I'm going to post a "rant" in the China Shop one of these days to let you know how we got to this position with our pool. Our original idea was a "Lazy River" with a lagoon in the middle Now that was stressful!!!
16k gal IG gunite PebbleTec (Caribbean Blue), 18' x 36' free form with raised spa/spillway and separate rock waterfall. All Pentair Equipment pad - 3HP IntelliFlo VS / 1.5HP WhisperFlo, MasterTemp 400k BTU/hr heater, QuadDE-100 filter, IC40 SWCG, IntelliTouch/EasyTouch Controls
These work well for testing salt level;
http://www.amazon.com/Aquachek-White...lt+test+strips
22'x40' Grecian Lazy L 20K gal IG vinyl pool; Aqua Rite SWCG T15 cell; Hayward Pro Grid 6020 DE filter; Hayward Superpump 1hp pump; 12 hrs; Taylor K-2006; city; PF:6
I have both test strips and Taylor K-1766 chloride test drops. Taylor drops are more accurate BUT here's the deal - don't get too crazy trying to exactly measure your salt levels, it'll only drive you nuts. Once your PB loads the salt in your pool at startup and assuming the SWCG cell is happy, you only need to test salt levels maybe twice per swim season or after a major (>10%) water exchange. Too many SWG owners get way too crazy trying to figure out their salt levels to the last signigicant digit. The available tests are, at best, +\- 200ppm accurate. If your salt cell says it's happy, then you're good. The whole point of making SWCG practical is for the process to be insensitive to salt concentration over a wide range or else it would be too much of a hassle for the user.
Just my $0.02 opinion.
16k gal IG gunite PebbleTec (Caribbean Blue), 18' x 36' free form with raised spa/spillway and separate rock waterfall. All Pentair Equipment pad - 3HP IntelliFlo VS / 1.5HP WhisperFlo, MasterTemp 400k BTU/hr heater, QuadDE-100 filter, IC40 SWCG, IntelliTouch/EasyTouch Controls
You're right, salt isn't something you have to check often.
One thing to be careful about though, one sign a salt cell is starting to fail is it can give incorrect low salt readings. Some have gone ahead and added salt without verifying level and ended up with way too much salt. If my SWCG reports low salt, I always verify the level before adding.
We get a bit more rain here on the mid Atlantic coast, so I usually have to add salt a few times a year. I usually go through 150# to 200# a year.
I thought about trying the Taylor kit, but the strips seem to be accurate enough and are easier to use. Do you also find this to be the case or are there circumstances where you find the Taylor kit more helpful?
22'x40' Grecian Lazy L 20K gal IG vinyl pool; Aqua Rite SWCG T15 cell; Hayward Pro Grid 6020 DE filter; Hayward Superpump 1hp pump; 12 hrs; Taylor K-2006; city; PF:6
Toybuilder,
Something that's been mentioned but I would like to stress, despite what the pool dealer/store/owners manual might say about using the SWCG, only use it to maintain proper chlorine level. Do not use it to "shock", "super chlorinate", or raise chlorine levels. Use some other form of chlorine for that (plain bleach is most popular here; that's what I use).
Following this advice your salt cell will last longer. I learned this the hard (expensive) way. My first cell, before I found this forum and learned about proper SWCG usage, only lasted 4 seasons. My second cell, using it as recommended here, is in it's 7th season and still working well.
22'x40' Grecian Lazy L 20K gal IG vinyl pool; Aqua Rite SWCG T15 cell; Hayward Pro Grid 6020 DE filter; Hayward Superpump 1hp pump; 12 hrs; Taylor K-2006; city; PF:6
Hahahaha....yup, that's my story - had a funny low salt reading and did not properly verify. Wound up over-salting the pool and had to drain 20% of my water. Sending the water company a big check has a way of teaching you a good lesson
Strips always read about 400ppm lower than expected and the salt drops are practically on the money with what my IC40 reports. But salt drops are messy AND I don't like messing around with potassium chromate (hexavalent chromium is a carcinogen). So I only use the drops when I absolutely have to and I use the strips for more routine testing.
16k gal IG gunite PebbleTec (Caribbean Blue), 18' x 36' free form with raised spa/spillway and separate rock waterfall. All Pentair Equipment pad - 3HP IntelliFlo VS / 1.5HP WhisperFlo, MasterTemp 400k BTU/hr heater, QuadDE-100 filter, IC40 SWCG, IntelliTouch/EasyTouch Controls
16k gal IG gunite PebbleTec (Caribbean Blue), 18' x 36' free form with raised spa/spillway and separate rock waterfall. All Pentair Equipment pad - 3HP IntelliFlo VS / 1.5HP WhisperFlo, MasterTemp 400k BTU/hr heater, QuadDE-100 filter, IC40 SWCG, IntelliTouch/EasyTouch Controls
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