Anyone having trouble with Salt test?

[waterbear]

Jeffski,
inspect your salt cell for scale deposits. This can cause a low salt reading and no chlorine production. If there are deposits on the cell plates then follow the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning it (Usually by hosing off or by soaking in acid and water).

[Jeffski]

Cells look pristine. Too new in fact. I'm wondering if they've been working at all. I'll get the water tested today and see what the true salt level is at. This is the second Intellichlor I've had because the first one was bad. Maybe it wasn't bad, maybe the PB just didn't hook it up right. It really has never worked right since day one.

[waterbear]

Check your salt level and if it is ok I would then contact the manufacturer of your SWG for assistance.

[giroup01]

Also remember that the endpoint for the salt test, Taylor's anyways, is the first color change, not the second. It starts yellow, then turns milky, then turns sort of pink/red (bingo!), then turns brown. The first color change (pink) is the endpoint.

[Jeffski]

Pool store says my salt is at 3000ppm. The pool was brand new in Aug '06, closed in Oct '06 and opened last week. Less than 3 months of usage and the SWG has already been replaced once before and now it's not working again.

Makes you thing the problem is not with the SWG but maybe the plumbing or hook-up, right?

The only other problem could be that the salt level really is too low and the tests have been inaccurate. Maybe I'll test it again somewhere else to rule that out as a possible scenario. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[waterbear]

Pool store says my salt is at 3000ppm. The pool was brand new in Aug '06, closed in Oct '06 and opened last week. Less than 3 months of usage and the SWG has already been replaced once before and now it's not working again.

Makes you thing the problem is not with the SWG but maybe the plumbing or hook-up, right?

The only other problem could be that the salt level really is too low and the tests have been inaccurate. Maybe I'll test it again somewhere else to rule that out as a possible scenario. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

I suspect that your SWG might not be hooked up properly or is malfunctioning. You can get pretty accurate salt readings from the Aquachek White salt test strips. I have checked them against chemical tests and 2 different meters (Goldline and LaMotte) numberous times and they have always been right on the money (well within 200 ppm, which is the accuracy of the Taylor test).

[Jeffski]

I agree, but it is the second unit in three months so it is doubtful that the unit is malfunctioning. More likely it is hooked up wrong.

It is plumbed in the line right after the heater with the flow arrow pointing away from the heater. Water comes into the drains/skimmer - through pump - through filter - through heater - through SWG - into pool, right?

One other interesting yet probably irrelevant point... the return line that runs to the diving board/waterfall is plumbed between the heater and SWG so that water never goes through the SWG, just straight into the pool. That line is turned off 99% of the time and the SWG readouts appear the same whether that line is on or off.