Can anyone tell how to recalibrate a Mineral Springs MS10 Salt Generator?

[NESPORTZDAWG]

I have a Mineral Springs MS 10 salt generator that is flashing high cell, i replaced the cell with a Turbo Cell a couple years back and everything ran great. I recently checked my salt levels using an Aquacheck salt strip & the levels were fine, if anything a tad low, i have cleaned the cell checked all the wires, still getting a code flashing High. Is there a way of resetting or recalibrating the system?

Anyone's help would be greatly appreciated.

[PoolDoc]

One of the key methods Chemtura uses to maintain the myth of the superiority of its BioGuard line is misdirection and obfuscation, like calling baking soda (aka Balance Pak 100) "sodium hydrogen carbonate" instead of sodium bicarbonate.

The Mineral Springs SWCG falls under this marketing tactic of providing as little detailed tech info as possible. As a result, there's not much info available except to "premium" BioGuard dealers.

You'll probably need to talk to your dealer and hope they are educated and not just "premium".

[NESPORTZDAWG]

Thanks Doc, your right about that, BioGuard is very tight lipped about leaking any free trouble shooting info via the Internet. They want you to call a dealer so they can generate a service call. I believe I have it working, no more alarms, but the salt levels on the display are substantially off. I believe there is a way of calibrating the display panel, but I'm not willing to pay a service call.

[PoolDoc]

I'm glad you got it working; you can probably tell I'm not 'in love' with BioGuard.

There are other pool companies out there that behave the same way. One particular company, selling specialized equipment for large (100,000+ gal) commercial pools, has been moderately successfully doing what I've described as "marketing Roll-Royces, but delivering Ramblers". Unfortunately, that description worked better 20 years ago, than it does now. Maybe, "marketing BMWs but delivering Yugos"?

Anyhow, it has been those experiences that have made me aware of how often brand "quality" is disassociated with actual quality.

In really large markets, genuine quality brands get sold to big companies who then parasitise the brand, till nothings left. I've seen this happen repeatedly in outdoor gear. I bought some North Face gear 30+ years ago that I still use -- but North Face was then just above a 'garage operation'. Today, the difference between most of the 'North Face' gear I see, and no-name Target gear is just price. I'm wearing sandals which are -- irritatingly and with flopping sole bottoms -- the same way. I purchased, 20 years ago, a pair of Teva sandals that I wore till they wore through. Unfortunately that first pair lasted longer than the two subsequent pairs put together. Of course, in 2002, Teva sold out. I need to buy a pair of Keens BEFORE they get bought by a big company that 'hollows out' the brand.

Branding is a very unreliable guide to product quality, but that's not a fact most people find themselves able to embrace.

[Poolsean]

Hayward makes the Mineral Springs unit, so it's the same as the Aquarite/Goldline salt system.

Is the unit reading High CELL? or High SALT? I'm not familiar with the High Cell display, but a high salt usually indicates high conductivity in the water, caused by a new cell, high salt, or warm water. If it's none of these, then there may be a problem with the power supply. If it's high salt, you cannot calibrate it, but I believe it takes a day or two for the salt "Average" to level out once salt has been added or a cell has been replaced. Since you posted this a few days ago, it should have leveled out. So if it's still showing high salt, there are other possibilities.

It's possible that depending on the software version (1.5 or newer), you may have to "set" the cell type:

"t-3" = T-CELL-3, GLX-CELL-3-W
"t-5" = GLX-CELL-5, GLX-CELL-5-W
"t-9 = T-CELL-9, GLX-CELL-9-W
"t-15" = T-CELL-15, GLX-CELL-15-W

1. Slide the Main Switch to the "Auto" position.
2. Push the Diagnostic button repeatedly until "t-xx" appears on the display ("t-15" is the factory default). If the desired cell type is displayed skip to step 4.
3. To change to a different cell type, slide the Main Switch from "Auto" to "Super Chlorinate" and back to "Auto". Repeat this process until the desired cell type is displayed.
4. Push the Diagnostic button to exit

This would adjust the high salt levels to the actual cell installed, as the salt level is based on the amps and volts going to the cell.

Hope this helps,

[PoolDoc]

thanks, Sean. I just flagged this one.

[CarlD]

I'm glad you got it working; you can probably tell I'm not 'in love' with BioGuard.

There are other pool companies out there that behave the same way. One particular company, selling specialized equipment for large (100,000+ gal) commercial pools, has been moderately successfully doing what I've described as "marketing Roll-Royces, but delivering Ramblers". Unfortunately, that description worked better 20 years ago, than it does now. Maybe, "marketing BMWs but delivering Yugos"?

Anyhow, it has been those experiences that have made me aware of how often brand "quality" is disassociated with actual quality.

In really large markets, genuine quality brands get sold to big companies who then parasitise the brand, till nothings left. I've seen this happen repeatedly in outdoor gear. I bought some North Face gear 30+ years ago that I still use -- but North Face was then just above a 'garage operation'. Today, the difference between most of the 'North Face' gear I see, and no-name Target gear is just price. I'm wearing sandals which are -- irritatingly and with flopping sole bottoms -- the same way. I purchased, 20 years ago, a pair of Teva sandals that I wore till they wore through. Unfortunately that first pair lasted longer than the two subsequent pairs put together. Of course, in 2002, Teva sold out. I need to buy a pair of Keens BEFORE they get bought by a big company that 'hollows out' the brand.

Branding is a very unreliable guide to product quality, but that's not a fact most people find themselves able to embrace.

This had me laughing, Ben!

I remember when North Face was the slightly cheaper competitor to Sierra Designs and Patagonia. I still have a SD down vest I bought in 1977, and a day pack from a year later. Then Sierra Design went down the tubes. North Face makes SOME stuff that's still high-end, but a lot is Chevy sold as Bentleys.

You are starting to sound almost., almost,..,almost..liberal! (Just kidding!)

BTW, if you can swing it, I think the best sandals you can buy are Mephisto Sharks. I have two pairs, the first I bought 15-20 years ago, and wore to death--going in the ocean with them, sweating into them, etc. They rebuilt them when the soles got a little worn and they were like new, actually, better. The new pair, this summer, are exactly like the re-builts. Unfortunately, they cost an insane amount, but unlike other sandals, at the end of a day of walking and touring and hiking, my feet aren't killing me and blistered. Even Ecco and the other high end brands, IMHO, don't hold a candle to Mephistos. Their dress shoes are equally comfortable and durable.

[PoolDoc]

You are starting to sound almost., almost,..,almost..liberal! (Just kidding!)

Any urges I might have to worship at the altar of political liberalism are currently being held in check by the rolling disaster that is Obamacare, and more urgently, the Keystone Cops scenario playing out in US policy toward Syria.

Of course, I gave up worshiping at the altar of conservatism some years ago, though I find I still have some habituated actions that catch me off guard.

My brother-in-law, who was very active in Republican circles in N. Georgia for a number of years, has shared with me at length about his disillusionment. His mentor in those circles, told him privately that politicians were almost all crooked and 'bent' after a few years in office, no matter how they started out, and regardless of party.

It's my current assumption that this is an entirely correct and accurate assessment.

[CarlD]

My brother-in-law, who was very active in Republican circles in N. Georgia for a number of years, has shared with me at length about his disillusionment. His mentor in those circles, told him privately that politicians were almost all crooked and 'bent' after a few years in office, no matter how they started out, and regardless of party.

It's my current assumption that this is an entirely correct and accurate assessment.

THAT is hard to argue with!

As for the ACA, I'll PM you something.