ITS STILL CHLORINE,
BUT AN EASIER & MUCH SMARTER WAY OF DOSING

Salt Chlorinators, or if you like, chlorine generators, are an alternative means of sanitising your pool with chlorine using the process of electrolysis.

The electrolysis process is achieved by passing the salt water solution through an electrolytic cell which converts salt (sodium chloride) in the water into (100% pure) chlorine gas which, when dissolved in water becomes sodium hypochlorite (liquid chlorine). So you are in fact producing your own chlorine to sanitise the pool.

As chlorine is produced through the process of electrolysis, calcium deposits on the surface of the electrodes. Unattended, calcium will quickly build up to the point where it bridges the gap between positive and negative electrodes. If this happens, irreparable damage will be caused to the electrodes (generally the most expensive part of a salt chlorinator).

Consequently, its extremely important that the electrodes be cleaned every few weeks. With manually cleaned units, this involves removing the electrodes, preparing a light solution of pool acid, and bathing the electrodes until they are visibly clean. In practice very few pool owners are vigilant enough regarding this maintenance, sooner or latter letting the cell go for months without checking or cleaning.

More advanced self-cleaning units boast sophisticated circuitry that periodically reverses the polarity of the electrodes (i.e. anode becoming cathode and visa versa). This almost eliminates calcium build-up, making the cleaning process described above redundant. Unless you plan to be fastidious in your checking and cleaning of the cell, self cleaning chlorinators are highly recommended. You end up working much less and are likely to enjoy extra years of trouble free (and economic) service from your chlorinator.

Main Control Example : Clearwater's C Series

CONTROLS

Some units come with time clocks and in-built facilities for pool lights, and other more sophisticated options. Control options that most pool owners find extremely helpful include:

• Auto-Super chlorination - Highly Recommended - which automatically boots the level of chlorine in the pool (for example, once a week) - required to break down organic compounds that build up in the pool water.
• Chlorine Output Control - All pools experience periods of heavy use (e.g. summer weekends) so the ability to quickly boost chlorine output is very helpful.
• Add Salt Indicators - salt is gradually lost from the pool water - and the chlorinator will only function properly while there is adequate salt.
• Automatic timer controls - will ideally allow you to set a 7 day cycle.
• Battery back-up - should there be a power failure, this will retain timer and output settings - important if you plan to be away for periods of time.

SELECTING A SUITABLE UNIT

A number of factors will effect the selection of a salt chlorinator.

• Size of the pool or spa - larger pools need larger chlorinators.
• Bathing load - heavy loads consume more chlorine.
• Size of the filtration system - poor water flow will require longer running time.
• Summer water temperature - high temperature and strong sunlight cause faster loss of available chlorine.

OTHER CHEMICAL REQUIREMENTS

The requirements for chemical balance are the same for electrolytic chlorination, as for traditionally chlorinated pools. Total Alkalinity, pH, Calcium Hardness and chlorine levels should be checked regularly. Chlorine stabiliser (isocyanuric acid) should be added to the pool and maintained at approx 30-50ppm, to reduce chlorine loss due to UV rays.

Warning: When using salt chlorinators with gas or electric heaters and heat pumps, care should be taken to ensure the production of chlorine is adjusted to suit either the spa or pool, as the heaters internal components can be damaged by excessive salt and/or chlorine levels. This is particularly important when operating for extended periods during heat-up.