- May 20, 2020
- 1,003
- Pool Size
- 13600
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Solaxx (Saltron) Reliant / Purechlor R5
What did you do to your pool today?
- Thread starter Patrick_B
- Start date
- Jun 1, 2018
- 16,027
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
When algae has nightmares.
We're going to get you some flame decals for your salt cell.
We're going to get you some flame decals for your salt cell.
Ok, I get it; it's a version of "The Floor is Lava", but in this case, The Pool is Lava, right?
Are you testing how much chlorine is in the water or how much water is in the chlorine?
Ok, Ok, I will stop now (unless I think of more).
Are you testing how much chlorine is in the water or how much water is in the chlorine?
Ok, Ok, I will stop now (unless I think of more).
- Jun 1, 2018
- 16,027
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
It started in the high teens for a big party. Now it's a medium teen but still not low enough to waste drops.
And lemme tell ya. With a large pool, each gallon of 10% is only 2.9 FC. 5 gallons of insurance FC would have been over $30. Running the SWG for 3 days at 100% took 28.8 more hours off its lifespan (compared to usual) at a cost of $0.13 per hour, or $3.86. *AND* no lugging jugs.
Drained more water yesterday. We've had rain or a thunderstorm every day for over a week now. We were supposed to have a 4th of July pool party but it's looking doubtful that the forecast will allow for that. I'm in the same boat as @V___25 with the colder than usual weather temps too. Local meteorologist said this will be the first year in quite a while that our area has had below average temps for both May and June. I should have know this would happen once I got a pool.
I did bump my SWG from 10% to 20% though because FC had gotten down to 7 prior to the drain and subsequent dilution with rainwater. I'll look for my t shirt in the mail.
I did bump my SWG from 10% to 20% though because FC had gotten down to 7 prior to the drain and subsequent dilution with rainwater. I'll look for my t shirt in the mail.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,662
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
That's the pro-rated SWG consumption, not electricity, right? Or both?
If SWG consumption, that kinda smashes the notion that SWG cost compares to liquid chlorine. I'm assuming that doesn't include the installation and non-consumable parts, but still, pretty impressive. And if true, that'll make the cost of my next SWG cell a little easier to swallow. I expect it'll be 2 to 3 times what I paid originally, by the time I need one. Of course, as is often said, almost no cost would be too high for SWG convenience...
That's the cost of the cell, if purchased today (no tax), divided by its expected 10k hour lifespan.
It has already been installed with a power center and the VS pump us running 24/7 with or without it, so those 3 costs don't apply to a replacement cell.
The cell does consume some electricity but it's marginal at best.
Do you know what's the relationship with the 10k hour lifespan and the output percentage? Is it rated for 10k hours at max output, or 10k hours at min output? Or average?
An hour 'on' is an hour lost from the theoretical total. An hour at 50%, is a half hour lost from the theoretical total. (Etc etc)
So, assuming I run my SWG 24/7 while the pool is open, at 20% output.
10k hour total output * 5 (20% runtime) = 50,000 hours of runtime at 20% output
50,000 hours / 24 hours = 2083 days
2083 days / 180 days (~Apr - Oct) = 11.5 years
I'm theoretically looking at 11.5 years of usage out of this cell? That's way longer than I thought tbh. I'm sure I won't get quite that much (I think I saw the average was 4 - 6 years, with some getting as many as 9 years out of them.)
10k hour total output * 5 (20% runtime) = 50,000 hours of runtime at 20% output
50,000 hours / 24 hours = 2083 days
2083 days / 180 days (~Apr - Oct) = 11.5 years
I'm theoretically looking at 11.5 years of usage out of this cell? That's way longer than I thought tbh. I'm sure I won't get quite that much (I think I saw the average was 4 - 6 years, with some getting as many as 9 years out of them.)
Keep in mind how many warm climate members we have with long seasons. You are the other end of the spectrum with short seasons. For the first 1/4 and last 1/4 of your extended season, you'll need next to no cell runtime.
I acid washed my original cell in straight acid for 15 mins, twice a season, and it still lasted 6.5 years. I'm expecting the new cell to last until the electronics fail, without the unnecessary acid baths.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 16,027
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
10k hours at Max output is how that is rated so 20k hours at 50% output etc.
bligh
Silver Supporter
Let's see if I got this right .. The output percentage is a function of time. The output of the SWG is always the same, it's time that's regulated by changing the output percentage.
We finally got to use the pool a little bit the last 2 days but I swear we have had more rain the past week or two than we did all of April and May combined. I had to add water 3 or 4 times so far this year just so the skimmer would function and I could backwash. Now the water level is above the skimmer. 
I can't win but at least the water is warm enough to get in.
I can't win but at least the water is warm enough to get in.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 16,027
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Engaged the sprinkler into service this am.
Pool temp rose to 90 degrees yesterday.
Was only 86 this morning but it’s Gonna be a hot
week.
Pool temp rose to 90 degrees yesterday.
Was only 86 this morning but it’s Gonna be a hot
week. 
Ahultin
Bronze Supporter
- Aug 19, 2021
- 1,601
- Pool Size
- 17700
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
100° with thunderstorms?? That sounds like funEngaged the sprinkler into service this am.
Pool temp rose to 90 degrees yesterday.
Was only 86 this morning but it’s Gonna be a hot
View attachment 508561
Decoy205
Silver Supporter
We had a dry cool May so no pool action, june has been either too cool or rainy so no pool action! I think it will be warm enough in the next two days for the kids to jump in. I have to work.
The holiday weekend is lookin a bit dismal too. Killin my vibes!
The holiday weekend is lookin a bit dismal too. Killin my vibes!
- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,662
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Correct. What trips up some folks is the notion of the percentage. When you set an SWG to 20%, it doesn't dial itself down to producing 1/5 of the chlorine it would at its 100% setting. An SWG produces 100% of the chlorine it can while its "on." When it's dialed down to 20%, its "on" 20% of the time, so it produces all the chlorine it can for 20% of the time. Mine has a five minute cycle. At its 20% setting, it's "on" for 1 minute, then "off" for four minutes. That repeats for its entire runtime schedule... every five minutes. For a 50% setting, it would be "on" for 2-1/2 minutes, then "off" for 2-1/2 minutes, etc.
My SWG has a green LED light that indicates when it is producing chlorine ("on") and when it is not ("off"). Other brands probably have some similar indicator.
So you'd use the output setting percentage to calculate how many years you might expect to get out of your SWG. But as @Newdude points out, most of us adjust either our SWG runtime or its output setting several times throughout the year. Me: Off in the winter, 40-50% in the spring and fall, 60-70% in the summer. Which complicates the math, compounded by the weather: I started using my SWG late this year, and its settings have been lower than usual, due to our colder than usual temperatures. User load affects chlorine, too, so if the kids move away, or have a bunch of kids of their own that won't stay out of your pool, you've got more math to do.
You'll never get better than an approximation of actual lifespan, because there are so many variables. And then sometimes they just up and die on you for no good reason. Sometimes in warranty, usually not, so even an approximation can be way off.