoided if possible.
Your cell has a life expectancy of 10k hours @100%. You can use poolmath effects of adding to determine how long that will likely last based on your use. Most pools use 2-4 ppm/day of fc. Here’s a rough guess for daily run time. 👇
D745A407-4751-4126-8786-FD0ED5E79DFB.png
The replacement cell 523009 looks to be around $600 or so currently depending upon where you get it.
Here’s the manual incase you didn’t get one👇 All this info is listed in there.
 
Okay, so I looked up the lifespan, I see it listed at only 10,000 hours. Is that right?

Right now I am running 10 hours a day, which is what the app says I need to maintain a 5 on my CL readings.

So that means it's going to expire in less than three years and I am going to need a new one?? That doesnt seem very long...
 
Oh.

Well mine is set at 100% because that's what the app told me to do, so generating = operating for me?
 
Skenn81 said:
Oh.

Well mine is set at 100% because that's what the app told me to do, so generating = operating for me?
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Correct. So if you operate it 10 hours per day every day of the year, that would be 3650 generating hours if set at 100%.
 

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Well apparently 10 hours at 100% is way too high as I am currently getting a CL reading of 10! Just tested it now. I need to scale this thing back a bit.

The app says do 10 hours to go from 2 to 5, which uses the expected 3ppm loss per day. I am overdoing it a bit.
 
3ppm is just a good starting point. You'll get to know your pool over time. You'll more than likely need to adjust your output several times over a season (maybe not as much where you are in FL)? But daytime temps, amount of sun exposure, CYA level, bathing load etc all contribute to CL loss. Just dial it back a bit and see where it settles in over time.
 
kul said:
I don’t have a swg but find this thread enthralling. Uhm I might be addicted to pool info.
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Yeah me too. Makes me glad I never went salt! Adding 3 gallons of bleach a week seems a no brainer... (except when HD is out)
 
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PieterS said:
3ppm is just a good starting point. You'll get to know your pool over time. You'll more than likely need to adjust your output several times over a season (maybe not as much where you are in FL)? But daytime temps, amount of sun exposure, CYA level, bathing load etc all contribute to CL loss. Just dial it back a bit and see where it settles in over time.
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You add the salt one time and it stays there. It’s not like having to add it every week or anything like that.
 
Bperry said:
You add the salt one time and it stays there. It’s not like having to add it every week or anything like that.
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Unless you drain, or had an overflow because of (monsoon) rains like I did this year. But even then it was like 2 bags of salt to get back up to the correct level. No biggie... That had the side benefit of lowering TA and CH in my case though...
 
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Remember that as the seasons change so will your settings. When you get it sorted for now make a little note somewhere that x% & x hrs of run time is your fall setting.
I put notes like this for future reference & some instructions in a little pocket i added to my test kit lid. Never know when u may need someone else to step in & help.
I got the idea from wife swap where they have binders for the running of their home 🤣 & the movie the vow where she gets amnesia & he doesn’t pay any of the bills cuz he doesn’t know the passwords.
I hope I never have another wife step in or get amnesia lol but I don’t want my husband/kids flying blind & my pool & hot tub turning into swamps if I’m out of commission either.
 
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Do most of you make changes to your run times or do you adjust the % at which the SWG will output at?

Today's reading for CL was 7.5, so still overshooting the target.

I reduced the run time by another 2 hours. It's still running at 100% though, havent played with those settings yet.
 

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