UV System.. Is it worth it?

[BerkshirePoolandSpa]

This is my first post do I'll give a little background.

I've been in the pool business for around 7 years now. I work for a resort so it's kind of limited on the equipment side of it. I decided to start a small business for some side work and extra cash. Going very well, a lot of hours but a lot of money.

Anyways... My question is... I've got a client that is looking at installing a UV system on a 25,000 gallon inground pool. Ive already installed new plumbing (what's not underground), a new pump, filter and heat pump. This guy has a ton of money so that's not an issue. Is a UV system worth him installing over any other sanitation system. He wants as little maintenance and use of chlorine as possible. He's even talked about installing a salt system to go with the UV system he wants.

So after all of that rambling lol... Is it worth it for him? I have limited knowledge on UV and there's little information out there.

 

[Richard320]

Is the pool indoors or outdoors?

The salt system is a good idea.

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP

A SWG is highly recommended and very convenient. However, in an outdoor residential pool UV adds no real value. UV is good at breaking down organic waste, but chlorine alone takes care of doing that before the water gets to the UV system, unless there are lots of people swimming, so nothing for the UV to do. If they have huge swim parties multiple days in a row on a regular basis then there is some value to UV.

 

[BerkshirePoolandSpa]

Is the pool indoors or outdoors?

The salt system is a good idea.

Outdoor residential. This guy is "skeeved" out over the thought of a pool. It's for his kid and he just wants it as clean as possible with the lowest amount of chlorine needed.

 

[Richard320]

Is the pool indoors or outdoors?

The salt system is a good idea.

Outdoor residential. This guy is "skeeved" out over the thought of a pool. It's for his kid and he just wants it as clean as possible with the lowest amount of chlorine needed.

There's plenty of UV light outdoors. It won't help.

 

[linen]

Welcome to tfp, BerkshirePoolandSpa

with the lowest amount of chlorine needed.

Then a swg will be a good choice since it can be effective at slightly lower FC levels then other methods of chlorination.

 

[BerkshirePoolandSpa]

Welcome to tfp, BerkshirePoolandSpa

with the lowest amount of chlorine needed.

Then a swg will be a good choice since it can be effective at slightly lower FC levels then other methods of chlorination.

What's slightly lower?

 

[Richard320]

Welcome to tfp, BerkshirePoolandSpa

with the lowest amount of chlorine needed.

Then a swg will be a good choice since it can be effective at slightly lower FC levels then other methods of chlorination.

What's slightly lower?

Compare the charts for salt water generator and non SWG. Note they don't start at the same CYA level. pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock

 

[257WbyMag]

SWCG systems can run effectively with FC levels generally around 3 to 4 ppm below what a regular pool can. See the CYA/chlorine chart here: pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock

 

[linen]

EDIT: R320 and Mag...jinx buy me a coke :-D

Take a look at the chlorine/cya chart. You tend to need to run at a little higher cya level, and if you compare the the non-swg FC levels you will see the swg's is a little lower....for example at 70 ppm cya, 3 verses 5 ppm FC.

 

[Isaac-1]

You should try to get your guy to read the pool school link that is in the top right of ever page here. What most people think of as chlorine in pools is really combined chlorine products "that chlorine smell", think of it like this, if you open a bottle of chlorine bleach and smell it you don't get that "chlorine smell" the reason is you are smelling pure chlorine and not its combined byproducts. Chlorine is NOT bad, combined Chlorine IS BAD, with a properly balanced and managed pool you can have relatively high levels of free chlorine, and not have that nasty Combined Chlorine smell, eyes burning, etc.

Ike

 

[BerkshirePoolandSpa]

That's interesting. In Massachusetts we cant be above 3ppm according to the state regs

 

[jblizzle]

That's interesting. In Massachusetts we cant be above 3ppm according to the state regs

I assume that is only for commercial / public pools, right?

If for private pools, that would certainly make life hard ... as you will realize when you understand the CYA/FC relationship.

 

[linen]

Take a look at this post on the misunderstood chlorine/cya relationship: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-water-chemistry-t628.html#p4365

 

[BerkshirePoolandSpa]

That's interesting. In Massachusetts we cant be above 3ppm according to the state regs

I assume that is only for commercial / public pools, right?

Yea it's a commercial pool.

So the overall view is to steer him towards SWG? With that... What are some of the forum favorites for a 25,000 gallon in ground pool with a liner? Again, money isn't an issue.

 

[linen]

This isn't a commercial pool you building though is it? If it is, there maybe more regulations then we are aware of.

 

[Bama Rambler]

If it's a commercial pool. You have to know the regs in your location. Some localities don't allow any CYA and some regulate the amount of FC too.

If you're not allowed to have more than 3 ppm FC and you can't have CYA you're going to have to get a really oversized SWG in order to maintain the FC in an outdoor pool. You're also going to have to pick your runtime carefully so that you don't overshoot the 3 ppm FC overnight or on cloudy days.

 

[BerkshirePoolandSpa]

Sorry I jumbled 2 answers in 1 post.

The place I work is commercial (a resort). That's where I need to maintain 3ppm.

The guy that wants the uv system is residential.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Since it's residential, I'd go with the SWG alone and use the levels recommended here.

 

[BerkshirePoolandSpa]

Since it's residential, I'd go with the SWG alone and use the levels recommended here.

Any SWG recommended more than others? 25,000 in ground pool. Sand filter and heat pump installed