Only worry about it if you have a warranty issue. Otherwise, you don't need to raise your CH.
I have a Hayward Universal heater and the owner's manual recommends keeping CH between 200 and 400. Mine is at 60. Is it really advised to raise CH that high?
Sharkline Escalade RTR 24' x 54" Round AGP; OptiFlo 2-speed pump; Pentair PLM-100 Cartridge Filter; Hayward 250FDN Heater; Taylor K-2006; AquaIlluminator Return
Only worry about it if you have a warranty issue. Otherwise, you don't need to raise your CH.
26K gal 20x40 rectangular IG vinyl pool; Apr 2014: New pump, liner, auto-cover, & water; Pentair Whisperflo 1HP pump; Pentair Trition sand filter; Cover/Star CS-500 auto cover; Taylor K-2006C; OTO
My concern was that if I ever need to make a warranty claim, will having low CH be a legitimate reason to deny it? In reading on TFP, it sounds like the "science" behind low calcium being corrosive to metal is rather sketchy. As the theory goes, it is hoped that the calcium forms a protective barrier inside the copper pipes or the calcium decreases the water's affinity for metal. The arguments against this theory are that the calcium carbonate layer doesn't form well inside a heat exchanger (doesn't form well on the cold spots and maybe results in too much scaling on the hot spots) and that taking the calcium out of water (by softening) makes water less conductive and therefore less corrosive (I think).
Sharkline Escalade RTR 24' x 54" Round AGP; OptiFlo 2-speed pump; Pentair PLM-100 Cartridge Filter; Hayward 250FDN Heater; Taylor K-2006; AquaIlluminator Return
Yup, that's it. How new is the heater? Since we know you don't NEED the CH, if there's ever an issue, raise the CH (and other requirements) before making the warranty call. Not legal advise here, just saying.... What is your handle on that other place?
pH is the most important parameter for heater longevity.
Last edited by FormerBromineUser; 06-01-2015 at 12:40 AM.
26K gal 20x40 rectangular IG vinyl pool; Apr 2014: New pump, liner, auto-cover, & water; Pentair Whisperflo 1HP pump; Pentair Trition sand filter; Cover/Star CS-500 auto cover; Taylor K-2006C; OTO
There are also pools over 10 years old reporting on these forums with copper in their gas heaters and ZERO calcium or in some cases very low calcium in their water and they have no problems whatsoever. My own tap water only has 50 ppm CH, but the municipal water district does add 300-500 ppb phosphates for corrosion control, but that's mostly to prevent lead (and to some degree copper) leaching, not so much for preventing corrosion to the extent that there would be leaks. The pH is also kept higher and that's the most important factor to preventing metal corrosion.
Calcium carbonate saturation is really for protecting surfaces that have calcium carbonate in them including plaster and grout.
15.5'x32' rectangle 16K gal IG concrete pool; 12.5% chlorinating liquid by hand; Jandy CL340 cartridge filter; Pentair Intelliflo VF pump; 8hrs; Taylor K-2006 and TFTestkits TF-100; utility water; summer: automatic; winter: automatic; ; PF:7.5
Thanks chem-geek. I'm learning from your posts. Personally, I changed majors after 3 semesters of Chem-E.
@FBU: I'm just a lurker at TFP. Heater is only one season old.
Last edited by bottomcat; 06-01-2015 at 07:26 AM. Reason: addressed to wrong handle
Sharkline Escalade RTR 24' x 54" Round AGP; OptiFlo 2-speed pump; Pentair PLM-100 Cartridge Filter; Hayward 250FDN Heater; Taylor K-2006; AquaIlluminator Return
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