Automatic chlorinator installation

I just bought a cheap automatic chlorinator off the internet to install on my pool. I find that I do not have enough time to be adding chemicals, so I bought this to install. My pool setup is as simple as it gets: Suction side comes in and goes into pump. Water gets pushed out of pump and into Sta-Rite sand filter. The filtrated water comes out of the filter and goes back underground to the returns. I don't have any fancy shut-off valves, diverters, or heater. It's just straight in and out plumbing. The lines were done in flexible PVC.

Well here comes my question... I want to install the chlorinator on the line that comes out of the filter, and goes underground to the returns. I have read elsewhere that these inline chlorinators restrict flow and create backpressure. Just wondering if anybody else experienced this.

Just for the record, the filter is almost like the Hayward CL200/220, except this one has 1-1/2" threaded inlet and outlet fittings. IIRC, the model is MDI300 or something.

Any info is appreciated.

Anybody able to help with this post?

I'll help if someone will tell me what "IIRC" means (I keep seeing this and, while I'm sure it will be obvious once it's spelled out, I have no clue at this time)

This sounds like it's 'in-line' (like the CL200 - the CL220 has little hoses to feed it and put the chlorinated water into the return stream). I wouldn't sweat the back pressure from it - most of the water bypasses the chlorinator, though there is some restriction in the pipe. Use unions to connect it!!!! Please don't just throw a couple of male adapters into the unit - use the outer threads for the unions (for the CL200 the proper unions are the SP1500-UN-Pak).

If you're at the max for what your system will stand for back pressure, you can use 2 tees, 2 90*s and 2 unions to install the feeder parallel to the return pipe, you won't get as much flow through the unit, but you can compensate by turning up the feed dial on it.

Hehe...gotta love those TLAs (three-letter-acronyms) or in this case FLAs. IIRC is "If I Recall Correctly".

Not to sound snarky, but if you own a pool then you have to make time to maintain it.

A few minutes a day is all it takes to test the water. An auto chlorinator only addresses chlorine. There are other things to consider.

I had one on the pool that came with a house. The tabs didn't last long and I'd forget to check them and boom, greenland.

If I did remember to check, the gas from the chlorinator was extremely harsh to the breathing passages.

My advice is to forget about it. Use a floater and not one that looks like a duck and check the water.

HTH :)

Hello Byron366, welcome and let me see if I can help. I was in your situation five years ago with our in-ground pool. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing simpler or more economical that the BBB method of maintaining my pool water chemistry. But after two seasons I was really getting tired of feeding my pool 6% bleach from Walmart two to three times per day. It was really taking away from my other fun. So I did some research and found a company called Chem-Tech (I believe they are now called Nova-Tech) on the Web. I purchased one of their XP Series Peristaltic Pumps, along with their 15 gal. chemical holding tank. I believe at the time I spend approximately $450 for the whole thing. (Pump, lines and tank). It’s been the best pool investment I have ever made. I fill the tank with 15 gal. of 12.5% bleach and dial in the dosage and I never have to manually add bleach to the pool. It’s not a fancy sophisticated self checking/monitoring system, so I still have to check the water chemistry, but once I get the dosage dialed in I only have to check the water chemistry every two or three days and adjust accordingly for sun exposure and bather loads. It has made all the difference in the world. I don’t feel like a babysitter to my pool anymore. The injection line from the pump is a ¼” plastic tube that fits into a compression fitting on the injector. The injector gets screwed into a threaded hole in the 2” PVC return line to the pool. This connection point occurs after the heater and all other devices/pumps. I didn’t read in your post where you mentioned the make/model of the automatic chlorinator you purchased, but the injector on my unit is no bigger that ¼” in diameter and only protrudes ½” to ¾” into the 2” PVC return pipe. I have never notice any changes in pressure. Honestly I can’t see how the injector would cause any back pressure or restriction. I have no experience working with flexible PVC other than flexible outdoor conduit, so I can’t speak to the best method of attaching your chlorinator injector or its attachment method. But I don’t believe I would try and drill and tap a hole in the stuff. I’m wondering if a guy could go from flexible PVC to rigid SCH 40 PVC and then back to flexible and drill and tap the necessary hole in the rigid SCH 40 PVC. One thing you want to keep in mind, in my installation the injector HAS to be in the flow of water. You’ll want to check the installation instructions with your chlorinator injection pump. I hope this is helpful. Good luck and if you need more information this forum is a great resource.

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Originally Posted by Sprint54

But after two seasons I was really getting tired of feeding my pool 6% bleach from Walmart two to three times per day.

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Just a comment here. Unless someone has no CYA in their water, nobody should have to be adding bleach 2 or 3 times per day. I add a little every evening or two. Sprint --- not to say your set-up doesn't sound interesting, but just wanted to clarify this. Some of our recently joined members who are new to pool ownership might read your post and become concerned thinking about 3x a day maintenance and that isn't the case. Thanks for posting and good to see you back on the forum this season!

Watermom, the BBB method of maintaining pool water chemistry is simple, affordable and straight forward. I would never consider anything else and I continue to use the BBB method and would share positive experiences with others if asked. Ours is a 26K+ gallon gunnite pool with no cover, other than a solar cover that sits on the water surface, located in a dry hot desert climate that gets 12+ hours of direct sunlight per day. At the time I maintained the CYA between 25 and 35. I would check the FC (Free Chlorine) in the morning and it would be at 2 PPM. I would add 1gal. of Bleach. Come home after 4PM and it’s down to 1 PPM. Add another 1.5 gal with the filter running. On the weekends I could manage it better and would add additional Bleach at more frequent intervals during the day. I could never keep the FC at a consistent level during the day. Maybe in a different climate and certainly with a motorized cover, I may have been able to maintain a consistent level. As a result of adding a chemical feeder I have a pool with a FC level that stays consistently between 3 and 4 PPM with a lower CYA level at 20. Love the forum and always willing to share my experiences and what I’ve learned.

Cheers,

Sprint54:
I've long been interested in injector systems of LC, but if you are injecting that much that regularly then, as Watermom says, you are probably doing something that can be improved. If I were in your position I would take the approach that our mod aylad takes living in Louisiana, where she faced the same problem. But instead of spending $450 on a peristaltic pump system, aylad instead raised her CYA/Stabilizer level to 70-80ppm and then just keeps a higher residual level of Free Chlorine in her pool, always between 5 and 10ppm of FC. That way she's only add chlorine every 2-3 days and uses FAR less over the season.

We've long maintained that it's possible, easy and, under such circumstances even DESIRABLE to maintain a high CYA pool.

I even follow a modified plan here in North Central New Jersey. The first part of the summer I keep CYA at around 30ppm, then for the last half raise it to 50ppm. That way by simply running a higher residual level in late July and August, I don't find my FC dropping.

CYA is not your enemy. It's a tool that, optimally used, can save you much grief and chlorine.

Living in one of the sun states, as you do, I would personally never consider trying to maintain a pool with a CYA of 20. You'll just use too much chlorine, too often, as you have found.

That being said, I would LOVE to have a peristaltic system and, as I said, have looked into it. But I cannot justify the cost.

Carl

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Originally Posted by Sprint54

, located in a dry hot desert climate that gets 12+ hours of direct sunlight per day. At the time I maintained the CYA between 25 and 35. ,

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My question is why? In those condition your CYA should be no lower than 50 ppm if not higher. No wonder you had to add chlorine so often. You did not have your water properly balanced for your climatic conditions.