Forum

Salt Level in PPM

Posted by LCI Pools & Spas, LLC on December 9, 2009 at 4:05pm
I currently have a hotel pool that was completed this year in early spring. The hotel chose to put an Ecolab salt system on the pool and spa. About 1-month ago i went back to look at a leak on the spa heater that the maintnance person alerted me to. It turned out that the heat exchanger had a leak in it so we installed a new heater. This week I went back because now the pool heater had a leak and the now month old spa heater had a leak in it as well.After getting the first spa heater inspected it was said it was either water chemistry or electrolysis. So after arriving to install the two (2) new heat exchangers we tested the water. Chlorine was over 9.0 and the maintenance person said that Ecolab had told them to keep the salt between 4,000- 7,000 ppm.Is this acceptable, we have always tried to keep our salt levels between 3,200 - 3,400.To help the electrolysis situation we also installed Zinc T's in both the pool and spa lines.

You need to be a member of Pool Genius Network™ to add comments!

Join Pool Genius Network™

Email me when people reply –
Follow

Replies

  • LCI Pools & Spas, LLC December 14, 2009 at 12:55pm
    Thank you for your responses, they have been very helpful.
  • Scott Heusser December 11, 2009 at 10:47am
    Chuck, same here. The only exception I'll add is that it isn't the equipment, it is the calibration and use of the equipment.

    Chuck Beavers said:
    it has been my experience in dealing with ecolab that the equip. and the plaster will fail due to their controls. We have one hotel pool where ecolab turned the white plaster black within 1 month. The pump seals fail, the heat exchangers fail,and the hotel looks at us,the builder, saying our product is faulty. Yet when we check the chlorine levels they're off the chart. Stay as far away from ecolab as you can.
  • Chuck Beavers December 11, 2009 at 9:31am
    it has been my experience in dealing with ecolab that the equip. and the plaster will fail due to their controls. We have one hotel pool where ecolab turned the white plaster black within 1 month. The pump seals fail, the heat exchangers fail,and the hotel looks at us,the builder, saying our product is faulty. Yet when we check the chlorine levels they're off the chart. Stay as far away from ecolab as you can.
  • Scott Heusser December 10, 2009 at 9:49am
    I am familiar with the systems Ecolab installs and they require a higher level of salt, about 5000 ppm.

    If Ecolab hasn't locked you out re-calibrate the control to reduce the Cl level.

    ph is important too, be sure the unit is calibrated in that regard.

    Anode, Andoe Anode! Good call.
  • Bruce Hudson December 9, 2009 at 4:59pm
    First you need to get that chlorine level under control. Chlorine above 6ppm. is hazardous to all metals in the system.

    Second, you didn't let us know pH. Total Alkilinity, Calcium Hardness, or Stabilizer levels. Each of these have an effect on the corrosiveness of the water.

    Also, Chlorine levels of 5ppm or higher, will render all other tests useless. High chlorine causes pH to appear higher than it really is, and stabilizer to appear lower. High stabilizer causes TA to appear higher than the true corrosion preventing value.

    Third, is the cell installed before or after the heater? If the pump has a timer, does the chlorinator turn off reliably with the pump?
    Under no circumstances should the chlorinator be allowed to run without the pump.

    Lastly, all SWG are not created equal. American made units typically operate @ 2400-3700 ppm salt while the Australian units require 5000-6500 ppm.
This reply was deleted.

Pool/Spa Articles