New Here. Going to Salt???

[Phillbo]

The controllers should last quit a while but I understand the cells typically last 5-7 years.. Mine is 6 years old.

[kelemvor]

I think that will depend on what size you get and what run percentage you end up using. i.e. if you get a 25k gallon swcg, you'd probably have to run it at 100% and have a shorter lifespan of the cell. If you got the 40k gallon sized cell you could run it at a lower setting and it would last longer.

[SargeRmb]

O.k. that makes sense. You guys really dont like the Jandy do you? My local pool company carries them, and it would have been easy obtaining parts quickly. Oh well whats the front runner for whats left? Sorry for all the questions.....

Another Question. Have any of you mounted the controller indoors? I was thinking I could just extend the wiring and put it indoors to keep it out of the rain and snow permanently. Just a thought, hopefully Im not the first.

[kelemvor]

There's another thread around here where someone was discussing installing a light controller indoors, you might search for that. The swcg controller that I've got has a transformer in the control box and puts out a good amount of heat. Here in Florida, air conditioning is both required almost year round and expensive on the electric bill. Personally, I wouldn't want the controller inside my house for that reason. If you've got a pool house/shed, that might be a good spot to mount it. As you're thinking, keeping the stuff out of the elements should prolong the lifespan. I've been thinking of constructing some sort of enclosure around the pads all my stuff is sitting on for that reason.

[famousdavis]

I've got the Jandy SWCG, but the older model, not the Ei model. My pool builder strongly suggested NOT using the Ei model, as they had had unsatisfactory results from installing that model in new pools, and so they switched back to installing the older model (the non-Ei model) for new installations. Apparently they're not getting any warranty claims for the older Jandy model. I could have pressed the issue and gotten the Ei, but I don't build pools for a living, so I went with his suggestion. So far, it works great (but I'm only 8 weeks into pool ownership, and only 4 weeks into salt chlorination). The salinity read-out various a bit sometimes when I press the button multiple times, but then, the salinity results from the two pool companies I'm taking water samples to read differently than each other, too. Between the SWCG and the two independent test results I'm getting each week, I can generally tell whether my salt level is at the optimal range. The SWCG tends to read a little higher than the two pool companies that give me test results for my pool.

In my 16,000 gallon pool, the SWCG was able to bump up my free chlorine from 1.5 to 12.5 after running it in the Boost mode (24 hours, non-stop).

[famousdavis]

One other thought. The Jandy user manual says the controller is supposed to be installed a minimum of 5' off the ground. The electrian who installed my Jandy SWCG put the controller only 3' off the ground. Not sure why that matters, really, except that being lower to the ground, there's a greater chance of having rain water hit the controller, or having my lawn's sprinkler system hit the controller. When you have them do the install, be sure to tell them you want the controller installed 5' off the ground.

[kelemvor]

One other thought. The Jandy user manual says the controller is supposed to be installed a minimum of 5' off the ground. The electrian who installed my Jandy SWCG put the controller only 3' off the ground. Not sure why that matters, really, except that being lower to the ground, there's a greater chance of having rain water hit the controller, or having my lawn's sprinkler system hit the controller. When you have them do the install, be sure to tell them you want the controller installed 5' off the ground.

I believe Rain/Sprinkler moisture and of course dirt are the main reasons to keep your electrical higher off the ground. In some areas the electrical codes require them to be a certain height. You should check with your city/county and see if there are any rules about it.

[Poolsean]

There's no specific code calling for 5' above ground. It's got to be 10' from the edge of the pool (for 110' volts) or 5' (220 volts), according to NEC guidelines.
I agree with not putting the controller indoor. Some will use a quick disconnect connection, rather than hard wired, so that they can remove and take the equipment indoor during the winter months.
Keep in mind that all equipment are designed for outdoor locations, but for winter snow and thaw conditions, at type of exposure would call for the need to remove and put the equipment indoor.

[BigDave]

I'm pretty sure the NEC 1999 permits placement of a recptacle for pump / circulationbetween 5' and 10' of the inner wall of the pool regardless of the voltage. As always, check with you local construction official.