Automatic Chlorinator

Hello all, new pool owner here. Could I please have some comments on inline automatic chlorinators? A neighbor, who also just made a purchase, has the same problem. Even when you load them with slo-poke tabs, the chlorine level never rises. (putting one in the skimmer works, but is too much for the small 18' pool). I have the chlorinator cranked up all the way. I opened it up and see that the tabs have barely dissolved.

Has anyone else had similar problems? Also, how long should the tabs last until they are fully dissolved. I just want to know what happens when everything is working correctly.

Many thanks!

I have the Hayward Cl200 and it works fine, when I use it. Generally speaking, a 3" puck will last a few days when the pump is left running non stop. I will put 3 or 4 in it when I'm going out of town, set the knob on 2 and it is good for 4 or 5 days. Now here's the problem with an inline chlorinator and tri-chlor pucks.
1. They lower PH. tri-chlor has a PH around 2 so continued use WILL lower PH
2. They add CYA. I think Richard (chem geek) recently calculated that just one, 3" tri-chlor puck will add over 3 ppm of CYA to 10,000 gallons of pool water. Once CYA gets too high, the chlorine is less effective so you need to keep keep higher FC (free chlorine) levels. Also, the only practical way to lower CYA is to drain part of your water.
3. Even with an inline chlorinator (off line are generally worthless in my opinion) it is hard to control exactly how much chlorine you are adding. It basicly becomes a crap shoot based on trial and error. Once you think you've got it "dialed in", it always seems you end up with too much or not enough chlorine.

Most of us here on the forum have discovered that plain, unscented bleach is the best way to chlorinate our pools. That is how I chlorinate 99% of the time and it has worked great for several years now without even one outbreak of algae. Nada, not one. Now this isn't just because I use bleach but a combination of understanding pool chemistry and regular testing with an accurate test kit. I have to thank Ben and the other folks here on the forum for this. Welcome to the forum and please look around and check out these links:
http://www.poolsolutions.com/tips/10things.html
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=1652
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=1113
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=365
And here is a GREAT little tool one of our senior members came up with :http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=4735

Dave

I have an inline chlorinator. I actually found that it was working too fast; so I've dialed it down to the lowest setting. I also only fill it half-way. This lasts about 9 to 14 days depending on environmental factors... ( sun, uv, if the cover was off all day, rain, air temperature, water temperature, amount of debris contamenants...etc)
I have aprox 140000L ( I think that's around 37K gallons..?) pool.

Generally I think that you have to get all your levels correct & good base amount of CYA as well & then it should work as expected....
But I'm still a newbie to infround pools, so that's just my opinion :-)

Just to add.
It is not a good ideal to put pucks in the skimmer basket due to low ph. It may harm pumps and such down stream of the basket.
I would give thought to just using plain bleach as mentioned. If you do use just the plain bleach pour in fron of the return not in the skimmer. You have a puck feeder and the diffrent chlorene sources dont play well with each other.
Steve
Welcome to the forum.

It's also possible that you just have a higher chlorine demand in your pool right now that is consuming the chlorine as fast as the pucks dissolve. Try shocking your pool using plain, unscented bleach, and then see if the pucks keep up better.

As noted above, keep an eye on your pH and CYA levels-you don't want them to get out of hand.


Janet

Thanks for the replies.

However, the problem is that the pucks are UNDISSOLVED in the automatic feeder. It appears that there is no "flow" from the chlorinator into water return line. The dial is set to maximum, but the CL levels never rise.

I guess these automatic chlorinators work, but I just haven't figured it out.

Ah, I get it. What model do you have? There are a few that are notorious for having valve problems.

In my inline chlorinator, it takes about 10 days for 6 tabs to fully dissolve, with mine set only halfway to the 1. I keep it very, very low because it's used to raise my CYA in a controlled manner.

Janet

Hmm,
I'm a newbie so this is a consumer diagnosis...

Is the pump running?
is there water in the chlorinator...?
does the water exit the chlorinator...?
if you put a puck in the pool skimmer basket, does it disolve...?

assuming the pool is chemically balanced, then either chlorinator isn't getting water flow or smething is "wrong" with the pucks

just my opinion, I'm sure you could get a real diagnosis from someone with stature....

Lexplayer
Some inline chlorinators have a checkvalve in the bottom of them. These checkvalves will plug up with the residue from the pucks. The chlorinator has to be removed and the check valve replaced. Most inline chlorinators have a pin that hold it in place and them it screws off. Hope this helps.