confusedpoolchick Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 We have a Hayward Aqua Rite (about 1-1/2 years old) with HI SALT light on, but meter says "2500" ppm. So, I took water to Leslie's & they said it was 2900ppm. I inspected the cell for build-up - none, unplugged it, and plugged back in, it then temporarily started generating again, but after a minute/two the hi salt indicator came back on. Any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Clown Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Push the button to the left of the display 5 times. That will display the actual salt reading in the pool. What you see when you walk up to the unit is an average since the last time averaging was cleared. You may indeed have too much salt in the pool. Have you recently put some in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
confusedpoolchick Posted June 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Push the button to the left of the display 5 times. That will display the actual salt reading in the pool. What you see when you walk up to the unit is an average since the last time averaging was cleared. You may indeed have too much salt in the pool. Have you recently put some in? Thanks for the reply. Did what you said, it like scrolled through a bunch of negative numbers and then just went back to "hi". Tried unplugging the cell cord from control panel and back in. After doing this earlier and just now it goes back to green lights by "power" & "generating" (which got me excited) but then after a minute red light by "high salt". Is there a way to reset or re-calibrate the thing? Added 2 - 40lb bags over a month ago because it was a little low and the low salt indicator was on (I can't remember the value). That's all we've put in it. When I used a test strip last month before adding it jived with control panel. Now my test strip is saying just under 6000ppm and box just says "hi"...whereas Leslies said 2900. I just don't feel theres ANY way our salt can be this high considering all we've added is 2 bags. We have 28,000 gallons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Clown Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Your unit says the salt is high, your test strip (even though i don't trust them) says that it's high, how does Leslie's check your water for salinity? You need to get an accurate salt reading, one you know is right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
confusedpoolchick Posted June 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Your unit says the salt is high, your test strip (even though i don't trust them) says that it's high, how does Leslie's check your water for salinity? You need to get an accurate salt reading, one you know is right! I know!!!! I thought it was no coincidence that the panel & strip read high. Leslie's stuck some probe thing in it. They said they've never seen it be off by 3000ppm. How else can I test it at home besides a strip? Is there a liquid drop test kit for salinity? (by the way, thanks again!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
confusedpoolchick Posted June 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Your unit says the salt is high, your test strip (even though i don't trust them) says that it's high, how does Leslie's check your water for salinity? You need to get an accurate salt reading, one you know is right! Also, can the salinity be affecting my ability to get the algae cleared up? I've been working on the chemicals for 3 days and still have green pools. Tonight I finally got my alkalinity right on, then added acid to lower my pH (it was above 8). My stabilizer is on the rise (it was very low 3 days ago). I am finally seeing some free chlorine on my readings, it was 2ppm. I have had chlorine tablets in (since salt cell isn't working) for last couple of days. BUT - POOLS ARE GREEEEN still!!! I'm starting to think the salt itself is screwing it all up. But that doesn't seem logical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntx Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 I have a problem with my Aqua rite as well. I get the generating light stay on even after the equipment turns off. Then the next cycle it says low salt check cell. I assume it stays on and then gets a low salt reading. I tried disconnecting the flow switch from the bottom of box and it gives me a light that says no flow. I assume flow switch is good right? I am out of ideas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Clown Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Push the button to the left of the display 5 times. That will display the actual salt reading in the pool. What you see when you walk up to the unit is an average since the last time averaging was cleared. You may indeed have too much salt in the pool. Have you recently put salt in? Thanks for the reply. Did what you said, it like scrolled through a bunch of negative numbers and then just went back to "hi". But what was the number on the fifth push of the button? It will be a negative number. Tried unplugging the cell cord from control panel and back in. After doing this earlier and just now it goes back to green lights by "power" & "generating" (which got me excited) but then after a minute red light by "high salt". Is there a way to reset or re-calibrate the thing? Added 2 - 40lb bags over a month ago because it was a little low and the low salt indicator was on (I can't remember the value). That's all we've put in it. When I used a test strip last month before adding it jived with control panel. Now my test strip is saying just under 6000ppm and box just says "hi"...whereas Leslies said 2900. I just don't feel theres ANY way our salt can be this high considering all we've added is 2 bags. We have 28,000 gallons. The salt could still be too high, even with two bags. Depends where it started at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Clown Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Also, can the salinity be affecting my ability to get the algae cleared up? I've been working on the chemicals for 3 days and still have green pools. Tonight I finally got my alkalinity right on, then added acid to lower my pH (it was above 8). My stabilizer is on the rise (it was very low 3 days ago) We need to see some numbers. "On the rise" and "very low" unfortunately doesn't do much for trying to diagnose this. I am finally seeing some free chlorine on my readings, it was 2ppm. I have had chlorine tablets in (since salt cell isn't working) for last couple of days. BUT - POOLS ARE GREEEEN still!!! I'm starting to think the salt itself is screwing it all up. But that doesn't seem logical. Remember Cl must be off the scale, and run the filter(constantly) till clear, or it will take longer to clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
confusedpoolchick Posted June 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Also, can the salinity be affecting my ability to get the algae cleared up? I've been working on the chemicals for 3 days and still have green pools. Tonight I finally got my alkalinity right on, then added acid to lower my pH (it was above 8). My stabilizer is on the rise (it was very low 3 days ago) We need to see some numbers. "On the rise" and "very low" unfortunately doesn't do much for trying to diagnose this. I am finally seeing some free chlorine on my readings, it was 2ppm. I have had chlorine tablets in (since salt cell isn't working) for last couple of days. BUT - POOLS ARE GREEEEN still!!! I'm starting to think the salt itself is screwing it all up. But that doesn't seem logical. Remember Cl must be off the scale, and run the filter(constantly) till clear, or it will take longer to clear. Current levels: pH= 7.8, Free Chlorine <0.5ppm (last night it was above 2), Alkalinity 110ppm, Cyanuric ~90-100 (using strip for this because I'm out of reagent). They're still green, but not as bad. So I need to add more shock? How much do you recommend? I'm out of salt test strips. But, the guy at Leslie's said they could have been "bad". Or get a new at-home testing method (which one?). I think I should take more water to another pool store for a 2nd opinion on the salinity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
confusedpoolchick Posted June 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Push the button to the left of the display 5 times. That will display the actual salt reading in the pool. What you see when you walk up to the unit is an average since the last time averaging was cleared. You may indeed have too much salt in the pool. Have you recently put salt in? Thanks for the reply. Did what you said, it like scrolled through a bunch of negative numbers and then just went back to "hi". But what was the number on the fifth push of the button? It will be a negative number. Tried unplugging the cell cord from control panel and back in. After doing this earlier and just now it goes back to green lights by "power" & "generating" (which got me excited) but then after a minute red light by "high salt". Is there a way to reset or re-calibrate the thing? Added 2 - 40lb bags over a month ago because it was a little low and the low salt indicator was on (I can't remember the value). That's all we've put in it. When I used a test strip last month before adding it jived with control panel. Now my test strip is saying just under 6000ppm and box just says "hi"...whereas Leslies said 2900. I just don't feel theres ANY way our salt can be this high considering all we've added is 2 bags. We have 28,000 gallons. The salt could still be too high, even with two bags. Depends where it started at. NUMBER WAS -6100 (I just went and did it again). It stopped there for a second and then went to "0", then "HI". So, it's saying 6100. My test strips were reading right under 6000. So, that being said, if it really is that high, can I avoid draining that much water, and how much would I have to drain. What are my options to lower salinity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OKPoolguy Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 One other option to check is you T-cell setting, hit the diagnostic button until it has a t-number, i.e. t-15. Make sure whatever cell you have on your system is what it has on the box, so if you have a t-15 cell make sure it is set to t-15, to change the setting of it, when it is at the t-number, move the switch (off-auto-super chlorinate switch) from auto to super chlorinate then back to auto. If it was set to a lower cell then what you have it will register the salt as higher than what is in your pool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OKPoolguy Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 ntx, If you flow light doesn't light up when the pump is off, it will continue to generate chlorine and that will lead to the lower salt readings later since it has used up the salt in the cell without the water moving thru it. How is you flow switch plumbed into your system? It should be horizontal (I have actually seen some put in vertically with the flow going down which is wrong) but you may have to check you switch in the pipe, it will unscrew out and you can check to make sure nothing is jammed in it to make it stay on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Clown Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Remember Cl must remain off the scale, and run the filter(constantly) till clear, or it will take longer to clear. If the Cl drops off before its clear, you have to start over. I use liquid Cl. Shock is more expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Clown Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 So, if it really is that high, can I avoid draining that much water, and how much would I have to drain. What are my options to lower salinity? No, if correct, you have twice the salt in the pool. Either you got a bad salt reading (false low) before you put the salt in, or you are getting a bad reading now (false high). If it is 6000, that would mean draining half the pool. Again, we need an accurate salt reading. When people only have a Leslie's for salt checking, i suggest getting a salt meter for themselves, they are about 100 dollars (you could very well spend that trying to clear this pool), Goldline offers a good unit for checking salt. VERY easy to use. Turn it on, put it in the water, and read the salt level! Are you a pool owner? or do you take care of pools? If you take care of pools, you should definitely get one of these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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