Woes of new pump & SWG & booster pump

[mcleod]

Last February we installed a new Pentair VSF pump and Pentair SWG (Intellichlor 40). Have had inconsistent performance ever since, so I'm inquiring where to go next.
First the SWG. The factory specs require a minimum 8" straight run of pipe to the swg; ours was 6.5" with a 90-degree turn that led to the generator. From the first, the indicators for flow and salt level glowed red or alternated between red & green (salt level). Higher rpms (2350) would remedy the flow issue. Have had difficulty maintaining FC and have had to go with adding bleach to maintain FC. A call to Pentair tech resulted in a suggestion that the SWG was plumbed incorrectly, needing a minimum of 8" of pipe leading straight to the SWG and that the 90-degree turn would impede flow. Replumbing was done yesterday with an 8.5" straight run from filter to the SWG. The initial startup looked promising. This morning the problem persists-flow light on, salt level indicators flashing. BTW SWG is set to 60% salt level generation. Thoughts?

The pump is set to run at 1950 rpm and has been from the first installation. The amount of water flowing into the basket has been suspect-more of a steady but slight stream with none of the turbulence I would have expected displayed under the cap. Using the quick clean button on the pump brings the pump first to a stop (priming alarm) and then a reset with an rpm of 3450 which eventually returns to the 1950 rpms. At that point, the water flow seems "normal", and you can see more turbulence in the basket. It does not stay this way.

The booster pump had a water leak and a new gasket was installed yesterday. Prior to the repair, the pump would not always activate the cleaner and required the pressing of the quick clean button on the pump to get the cleaner moving successfully. Today the pump came on as usual but the pool cleaner moved in incremental slow-motion. Again depressing the quick clean button activated the cleaner. However, at this moment the cleaner is dead stopped.

Where next shall I pursue the remedies?

McLeod

 

[1poolman1]

What type of booster pump? Century Centurion is the manufacturer of the motor.

 

[Jimrahbe]

mc,

Normally it does not really matter how much straight pipe is in front of the cell. My system has a 90 about an inch before the cell and it makes absolutely no difference. I run my pump at 1200 RPM and this is plenty to close the flow switch and skim the pool. But... I have a large cartridge filter which means I do not have an MPV valve or heater.

If you have a heater then you will have to run faster.

Either the flow switch is bad or the flow through the cell is not what you think it is. How does the flow of the water back to your pool returns feel? It does not really take much flow to close a flow switch.

Show us several pics of your equipment pad.

I suspect that the problem with the cell not making enough chlorine is you and not the cell..

Your cell will make 8 ppm of chlorine when running at 100% for 24 hours. That is .33 per hour at 100% output.

Most pools use 2 to 4 ppm of FC per day. Let's say your pool uses 3 ppm of FC per day. To replace 3 ppm of FC you will need to run your Cell for 9 hours at 100% or for 18 hours at 50%, etc.

In the middle of Texas, your pool might even be using more then 3 ppm FC per day. I noticed that you did not mention your CYA level. You can't even know if your FC is too high or too low without knowing your CYA. For saltwater pools we recommend a CYA of 60 to 70. This prevents the FC from burning off so quickly. See the saltwater section of this chart. FC/CYA Levels

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[mcleod]

thank you for your replies. it's a vinyl pool.
The current CYA is 50. It was 50 yesterday and the day before.
Booster pump is a Pentair Model # LA01N
Current FC is 3.
SWG has been running @ 60% for the last 18 hours

 

[1poolman1]

thank you for your replies. it's a vinyl pool.
The current CYA is 50. It was 50 yesterday and the day before.
Booster pump is a Pentair Model # LA01N
Current FC is 3.
SWG has been running @ 60% for the last 18 hours

If you have to push the "quick clean" to get the cleaner to run with the booster pump on, your normal setting (rpm) is not supplying the booster with enough water and can damage the booster if it is allowed to run that way for long.
Set your booster pump to run at a time when your main pump is running at higher rpm. There is no "normal" to that setting as each pool's plumbing will determine the speed you need.

 

[mcleod]

Additional info.
Re-engaged the quick clean a couple of hours ago. That got rid of the flow warning light. Back flushed the filter. The cleaner engaged at normal speed. I manually set the pump to 1800 rpm. Returns feel like a steady flow and two are emitting tiny bubbles. (see pics) So for the last couple of hours, everything is functioning correctly. Pictures attached.

 

[mcleod]

If you have to push the "quick clean" to get the cleaner to run with the booster pump on, your normal setting (rpm) is not supplying the booster with enough water and can damage the booster if it is allowed to run that way for long.
Set your booster pump to run at a time when your main pump is running at higher rpm. There is no "normal" to that setting as each pool's plumbing will determine the speed you need.

thank you

 

[1poolman1]

thank you

Hopefully, you are NOT putting tablets into that tab feeder. With an SWG, it is not necessary.

 

[mcleod]

Hopefully, you are NOT putting tablets into that tab feeder. With an SWG, it is not necessary.

I am not. I was understanding that the CYA for a vinyl pool was 50. Should it be 60?

 

[Jimrahbe]

I was understanding that the CYA for a vinyl pool was 50. Should it be 60?

Mc,

I think you may be thinking of CH.

CYA is there to protect the sun from burning off the chlorine in the pool water. It does not care what type of pool you have.

A CYA of 50 will work, it just means you will need to run your cell harder. I try to keep my CYA abut 70 ppm.

1800 RPM still seems pretty fast for a pool without a heater. I suspect that check valve and tab feeder add some resistance. I know nothing about sand filters, so maybe it is fine.

If this were my pool, I would slowly turn the RPM down until the flow light turns Red. Then I would slowly increase the speed until the flow light just turns green. Then I'd add 100 to 200 RPM and call that my SWCG speed.

Dirty filters reduce the flow, so if your filter was really dirty, then that could have been the whole problem.

The IC40 will test the salt level every time it starts up. When it does that, you will see what I call the "Flashing Railroad Crossing" lights. This normally only lasts a minute or so. But... if the flow light never turns Green, then the cell will not finish its salt testing. The cell will also test the salt level ever 12 hours after start up.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[mcleod]

Mc,

I think you may be thinking of CH.

CYA is there to protect the sun from burning off the chlorine in the pool water. It does not care what type of pool you have.

A CYA of 50 will work, it just means you will need to run your cell harder. I try to keep my CYA abut 70 ppm.

1800 RPM still seems pretty fast for a pool without a heater. I suspect that check valve and tab feeder add some resistance. I know nothing about sand filters, so maybe it is fine.

If this were my pool, I would slowly turn the RPM down until the flow light turns Red. Then I would slowly increase the speed until the flow light just turns green. Then I'd add 100 to 200 RPM and call that my SWCG speed.

Dirty filters reduce the flow, so if your filter was really dirty, then that could have been the whole problem.

The IC40 will test the salt level every time it starts up. When it does that, you will see what I call the "Flashing Railroad Crossing" lights. This normally only lasts a minute or so. But... if the flow light never turns Green, then the cell will not finish its salt testing. The cell will also test the salt level ever 12 hours after start up.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Jim thank you. Filter wasn't too dirty. I have some cyanuric acid hydrate. I suppose that will work, eh?

 

[Jimrahbe]

I have some cyanuric acid hydrate. I suppose that will work, eh?

Mc,

I am more of an equipment guy than a "Khemistry" guy.

Let's ask someone that has a clue. Calling @JoyfulNoise

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Yep. That will work.

 

[mcleod]

An update The plumbing got done and the equipment ran a whole day perfectly. A couple of days later and things are as before. SWG Flow light on, 0 psi at filter outflow, the VSF pump is running 1950rpm, the water flowing into the basket is a stream, not a torrent. Not being especially bright in these things, but does it sound like a pump issue? Hard for me to fathom, new pump and all.

 

[Jimrahbe]

mc,

Backwash your filter and see if the problem goes away for a day or so.

Sounds like you have algae to me.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[mcleod]

mc,

Backwash your filter and see if the problem goes away for a day or so.

Sounds like you have algae to me.

Thanks,

Jim R.

thanks. I tried that early. there was some crud but not much. this problem occurs even after backwash is performed. this morning's check was a pump rpm of 1950, a trickle of water in the basket, 0 psi filter outflow, red light flow indicator on, and a finger's worth of water in the check valve. Shot this morning's inspection on video. I'm a pool newbie, maybe this is normal, I don't know and am struggling to know.