Turning IC40 'off'...

[MCF50]

My FC is about 4ppm......is it ok to simply adjust the output of the IC40 to 0%? I don't see an 'on/off selection under intellichlor chemistry. I set both pool and spa output to 0%.

 

[MCF50]

Also, stabilizer at only 40ppm...when I read the pool school for SWG it says keep to 70-80 but then others state leave it at 40 for winter. Which is it...seems to be a lot of contradicting information between replies and the 'schools'....

 

[JJ_Tex]

Yes, you can set it to 0% to turn it off.

40 CYA is fine for the winter in Houston, but what is your plan to keep chlorine in the pool? At a CYA of 40, you still don't want to go much below 4.0. What FC are you targeting? You can look at my signature for the CYA/FC charts with the recommended ranges.

 

[MCF50]

Thanks...based on the CYA/FC chart I guess I will aim for 60/4. Once I get the chloring level stable at 4 I will adjust SWCG to maintain FC at 4. Right now it is actually slight above 4. Once it gets to 4 I will start increasing SWCG output and adjust to keep it pretty stable. It seems like I am adding something everyday....alkalinty is also only at 60.

 

[MCF50]

Also...right on the IC40 is states 3600ppm salt recommended. I have discovered from using two test kits, my SWCG reads about 200ppm below test kits. So should I get salt ppm to 3600ppm as recommended on the IC40 or keep it closer to 3000ppm per the forum?

 

[JJ_Tex]

3,600 is the ideal from the manufacturer, but it operates at a range (cant remember off the top of my head but its around 2650 to maybe 4,000). Not sure TFP "recommends" 3,000, but I have seen people state that they like to keep their salt at the low end of the range. I personally shoot for around 3,400 when I'm adding salt and will bump it up when it hits about 3,000.

What tests are you using? Assuming they are drop tests, those will be more accurate as the IC40 can be inaccurate especially as the water gets colder. Heck, mine even bounces around from day to day.

FC of 4 is a good target, but you can always go a bit higher. I usually run mine about 5-7 during the swim season. Its around 4-5 now.

 

[MCF50]

Thanks for the input!!! I am creating a document for myself to laminate and stick with my test kits.....My cheat sheet:

SWCG Levels​

• Cyanuric Acid / FC:
• Winter: 50-60 / 4-5
• Summer: 70-80 / 5-6
• TA: 60-80ppm
• Calcium Hardness: 350 – 450ppm
• PH: 7.2 – 7.8
• Salt: 3200 - 3400 (per test kit) / 3000-3200 (per SWCG)

 

[Turbo1Ton]

I ran my salt around 3800 since that was where the cell would maintain a reading above 2800. At a level of 3800, I think my cell would read 3200. That is below the threshold for the IC40, which is 4500 ppm, I think. I would love to run mine lower, but the salt cell won't have it.

--Jeff

 

[MCF50]

I ran my salt around 3800 since that was where the cell would maintain a reading above 2800. At a level of 3800, I think my cell would read 3200. That is below the threshold for the IC40, which is 4500 ppm, I think. I would love to run mine lower, but the salt cell won't have it.

--Jeff

Huh? Not sure I understand your post. The IC40 seems to maintain a 'Salt Good' indication above around 2900ppm. I am going to shoot to get ppm to 3400 and then when it drops to 3000 it's as simple as adding one bag of salt to get it back to 3400ppm.

 

[Bvacchiano]

I’ve turned my IC40 off (ie set to 0) here in Houston and will chlorinate with liquid chlorine until May. Once a week like last several years. I always regardless keep my salt at 4000 ppm (that’s from the Taylor kit) My SWG reads 200 ppm in summer lower than actual and 400/500 ppm lower in the colder water. I don’t see any reason to run the SWG in the winter and use up shelf life. My daily Free Chlorine demand is 0.5 ppm. You probably experience very similar FC demand.

 

[MCF50]

Ok...the IC40 manual states, " When using the IntelliChlor SCG, the cyanuric acid level should be maintained between 30-50 ppm ".....tables recommend higher, this forum recommends another value - 70-80 in the summer. So how does one decide what is correct.........

 

[MCF50]

I’ve turned my IC40 off (ie set to 0) here in Houston and will chlorinate with liquid chlorine until May. Once a week like last several years. I always regardless keep my salt at 4000 ppm (that’s from the Taylor kit) My SWG reads 200 ppm in summer lower than actual and 400/500 ppm lower in the colder water. I don’t see any reason to run the SWG in the winter and use up shelf life. My daily Free Chlorine demand is 0.5 ppm. You probably experience very similar FC demand.

I see that option...I would rather use the SWCG as I paid for the convenience and don't mind replacing it sooner by using it.

 

[ajw22]

Not sure TFP "recommends" 3,000, but I have seen people state that they like to keep their salt at the low end of the range.

Different model SWGs have different low and high salt requirements. All too often folks do not pay attention to what model SWG is being discussed.

Hayward cells burn out boards if SWG is run too high. Therefore it is recommended the Aquarites be run around 3000 at the low end of the range.

Intellichlor sweet spot is around 3400-3600 as measured by the Taylor K-1766 kit. Don’t skew the salt ppm because the cell guesstimate is low.

 

[MCF50]

Different model SWGs have different low and high salt requirements. All too often folks do not pay attention to what model SWG is being discussed.

Hayward cells burn out boards if SWG is run too high. Therefore it is recommended the Aquarites be run around 3000 at the low end of the range.

Intellichlor sweet spot is around 3400-3600 as measured by the Taylor K-1766 kit. Don’t skew the salt ppm because the cell guesstimate is low.

Thanks. I have it at 3800 right now (measured). I will float it bewteen 3200 and 3600 as that is exactly 1 bag of salt for my pool volume.

 

[Dirk]

If your IC40 is reading within 200ppm of actual, that's fantastic. They can be way off. But so can the test kit. Both the IC and the test kit have a significant margin of error when it comes to salt. Doesn't really matter, because you can safely ignore most of what was just said about salt levels. The IC40 will create chlorine down to about 2600ppm. It starts complaining about low salt around 2800ppm. I forget the exact numbers but they don't really matter, because the IC has a "built-in buffer" for acceptable salt level. Which means, even if the salt reading is off, it's still going to safely produce chlorine while the low salt light is off. Once it turns on, you still have a way to go before it will stop producing, but that's the "early warning" to adjust salt. Running it higher won't make better or more chlorine. Temperature will come into play in the colder months, so you might end up needing more salt, but not until that Low Salt light comes on. That said, there's nothing wrong with 3000, or 3200 or even 3400. Except...

Pools collect salt. Salt leaves a pool only by replacing water (including rain that causes overflow), flushing water, or splashing it out. Liquid chlorine, muriatic acid and humans all leave salt behind. Which is why for many pools excess salt will necessitate a water exchange at some point. So don't add salt just to satisfy an arbitrary number, or you're going to get to the excess level all that much sooner. If your test kit reads 2800-3000ppm, and your IC is not complaining about low salt, then you have enough salt. If it gets cold and the Low Salt light comes on, then add a bag. Simple.

Adjusting the SWG to zero is fine. I unplug mine, and wrap the plug in a zip-loc bag to keep it dry. One method isn't particularly better than the other. I like the idea of powering it down. Perhaps that saves the electronics from early failure in some small way? Can't hurt. Powering down my IC also powers down my IntellipH, so that's another set of electronics I let rest during the winter.

IMPORTANT: If you decide to unplug your IC, be sure all the breakers to the pad are off first. Do not unplug anything on your pad while the circuit breakers are on.

I don't shut down my SWG until it won't actually produce chlorine (as indicated by the Cold LED). If yours produces chlorine year round, then run it year round. Why wouldn't you? I would, I just can't.

While the SWG is active, your CYA should be 70-80. Period. Use the 80 end of the range if your weather is especially hot. If it's 40 now, that's fine if your SWG is off. I don't even monitor CYA in the winter (because my SWG is off), I adjust CYA in Spring when I turn my SWG back on. If it drops to 60 in the winter, so be it. That and the colder water maintain my target FC (of 5-7) for a week at at time just fine. If you run your IC year round, then keep it at 70-80 year round.

Some of these points could be argued. I would only argue this: I know they work! Other MOs might work just as well.