Best SWG

[taz101]

I am new and want to install a SWg, 25,000 gal. in ground. What would be the best, most economical and best place to purchase. I know this is a personal preference for people. I am just trying to learn what to stay away from. I know all re-sellers will say theirs is the best.
Thanks
Taz

 

[benavidescj]

I own the Intelliclor IC40 and like it

 

[Strannik]

it's hard to say what's the best because to know you need to have owned quite a few

 

[JasonLion]

There are also many different criteria by which they can be judged. The Intex wins on price, but loses in every other way. The AutoPilot units win on features, but are very expensive. It all depends on what is important to you.

 

[jparr]

I've been using a CircuPool for about a month now, and am happy with it. The unit runs at 60% for 9 hours a day to keep up with my pools daily FC loss of about 3ppm. It did need to be calibrated when first installed, as the salt level was not being reported properly, but no problems since. The price is hard to beat.

 

[ianspector]

When I was designing my pool in France my engineering challenge was for a pool to be autonomous for up to 9 months at a time. A salt water system was an obvious choice and I chose an over-sized Autopilot SC-60. I really am a manufacturer's worst nightmare as I put this thing in 7 years ago and have not touched it since. I have not checked the electrodes and I only cleaned the gauze filter this month to see how low I could get my new Intelliflo pump and still operate the Autopilot flow switch. I did not reduce the power to give me 50%, but just set it at 9% and leave it. this keeps the Cl level at around 5ppm when I am away and I dial it up to 16 when we are in France and swimming and keep the Cl a bit lower. Thus for me it has not been that expensive and has been worry free. I have never had to add acid as my pH stays under 7.8. I have never had any algae in my pool and I can turn up on any day of the year and have gin clear water.

I am thinking about buying a brand new unit as a standby in case it dies on me one of these days. I would do the same in a heartbeat.

Ian

 

[donaldm823]

I have been thrilled with my autopilot SC-60, now on it's 4th season (new Aug 2007). It maintains the FC at 3-5ppm with ease, running 50-60% 10 hr per day for my 30000gal in ground pool. I just checked the amp-hrs and they were 13000, so I expect 50K or another 3-4years before replacing the cell. Have had no repair issues and I would buy this model again. I do bring the control unit and the cell tree in doors when I winterize the pool, so I eliminate winter exposure.

I especially like the cell tree that comes with the unit, so that it automatically controls water flow thru the cell via a bypass line and has its own strainer as well as water flow detector/temperature detector, and salt detector. I dislike the auto temperature control of the cell's setting, since when I run my heater, the cell's setting increases above what I need and does not quickly return to the original setting when the heater cycles off. In concept, the auto temp control would maintain the pool's FC better over the season, but since the cell must be on the heater discharge it creates the cell setting isssue. (there is no setting to temporarily turn off the temperature compensation). Here in PA, a heater is needed for MAy and Sept

 

[Strannik]

you could plumb the cell in parallel to the heater...