Balboa Instruments Eco-matic ESC 16 User's Manual & Installation Instructions - 714.384.0382
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714.384.0382
Maintenance of the Water
You should always be sure that your pool water is ‘in balance’. The person who maintains the pool should already be
checking and adjusting the water for the following. If you need verification of any of the following, take a water sample to your
local pool shop for testing (or send to your Eco-MATIC Dealer for testing).
Adding ‘chemicals’ To Your Pool
Your Eco-MATIC will eliminate the need for you to add ‘pool chlorine’, algaecides and ‘shock’ chemicals to the water. Many
pool owners and pool service people are in the habit of ‘shocking’ their pool water periodically, but this is no longer necessary
with Eco-MATIC and we advise against adding such chemicals (including copper-based algaecides, non-chlorine shock, etc). If
the need to add ‘pool chlorine’ should ever arise, you can do so without risk of harming your Eco-MATIC equipment.
In the event that your sanitizer level has fallen too low, or that you feel a need to ‘shock’ the pool, simply let your Eco-MATIC
operate at
MAX output for an extended time (say for 24 hours).
Conditioner/Stabilizer
It is important to maintain 50 - 80 ppm of conditioner (cyanuric acid) in the pool water, in order to prevent the sunlight from
destroying the sanitizer (especially important in hot, sunny areas). If the conditioner level is too low, “good-bye sanitizer” – you
will find it difficult to maintain a good residual of sanitizer in the water – and your Eco-MATIC will need to work twice as hard as
it would if the conditioner level was correct.
pH Level
Pool water pH should be maintained in the range 7.2 - 7.8. At higher pH levels, the sanitizer loses its effectiveness, allowing
algae growth etc even though your Test Kit may indicate sufficient sanitizer in the water. If you have difficulty maintaining the pH
in the correct range, this is an indication that the Total Alkalinity (TA) is not at the correct level. It is always necessary to bring
the TA within the correct range before pH can be properly maintained.
Total Alkalinity (TA)
(TA) determines the speed and ease of pH change. TA can also greatly effect the frequency of having to clean the Eco-MATIC
‘Cell’. The ideal range for TA is generally 80 - 120 ppm, but really depends upon the Total Hardness (TH) of the water and
should be set at the level which suits the TH of your pool. The harder the water in a pool, the lower the TA should be. Your TA is
correct when the pH becomes stable and easy to maintain.
If the TA is TOO LOW
If the TA is TOO HIGH
pH ‘bounce’
Almost constant acid demand
Stains on plaster walls
Promotes ‘Cell’ scaling
Etching of plaster walls
Corrosion of metal parts
Total Hardness (TH)
The Total Hardness (not just calcium hardness) if too high, can promote rapid scaling of the Eco-MATIC ‘Cell’. TH also
determines the desired level of TA.
General Rule: If the pool water TH is greater than 500 ppm and is at least 300 ppm above the TH of the fill water
(tap water) - then dump the water and re-fill the pool.
Warning: Be aware that pools in high water-table areas should not be emptied without first consulting your
pool builder or pool service.
Note: All water balance parameters (Hardness, conditioner/stabilizer, pH, TA) should be maintained within the normal
recommended ranges.