When should I install new RJ-30+?

[ManiacalMama]

I just ordered a new pump/filter/SWCG and while I wait for everything to get here I'm in my planning stages. The SWCG I ordered is the CircuPool RJ-30+.
I realize I probably didn't plan my timing very well, but I was trying to take advantage of bundle prices, and I NEED a new pump now.
Anyway, the temps here are getting pretty cold at night. My water, when I checked a couple days ago, was at 63 degrees. I know that this is probably too cold to use the SWCG, but I hate for the new unit to sit untested until spring. Is it absolutely impossible to test the generator until spring? What temp does the water need to be at to even add salt?
I did order the bypass cell at least. Should I just plumb it in now and then wire it in when the season starts back up?
I guess I just worry that I will have an expensive piece of equipment sitting around for months without knowing if it's good or a dud and I will have wasted a lot of time with it just sitting on a shelf.
Advice?

 

[wireform]

The SWCG stops working in the mid 50's range so it'll work although not sure how much time there's left. Your warranty started the day you bought it so there's no difference waiting till next season. Salt can also be added now but may take a bit more time to dissolve and mix in due to the colder water temperature. To me plumb it in then use the bypass you speak of and forget till the new season arrives. Adding salt now only to have to drain off water because of rain is pure waste.

 

[ManiacalMama]

The SWCG stops working in the mid 50's range so it'll work although not sure how much time there's left. Your warranty started the day you bought it so there's no difference waiting till next season. Salt can also be added now but may take a bit more time to dissolve and mix in due to the colder water temperature. To me plumb it in then use the bypass you speak of and forget till the new season arrives. Adding salt now only to have to drain off water because of rain is pure waste.

What is this rain you speak of?
I'm in Central Valley California. I've only ever seen the pool get to the top of skimmer. I doubt there will ever be an occasion where I would have to pump water, unless I accidently forgot the water topoff running.

 

[wireform]

So then go for it. Don't overshoot on the salt so go it in batches and test as you go. When the water is too cold you will supplement with LC.

 

[ManiacalMama]

The SWCG stops working in the mid 50's range so it'll work although not sure how much time there's left. Your warranty started the day you bought it so there's no difference waiting till next season. Salt can also be added now but may take a bit more time to dissolve and mix in due to the colder water temperature. To me plumb it in then use the bypass you speak of and forget till the new season arrives. Adding salt now only to have to drain off water because of rain is pure waste.

So then go for it. Don't overshoot on the salt so go it in batches and test as you go. When the water is too cold you will supplement with LC.

I haven't received the equipment yet. On install day I'll take the temp and decide, it'll likely be too cold by then.
I've been pouring bleach for four years, a little bleach in the winter is easy peasy.
Thanks for the advice!

 

[Oly]

No downside to adding salt now providing you have a salt test kit and can verify your salt ppm now before adding more and then using it to carefully reach your target. You may be surprised at your current salt ppm.
Install your cell, if it gets too cold to run it simply install your bypass. You will be all set next spring. Are you able to isolate only your skimmer(s) when running your pump? If so you can run your system during the middle of the day and it may extent your generation time with slightly higher water temps.

 

[markayash]

We had a thread about leaving the cell in when not I use. I have the edge40 and take mine out when temp drops. No science just preference.
I would install it and let it run for a couple months.

 

[ManiacalMama]

No downside to adding salt now providing you have a salt test kit and can verify your salt ppm now before adding more and then using it to carefully reach your target. You may be surprised at your current salt ppm.
Install your cell, if it gets too cold to run it simply install your bypass. You will be all set next spring. Are you able to isolate only your skimmer(s) when running your pump? If so you can run your system during the middle of the day and it may extent your generation time with slightly higher water temps.

I'm not really sure what you mean by isolate the skimmers. But I only have one skimmer, a dedicated vac port (I have the valve set to skim only), and then the float diverter valve at the bottom of the skimmer set to about 75% skimmer/25% main drain.
I'll go ahead and order the salt test now and get started on that part of it anyway. I figured there was probably some salt in there already from the years of LC.

Thanks!

 

[Oly]

I'm not really sure what you mean by isolate the skimmers.
Thanks!

If you can pull water only from the surface of your pool, the water temps going into your unit should be higher and may keep it operating longer. It appears you can try this by adjusting your float diverter.

 

[wireform]

If you can pull water only from the surface of your pool, the water temps going into your unit should be higher and may keep it operating longer. It appears you can try this by adjusting your float diverter.

Or if you have a direct run main drain line to the pad at or near the suction side of your filter pump it may have a dedicated valve. Turning that off will have the pump draw water from the water surface only via the skimmer.

 

[ManiacalMama]

Or if you have a direct run main drain line to the pad at or near the suction side of your filter pump it may have a dedicated valve. Turning that off will have the pump draw water from the water surface only via the skimmer.

It doesn't, it's plumbed with the skimmer.
Either way I guess I'll be ok with the warranty in any case.

 

[ManiacalMama]

Looks like all of my equipment is on its way and will be here by the end of the week.
I'm sure I'll be on here a million times asking questions - I'll be replumbing (and wiring) everything myself.
Wish me luck!
And thank you all for the helpful advice!

 

[ManiacalMama]

UPDATE:
I got sidelined a zillion times, plus it took 3 times the work I expected. But I finally got the entire equipment pad replumbed and rewired.
It's a tiny little equipment pad (3x3?) so working within the confines of that was not all that easy. Original plumbing was done stupid (comes up through concrete), and left very little PVC to work with. I had to get creative with my placement of things.
I finally started the system up today after 4 months (and 4 months of having no pump/filter) of on/off working on this mess. And IT WORKS!
All that is left is to do is install the salt cell and paint my pipes.
Oh...and come up with some sort of shelter for the SWG controller and timer box.

 

[setsailsoon]

Mama,

Nice install even with the limited layout! Your RJ 30+ is a great choice. I installed mine 3 years prior to selling the house and it was fantastic. Started at 40% and it was still set there when I sold. You've gotten a lot of great advice so I only have the following to offer:

• Get a Taylor K1766 salt test kit and only adjust salt based on this test. Your readout on the unit can be off a lot as it ages.
• Use Pool Math to calculate adjustments for run time once you get your % Power set.
• Try not to "over manage" your FC level. It's OK to let it run a little high but you never want it to get to minimum. Mine cycled from Target to max over time. Never got close to min. Also never had an algae outbreak.
• Stay withing TFP ranges for balance and watch the calculated CSI level. You'll get the hang of this so you can keep the calculated number slightly below 0. You can play with your Pool Math app to see how to accomplish this with small adjustments to pH or other levels.

You're gonna be amazed at how easy swg makes pool maintenance. But do keep testing at least weekly just in case.

I hope this helps.

Chris

 

[Newdude]

But do keep testing at least weekly just in case.

To be clear, he means after you've fully learned the system and how your pool responds to it. You neeed to monitor it daily for quite some time to get that experience. You'll adjust too high, catch it tomorrow, adjust to low, catch it the next day....... yeah. Simple stuff but still a learning curve like anything else. Once its all dialed in and you know how to look for the next change in daily demand, THATS when the magic starts, week after week after week..... its just..... still ok. You'll feel so important when you finally need to adjust it on week 5. Then 3 weeks after that.

But it takes a minute to get there so stay on top of it in the meantime.

 

[ManiacalMama]

Mama,

Nice install even with the limited layout! Your RJ 30+ is a great choice. I installed mine 3 years prior to selling the house and it was fantastic. Started at 40% and it was still set there when I sold. You've gotten a lot of great advice so I only have the following to offer:

• Get a Taylor K1766 salt test kit and only adjust salt based on this test. Your readout on the unit can be off a lot as it ages.
• Use Pool Math to calculate adjustments for run time once you get your % Power set.
• Try not to "over manage" your FC level. It's OK to let it run a little high but you never want it to get to minimum. Mine cycled from Target to max over time. Never got close to min. Also never had an algae outbreak.
• Stay withing TFP ranges for balance and watch the calculated CSI level. You'll get the hang of this so you can keep the calculated number slightly below 0. You can play with your Pool Math app to see how to accomplish this with small adjustments to pH or other levels.

You're gonna be amazed at how easy swg makes pool maintenance. But do keep testing at least weekly just in case.

I hope this helps.

Chris

Morning!
Yeah, I already have the Taylor K1766 and actually tested my salt level back in October. I probably won't need to add more than a bag or two before start up. Water is still too cold at 48 degrees to run the SWG, so I'll just chug away with the LC for now.
I'm pretty confident that I can get things dialed in. I'm an OCD tester and have only ever had one algae outbreak with my pool in the nearly 5 years we've been here, and that was right after we moved in and took over and before I knew what I was doing
I'll probably start at 50% and go from there. Pool math tells me I'll probably need to run the system about 8 hours.
I'm still riding the high that I replumbed and rewired everything myself and that it actually WORKS. Considering I was so ready to just give up on the whole project multiple times, it's really quite shocking! Especially since when I stand back and look at where I put some of those elbows. I definitely should have done a little more research before gluing those pipes

 

[ManiacalMama]

Once its all dialed in and you know how to look for the next change in daily demand, THATS when the magic starts, week after week after week..... its just..... still ok. You'll feel so important when you finally need to adjust it on week 5. Then 3 weeks after that.

But it takes a minute to get there so stay on top of it in the meantime.

Thanks! That's what I'm hoping for!

 

[MA5177]

I just ordered a new pump/filter/SWCG and while I wait for everything to get here I'm in my planning stages. The SWCG I ordered is the CircuPool RJ-30+.
I realize I probably didn't plan my timing very well, but I was trying to take advantage of bundle prices, and I NEED a new pump now.
Anyway, the temps here are getting pretty cold at night. My water, when I checked a couple days ago, was at 63 degrees. I know that this is probably too cold to use the SWCG, but I hate for the new unit to sit untested until spring. Is it absolutely impossible to test the generator until spring? What temp does the water need to be at to even add salt?
I did order the bypass cell at least. Should I just plumb it in now and then wire it in when the season starts back up?
I guess I just worry that I will have an expensive piece of equipment sitting around for months without knowing if it's good or a dud and I will have wasted a lot of time with it just sitting on a shelf.
Advice?

I just got my RJ 45 yesterday, my pool has new water and is completely balanced and I’m using liquid right now. I will probably install it next week no real rush because the water is still cold.

I have a feeling all chlorine prices will be going up again this season so I’m very happy I won’t be lugging gallon jugs again

 

[ManiacalMama]

I just got my RJ 45 yesterday, my pool has new water and is completely balanced and I’m using liquid right now. I will probably install it next week no real rush because the water is still cold.

I have a feeling all chlorine prices will be going up again this season so I’m very happy I won’t be lugging gallon jugs again

Going up, and/or hard to find. One of the reasons I decided to pull the trigger.

 

[Newdude]

I have a feeling all chlorine prices will be going up again this season

Pretty sure they are up already. We have see many reports of $5+ a gallon, particularly at HD/Lowes, compared to last year's $3.50-$4. let's hope they don't go to $6.