Special test kit needed for SWCG?

[lauralou]

I recently (two weeks ago) converted my 20,000 gal. inground gunite pool to salt water chlorine generator. Since then, I have tested my water using the Taylor Complete Test kit that I've had for a few years (with new reagents purchased this past spring). I'm unable to get a reading at all for chlorine, but my other readings are:

AL= 90
PH = 7.4
CA = 250
CYA = 90

Must you use a special test kit for a SWCG pool?

My water is clear, there is no algae, and the salt is 3100 ppm according to the LED display on the on the unit (Hayward SwimPure). I haven't had the water tested by the pool store.

[PatL34]

Lauralou,

Welcome to the forum.

You do not need a special kit for the SWCG. The one you have perfectly Ok. You will need to get a FAS/DPD kit as extra to get readings above 5 ppm. Eventually you may want to get Ben's PS234 kit which covers everything you need to test your water. It's available from the poolsolutions.com section of the forum.

What may be happening is that the SWCG is generating chlorine at a higher rate than what you normally keep before the SWCG conversion. If this is so, just lower the Swimpure output slowly over a few days to see if the chlorine ppm comes back into readable figures.

Have the water tested at a pool store for comparison while lowering the output. Your figures are good, although the CYA might be a tad high, but do not drain any water on that account. When you backwash, it will drop down.

Hope this helps, and enjoy your freedom from lugging bleach bottles. The only thing you will need is muriatic acid as it is now part of the SWCG process.

Pat

(Supermods, please move this thread to the Chlorinators and SWC generator forum)

[lauralou]

Hi Pat,

Thank you so much for your reply. You seem to be saying that my chlorine may be "off the chart", so to speak. But wouldn't the Taylor Complete test kit register a deeper shade of red if my Chlorine was higher than 5? Right now, the chlorine test registers no coloration at all. BTW, I have my unit set at 40% output, but just lowered it to 30%.

I know what you mean about lugging bottles of beach. For me - a small woman - that got old very quickly.

[PatL34]

It may be that you need new reagents for chlorine, just to be on the safe side. If there is still no change, then Taylor FAS/DPD test kit should be used. The Taylor #s are R-0870 (powder) and R-0871 (liquid in a brown bottle). Keep the powder dry, and the liquid bottle in a dark place.

The only thing you still have to lug are bottles of muriatic acid once a month.:)

Pat

[waterbear]

Hi Pat,

Thank you so much for your reply. You seem to be saying that my chlorine may be "off the chart", so to speak. But wouldn't the Taylor Complete test kit register a deeper shade of red if my Chlorine was higher than 5? Right now, the chlorine test registers no coloration at all. BTW, I have my unit set at 40% output, but just lowered it to 30%.

I know what you mean about lugging bottles of beach. For me - a small woman - that got old very quickly.
I assume your Taylor Complete is model number K-2005. This kit uses the DPD test for chlorine and it can bleach out at chlorine levels above 10 ppm making you think there is no chlorine when, in fact, chlorine levels are very high. If you look on the lid at the bottom of the chlorine test instructions you will see how to dilute a sample for testing high chlorine levels. There are two dilutions availabe...1 to 1 and 1 to 4. The Taylor K-2006 uses the FAS-DPD tritration test and does not have the bleach out problem up to about 50 ppm. You might want to check for the presence of chlorine with a cheapie OTO kit (test turns yellow, usually a 2 way kit for chlorine and pH and very inexpensive)...while not that accurate and only testing total chlorine it is 'bullet proof' and WILL tell you if there is chlorine present.