When to turn off the salt generator

[tpm]

Hello
just a few basic questions regarding my salt generator. When I backwash I usually turn off my salt generator and heat pump. is this necessary? Also when manually vacuuming the pool I turn both off. There are times when some air gets in the system and I see some reduced water flow so don’t want to chance it. I know the heater should definitely be turned off but don’t know if it can effect the salt generator. Opinions?

Thanks and enjoy the summer

 

[ajw22]

Can’t hurt to turn SWG off but not necessary.

 

[AUSpool]

When you backwash there is no water going through the SWG and I assume heater to so I would turn them off. I turn my SWG off when backwashing but don’t have a heater. Just don’t forget to turn it back on. Heaters and SWG are usually after the filter so it wouldn’t hurt to leave both on when vacuuming.

 

[tpm]

When you backwash there is no water going through the SWG and I assume heater to so I would turn them off. I turn my SWG off when backwashing but don’t have a heater. Just don’t forget to turn it back on. Heaters and SWG are usually after the filter so it wouldn’t hurt to leave both on when vacuuming.

Thanks for the reply. When backwashing the system is being turned off and on a few times going from backwashing to rinse, backwash, etc. that was my reasoning

 

[drsipe]

There should be a flow switch on both the heater & the SWCG, so if there is no flow thru them, the flow switch should prevent them from operating.

With that said, I would still turn off both the heater & the SWCG, the effort is minimal and if the flow switch is stuck or malfunctions the consequences are very expensive.

 

[AUSpool]

I keep mine off through the whole process and turn it back on when it’s back on filter mode. I turn mine off to prevent a buildup of chlorine in the cell while there is no flow. Our systems don’t normally have a flow switch, if you have a flow switch then I believe the power to the cell would be disconnected anyway. But as Allen said, It won’t hurt anything to turn it off as long as you turn it back on after and I’ve made that mistake.

 

[ajw22]

Backwashing is maybe a 15 minute affair for me with the pump on and off 6 times for less then a minute.

Even if the flow switch was stuck closed there will not be a significant accumulation of hydrogen gas in the cell in that time. And I have visibility to the NO FLOW light to see that it is not on indicating a problem. In fact it is a check I do to confirm my flow switch is still operating.

You can worry about such an edge case but the facts don’t support any risk there.

 

[tpm]

Backwashing is maybe a 15 minute affair for me with the pump on and off 6 times for less then a minute.

Even if the flow switch was stuck closed there will not be a significant accumulation of hydrogen gas in the cell in that time. And I have visibility to the NO FLOW light to see that it is not on indicating a problem. In fact it is a check I do to confirm my flow switch is still operating.

You can worry about such an edge case but the facts don’t support any risk there.

Thanks. My concern is more about the unit turning off and on numerous times in a short period.

 

[drsipe]

Thanks. My concern is more about the unit turning off and on numerous times in a short period.

Just leave it off for the entire 15 minutes of backwashing. I'm sure someone will disagree but power cycling electronics in short cycles is not good.

 

[jgofnj]

How do you "shut off" a Pentair CL40 that is hook up to the pump power supply which needs to be on to do the backwash? There is no "on/off" switch on the CL40 and I have no automation.

 

[tpm]

Just leave it off for the entire 5 minutes of backwashing. I'm sure someone will disagree but power cycling electronics in short cycles is not good.

I agree with you, Thanks

 

[tpm]

How do you "shut off" a Pentair CL40 that is hook up to the pump power supply which is needs to be on to do the backwash? There is no "on/off" switch on the CL40 and I have no automation.

My SWG has a power off mode so that works for me. If you can’t, you can’t however