A friend of mine has a Aqua Trol SWG for over a year now and loves it. Before I make the jump to go purchase one, has anyone else had any experience with this product, good or bad? Any input would be greatly appreciated. I'm shelling out a lot of money on chlorine, etc. and I'm looking for a cost effective alternative.

Thanks for any advice,

Craig

There is a BIG debate in the other thread titled "Does anyone not like their SWG" that talks about costs/maintence/what is realistic to expect. An inground swg can cost anywhere between $1000-$1500 so i am not sure what the Aqua trol costs. Based on conservative estimates, including amortizing the cost of an swg over 5 years (lifespan average), electricity etc etc, you can expect to pay $21 (maybe slightly less in your case) a month to operate an SWG... that compared to $12-$15 per month it takes to bleach. Now this all depends on your own pool (size, how much sun it see's, bather load, the list goes on)

The bottom line is that it does cost slightly more per month to run an SWG, mainly due to initial costs and cell replacement after 3-5 years which can be $300-$400. Most people buy them for convenience... and a few other side benefits.

The AquaTrol SWG can be had for $500, so costs will be lower than those estimates. It is still likely to cost more than bleach in the long run. I haven't heard anything good or bad about that particular brand.

The AqauTrol is made by Goldine Controls (Hayward). They are, IMHO, one of the better SWG brands on the market. The Aquatrol is the only inline SWG made especially for above ground pools and comes in 4 different configurations. Two different cell styles (inline and return mounted) and two different plug configurations (twist lock and straight). It is very simple to install and plugs into the pump electrical outlet and the pump plugs into it.

I appreciate the input. I'm weighing the options. This is my first season with the BBB method and I've been happy so far. Cost is obviously the biggest factor right now. Especially with a 2 yr old and a 6 month old on one income. Looks like the SWG has a huge convenience factor. I can get one gallon jugs of bleach at the local grocery store for a buck a bottle (full 1 gal jugs, not 3 qts) which isn't breaking the bank. I'll give this more thought for maybe next season.

Thanks!!!