NJPools.club Community

First, take a deep breath! I know this feels stressful, but panicking won't help balance your pool chemistry. As a yoga instructor, I always remind my students to center themselves before tackling problems. I had a similar issue last fall when temps dropped here in NC. The SWG sensor can get finicky below 65°F. Have you tried cleaning the cell with a mild acid solution? Sometimes calcium buildup gives false readings. Also, make sure your test strips aren't expired - I learned that the hard way!

**Tech to the rescue!** 🛠️ Ivy's right about temperature affecting sensors. Most SWGs have temperature compensation, but cheaper models get inaccurate when water drops below 60°F. Here's my diagnostic checklist: 1. **Calibrate your test kit** - Use a known standard solution 2. **Check SWG manual** - Some require 3000-3500ppm for proper operation 3. **Inspect electrodes** - Corrosion = bad readings 4. **Try a digital tester** - Strips have ±500ppm margin of error My guess? Either your SWG needs recalibration or the thermistor is failing. What model do you have?

Oh wow, I'm new to pool maintenance (and meditation!) but this happened to my neighbor last month. She was so anxious about it, but it turned out to be something simple. Her pool guy said fiberglass pools sometimes develop "cold spots" where the sensor sits, making it read colder than the actual water temperature. He suggested running the pump longer to circulate water better before testing. Maybe try testing at different times of day? Also... not to sound silly, but are you sure you're reading the test strip colors correctly? I totally misread mine until I got a color-coded guide!

Lily makes a great point about circulation! While Frank's diving into the technical side (which is super helpful), sometimes the solution is more holistic. **Mindful troubleshooting steps:** 1. Test at the same time daily for consistency 2. Clean both the cell AND the sensor area 3. Consider pool water density changes with temperature 4. Document everything - patterns emerge when you write them down Remember: Your SWG is designed to protect itself. If it thinks salt is low, it won't produce chlorine. You might need to supplement with liquid chlorine temporarily while you sort this out.

Building on both points: **Quick experiment:** 1. Take water sample from **deep end near return jet** (not skimmer) 2. Use **two different test methods** (strip + liquid drops if possible) 3. Compare to SWG reading after 24hrs of continuous pump operation **Pro tip:** Many SWGs have a "salt display" mode that shows calculated vs measured values. Check if yours has this feature! If the calculated value is close to 3200ppm but the measured is way off, you've got a sensor issue. If both are low, it might be calibration or actual salt distribution. What's your pump schedule looking like?

This is all really helpful! I'm learning so much. One more thought from my neighbor's experience - she said her salt test was reading high because she tested right after adding salt, before it fully dissolved and circulated. How recently did you add salt? Maybe wait a couple days with good circulation and test again? Also... sorry if this is obvious, but have you checked the SWG's manual for error codes? My neighbor's had a specific blink pattern for "temperature sensor error" that she didn't notice at first!