How to successfully select & operate a Salt Water Chlorine Generator system for pools

[PoolDoc]

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How to successfully select & operate a Salt Water Chlorine Generator system for pools

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+ Make sure your pool is compatible. Go down the checklist; you must answer "No!" to EVERY question:

• Do you have a heat pump* or gas pool heater*?
• Do you have metal coping?
• Do you have an ABOVE-GROUND pool with metal rails or sides?
• Do you expect your salt cell to last 3 years or longer?
• Do you think your SWCG means you no longer have to worry about pool chemistry?
• Do you think your SWCG means, 'No chlorine!'?
• Does your pool have high calcium?

* Unless your heater is SPECIFICALLY listed as "salt compatible" it is NOT salt compatible!

+ Oversize your unit. Too big . . . is probably just right; you can always turn them down! Units that are too small will die prematurely.

+ Get either the Hayward Goldline AQR15 or the Autopilot DIG-52. Others units should be avoided, especially the Pentair Intellichlor and ANY units made in China.

+ Watch out for copper/silver systems, like "Permasalt" that are NOT salt systems!

+ Maintain a CYA level of 70 - 90 ppm.

+ Run your pump long enough.
When your pump is off so is the SWCG. If you get a BIG SWCG, you may be able to run for 6 hours, but many SWCGs must circulate for at least 12 hours.

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[JimK]

You’ve been busy today!

I think you meant the opposite on the line about buying a new cell every two years. To answer “No” to that goes against your point, I think.

Btw, my last cell lasted 7 years.

[PoolDoc]

Thanks for the proof-reading!

7 years is amazing . . . and apparently, very atypical.

My own experience is with Intellichlor, and they are awful. Also, I know the local wholesaler sells a TON of new AquaRite cells every spring.

Still, I wonder if you just got lucky, or if that life is typical IF you do everything right?

[JimK]

There’s certainly a number of SWCG users on TFP reporting getting 5+ years from their cells. The key seems to be proper pool chemistry (ie prevent scaling on cell, proper CYA level), proper sizing (rated at least 2x pool size), and only using it to maintain proper FC level.

I don’t have any experience with SWCGs other than my Aqua Rite, but reading the forums it seems Hayward and AutoPilot are the more reliable units (as you indicated).

It’s likely true to say my experience isn’t typical since the typical pool owner probably doesn’t use the pool care techniques taught here and just goes by what their pool store tells them.

I’ve shared this site and TFP with some other pool owners, but they think, and the pool store tells them, that we’re just a bunch of Internet nuts who don’t know what we’re talking about.

[PoolDoc]

I’ve shared this site and TFP with some other pool owners, but they think, and the pool store tells them, that we’re just a bunch of Internet nuts who don’t know what we’re talking about.

Marketing and assumption beats rational thought almost every day of the week!

Regarding long life for SWCG units, I've been by product support techs at two SWCG makers, that SWCG cell life is a pure function of "on-time". So a SWCG that is 2x the recommended size will normally last 2x as long. Also I've been told using the 'boost' or 'shock' function results in accelerated cell death. And, I've been told that operating the units near the minimum water temp ALSO damages the cells.

[JimK]

Marketing and assumption beats rational thought almost every day of the week!

Regarding long life for SWCG units, I've been by product support techs at two SWCG makers, that SWCG cell life is a pure function of "on-time". So a SWCG that is 2x the recommended size will normally last 2x as long. Also I've been told using the 'boost' or 'shock' function results in accelerated cell death. And, I've been told that operating the units near the minimum water temp ALSO damages the cells.

So true!

Yep, that’s my understanding of cell life as well. Of course none of this is mentioned to customers who buy these units. They’re just told it will fix all their pool care issues and save them tons of money.

[wishIcould]

I have a k 38k gallon pool and i think it's time to replace my jandy nature2 (we don't use the metals side) with a new salt system. You say to double the size so what could I use? Seems every year we have issues. sadly we have little electrical knowledge. On open it said 172, 185,186 and we cleaned the salt cell and it said it again. So we cleaned the nodes and now it says 170 and it won't change.

This plus our jandy heater says upper hi limit... electrical is not our thing but I know replacing the salt system I could possibly budget for, just can't fix both in same year.

Thanks for all your knowledge.

[PoolDoc]

None of the salt systems seem to last as long as they originally promised a decade ago, and the salt corrosion problems are worse than they claimed, but . . .

I do not have comprehensive comparative knowledge of salt systems, but from the information I do save the Hayward AquaRite units seem to do better than most and are widely distributed making parts and service more available than for many other brands.

Good luck!

[wishIcould]

thank you as always. I will look into replacing with Hayward... I know the Hayward lights are doing better than Jandy/Zodiac did at least.

[wishIcould]

Seems they don't make the aquarite for a larger pool, only up to 40k gallons and our pool is like 37-38k.... I was told pentair intellichlor by someone but, it requires an extremely high amount of salt which makes me worry that it will cause other issues.... any other ideas? Thanks.