We suggest you start your salt chlorine generator at 50 percent output and run it for a couple of days, then check the chlorine level. In a balanced pool, a good chlorine level is 1-3 parts per million. If your chlorine levels are low, you can raise the percentage, and if it's high you can lower the percentage.
If you're using the Water TechniX Salt water chlorinator then you should try to aim for a salt level of around 3,000 to 4,000 ppm.
When first setting your chlorination rate, start on a lower setting for the first two or three days. Then test your water and increase your chlorination until your free chlorine levels reach between 1 and 3 ppm. Make sure your water chemistry is balanced, including your pH and Alkalinity levels.
On average, most pools will need the saltwater generator to be on 8-12 hours per day. This will produce adequate levels of chlorine to properly sanitize the pool's water.
The ideal salt level is between 2700-3400 ppm (parts per million) with 3200 ppm being optimal. Before adding salt to your pool, test the water to check your salt level. If the level is low, determine the number of gallons in the pool and add salt according to the chart below.
Try to maintain a consistent salt level of between 2,700 parts per million (ppm) and 3,400 ppm, with 3,200 ppm being ideal. Clean the chlorinator cell at least once a season or as needed. During lightning storms, turn off the chlorinator to reduce the risk of power surges that could damage the control board.
The saltwater chlorinator needs a sufficient flow of water for effective operation. A dirty skimmer basket, clogged or dirty filter, and a clogged pump strainer, can cause insufficient water flow for the chlorinator to produce less chlorine.
The average pool system needs to run anywhere between 4-10 hours so you will have to gauge it yourself though testing over time.
It is easy to tell if you need more chlorine pucks in your skimmer basket. Since they dissolve, once they have disappeared just add more. Chlorine pucks also allow you to manually control how much chlorine is in your pool's water. It is usually 1 chlorine puck for every 5,000 gallons of water.
We suggest you start your salt chlorine generator at 50 percent output and run it for a couple of days, then check the chlorine level. In a balanced pool, a good chlorine level is 1-3 parts per million. If your chlorine levels are low, you can raise the percentage, and if it's high you can lower the percentage.
For safe swimming conditions, the ideal salt level is going to be between 2500 ppm and 4000 ppm. An overly salted pool will generally not be a major problem (aside from salty-tasting water), but at levels over 6000 ppm there may be corrosion damage to some of the metallic equipment.
The size of your pool, the efficiency of your pump and filter, and how dirty your pool is are just some of the factors you need to consider. Nevertheless, most pool cleaning professionals would advise against running a pool pump for more than 8 hours a day.
It may be cheaper to run the pump at night, but honestly you should run it 1 hour a day per 10 degrees of temperature at least, and it should be during the day. Running the pump at night should only be when you are doing a major chemical treatment such as algae clean-up.
The easiest way to ascertain if the chlorinator is working is to make sure the cell is clean by checking the needle or production lights. Ensure there is enough salt in the pool. On the chlorinator box there should be a light or dial that indicates it is working.
The main problem that pool owners encounter is leaking because of a worn O-ring in the lid. The unit can clog with scale, but it won't if you regularly clean it. Clogs can also occur in the control valve when you vacuum the pool, and airlocks can develop inside the cartridge.
Reasons it could be high:
Your Chlorinator is turned up too high. Your TOTAL chlorine level is high (and your FREE chlorine is low) but ineffective due to a “chlorine lock”, which happens when too much Cyanuric Acid is added to the pool.
Generally it's better to have the level on the high side than low, so 3800 should be fine.
The only way to lower the salt concentration of your swimming pool's water is to dilute it. Unfortunately, this means you will need to partially drain your pool and refill it with fresh water. This is true because salt doesn't wear out, break down or evaporate; only your water will evaporate.
Bottom line, the filter must be backwashed on a regular basis to ensure that your pool water is clear. "When do we need to backwash?" - It is recommended to backwash your filter once every 4-6 weeks of regular use.
To prevent potentially dangerous electrical issues, it's imperative that you turn off the power to your pool equipment — such as pumps, motors, filters, heaters, chlorinators, and lighting fixtures. Even if you turn off the power to your pool equipment, it can still be damaged by wind, rain, and debris.
Chemicals that you add to your pool while the water is circulating don't need to be recirculated; they will stay mixed even if you don't pump the water continually. Although it's generally recommended that all the pool water undergo filtration every 24 hours, the pump does not need to run all the time.