Salt water system issue resolved (maybe)

[Footrace1]

So we got Vanguard last month and have not been able to get the salt system to create free chlorine. I was adding 1.5 tsp of granular chlorine daily that was then gone by the morning. My test strips were essentially blank. I even bought a Taylor test kit (but mostly because I can’t read the damn colors for ph). I repeated this process every day for about two weeks.

Last Monday I took my water into my dealer they tested my water and found very high levels (1500-2000 ppb) of phosphates. So I spent a day using the phosphate remover and another day using the water clarifier and ran the pumps for most of Tuesday/Wednesday. I also washed the filters a few times.

Finally on Thursday everything looked clean and clear and it tested zero phosphates. My PH was low, so I added some PH up and got it to around 7.4/7.5. Alkalinity has always been ok in the 70-80 ppm range.

On Thursday morning I added 1.5 tsp of chlorine and set the salt output to an 8. I also added oxidizer shock on Friday morning.

We had some heavy use this weekend (two long soaks on Saturday and Sunday each day, between 2-3 people each time) so I put the boost on Sunday morning. I tested the water today (Monday morning) and there is finally free chlorine, from the salt system for the first time.

Maybe the phosphates were eating up all the chlorine? I am going to keep it at 8 for today (without the boost) and see how it tests in the morning. If numbers look good Tuesday, I’ll start to step down the salt output setting to find the right level.

Just making sure what I described below sounds like it is logical and to let people know that phosphates were my problem (probably).

[Sammi]

I just posted about this in another thread which reminds me I should update my thread where I detailed my issues. Assuming your Vanguard is brand spanking new - I battled my water in my bread new Envoy with salt system from September to January. I was constantly adding chlorine granules and shock. It would disappear in a day or less. I finally drained it and started over. Been pretty much a breeze since. I haven't added straight chlorine granuales since. I did switch from non-chlorine shock to chlorine enhanced shock. It has 48% chlorine granules. I only use 1 lid full - which is about 3 tablespoons once a week.

From what I read and personally experienced residual water sits in the tub stagnant after they test the spa at the factory. Even in these covid times that water sits there for who knows how long that water sits and breeds mold. It doesn't take long. I feel like with that first fill a person is always trying to play catch up.

Running like a quarter to half cup of chlorine through it or some Ahh-some and then draining it and refilling worked to resolve all issues for me thus far. I didnt do the Ahh-some trick but others use it before draining and refilling to clean out gunk.

If you struggle for a couple more weeks with always adding chlorine even after you get the phosphates down I'd recommend starting over. Really not much to it. I even did it in the dead of winter.

[Footrace1]

So draining it does the trick?  Don’t need to run anything through the line?  Makes me wish they super shock these things before they ship.

[Sammi]

I basically had been super shocking it but it worked for me without running anything through the lines other than all the chlorine I had been using. I did run a quarter cup through before draining and let it run for like an hour.

My phosphates were above 1000 so on my refill I added 2-3 ounces of remover and they've been at zero since.

[Spatech_tuo]

So draining it does the trick?  Don’t need to run anything through the line?  Makes me wish they super shock these things before they ship.

That water was certainly chlorinated when the spa built and whatever water was left would have had chlorine residual when it was wrapped up and no matter the level of chlorine, the problem is the weeks and months between then and you filling/firing it up.

You certainly found your problem with the phosphates. I'm not exactly chemist nor can I speak about chlorine generators (for spas or pools) and while I know phosphates have to be dealt with when high I always do a search to refresh myself and doing so you can find some simple explanations of the reason for the issue:

Chlorine Generator (Salt Pools)
Phosphates and calcium bond to make calcium phosphate, which causes ineffectiveness of the generator. By removing the phosphates and maintaining proper calcium hardness levels, you can keep the cell running at optimum performance.

Do phosphates affect chlorine?
Phosphates are food for algae. ... High phosphate loads, when left untreated, will generally result in higher chlorine demand and can even lead to algae blooms in your pool. A higher chlorine demand can tax, or even overwhelm, the production capacity of a chlorine generator.

[Footrace1]

Update: it is now Wednesday morning and it still has the appropriate level of residual chlorine. Heavier than usual use yesterday and it still held overnight. I keep expecting to put the test strip in and see it stay white. So happy to see that purple color today.