Freshwater meter at 7 o’clock on the dial

[Footrace1]

We got a new Vanguard earlier this year and it’s been a constant struggle to produce chlorine unless we have the system set at 8-9 or with the boost on. My dealer blames heavy use but I was skeptical. So after 5 months of this I finally broke down and got some ahh some, purged it, cleaned it and refilled it. After the start up it works like a dream.

Now it’s producing free chlorine around 5 ppm with the freshwater setting at 5-6, which is great. However the meter on the salt system graphic is showing at 7 o clock on the dial vs 12:00 high. Do I need to worry about this? The salt sticks they gave me are showing appropriate levels of salt leaning toward the heavy side of ok.

I had just put a new cartridge in about a week before the ahhsome purge. 

[Sammi]

Sounds like you had the same struggles as me after initial start up. While I didn't purge with ahhsome, just a cup of chlorine granules before my first water change I've experienced much much better performance with my salt system in fact my current stick has 5 months on it now and still working great.

As long as your system says OK you are good to go. Upon my first refill mine started out in the 7'oclock position and gradually over 3 months it climbed to about 4 o'clock. I asked my dealer why it was climbing and he said I must be adding salt. I told him I had not so he said my stick (cartridge) must be getting ready to go out. I asked if it's perhaps every chemical that is added has a salt base to it (sodium bisulfate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodium dichloro) and he said no - the chemicals won't make my salt level rise. Now I'm no chemist but I can only assume anything made up of a sodium compound over time would increase the salinity of the water.

I decided after 4 months to again drain my spa. I added 4 cups of the salt that came with it and my dial is once again back to around 7-8 o'clock and my stick is still working great and my salt read outs are just fine when my dealer tests my water.

We used our spa heavily during the winter months but I'm thinking I won't need to change water again now until at least November as we aren't using the spa with it being in the high 90's outside. I did drain part way last week and re-filled with cold water to bring the temp down to about 85. Worked great as a cooling spa for about 2 days until the water naturally warmed up due to the sun baking the cover and the 100 degree temps outside.