Love the Saltwater

[wayfun]

I recently installed a saltwater chlorine generator and wonder why I didn't do that years ago. However, I'm still having trouble getting the settings regulated. I used a 40k cell running 24/7 with 17,000 gallons. With the generator set at 20% my clorine level is still quite high. All other water test readings are in line. I'm sure it will take a few days to get it "dialed in".

Dennis

[aylad]

Maybe you should try running it in a couple of 8 hour shifts instead of 24/7?

Just a suggestion....SWCG are not my area of expertise!

Jan

[BigTallGuy]

Keep an eye on your Ph level. Ph levels increase with run time, and also, Salt Cell life is directly affect by run time. Running 24/7 sounds way too much for that many gallons.

Try running at 50% - 75% for 8 hours or so. You will pay a fortune in electric bills running your pump that much where as running the SWCG at 75% instead of 20% will not make hardly any difference electrically.

In my case, I have a 24' x 4' Round AG pool with approx 11,000 gallons and I run 5 hours per day at 100% this turns over the water in the pool at least once and my chlorine level stays at approx. 3.0, and I have to add about 1 cup of Muriatic Acid per week to keep the Ph in check.

The goals (at least mine) are to A) keep chlorine levels where you want it. B) not have to buy/add gallons and gallons of muriatic acid to keep the Ph in check, C) not pay a fortune in electric bills. D) not kill your salt cell in the first two years.

Please post back with your test results for Chlorine, Ph, and CYA. this forum will have you dialed in no time.

[swimlane]

I've been trying to dial-in my run time and % as well ... currently have it running for 4 hours in morning and 4 hours in the evening. My levels are in range but what I'm not really sure is: if I generate chlorine for 8 hours total, should I be testing levels before and after each pump run or just in the morning and evening? Its a little different to me than the add bleach at one time kind of thing.

[BigTallGuy]

Here is what I do with my pool and fully understand that there are different opinions on how to properly maintain your Salt Water pool. I test my Chlorine level in the early evening roughly about Sunset to see how my chlorine level has survived the full day of sunshine. If my chlorine level is 3.0 or better, I leave the "ON TIME" at 5 hours per day at 100% I have my Filter, Pump and SWCG come on at Sunset so I can be home when it is operating so if something goes wrong I can hopefully correct the problem. It shuts off about midnight to 1:00 a.m. If the Chlorine level is below 3.0 I increase the time, I just this week had to increase from 4 hours to 5 hours. There are many different parts of the country that have cheaper electricity rates in the evening to morning time frame, and in my humble opinion, having a full "dose" of chlorine in the pool from midnight until sunrise makes a little sense, as it gives plenty of time for the chlorine to do its job before being burnt off by the sun. I know there may be many other ways to do this but this works for me.