Question to the veteran pool owners regarding Salt Cell

[1900]

When I bought this property, the salt cell was supposedly working properly, pool looked beautiful. I had a pool guy come out and give me a basic run down on what I needed to do to maintain the pool and he said that the salt cell was out and it'd be XXX.XXX amount of dollars ( I don't remember the amount ). He suggested to just use chlorine and not use the SWG because it's a gunite pool and it the SWG costly to replace. So that's what I've been doing ( haven't replaced the SWG ).

So my question to you veteran pool owners is this: Should I replace the Aqua Rite salt cell? From what I've been told and have read, it's not a good idea to use a SWG with a gunite pool, is this true?

 

[tim5055]

No, that is not true. A SWCG will work fine with a gunite pool. What have you read that is supposedly the problem?

 

[jblizzle]

I would get the cell tested at a pool store to confirm if it is bad. Do you get any readings from the controller when you turn it on?

 

[1900]

I haven't had it on since then (about 1.5 years ago), and if I remember right it would always say 0 salt, even though there was several bags of salt at the time. That was the first time that I drained the pool. No, it hasn't been taken out and tested at a pool store. I remember reading a few articles stating how corrosive the salt is on the gunite and equipment, and how pool installers were no longer offering warranties on salt water gunite pools. I don't remember the exact article it's been awhile.

If the opinions of veteran TFP owners say otherwise, I may be in the market to test this SWG or replace the cell.

 

[cowboycasey]

there are 2 sides to the story

Saltwater will take life off parts, if your pump was suppose to last 10 years with saltwater it may only last 9.5 years. the funny part it may last 10.5 years... The saltwater levels are mostly between 3000 and 4500 PPM, saltwater from the sea is about 32.000 PPM...

if you have soft stone like Oklahoma flagstone it could cause damage if its not sealed... you have already had a saltwater pool, do you see any damage to anything?

It wont hurt to test the cell, do you have diverter to replace the cell when its not there? if not you would have to shut down all power until you get the cell checked and put the old one back in.. if its dead buy it online, not at the store, it will save you money...

 

[1900]

There is a divert valve. Time spent tending to the pool without the salt cell vs with the salt cell, is it negligible or would it be worth the money to replace it?

 

[tim5055]

There is a divert valve. Time spent tending to the pool without the salt cell vs with the salt cell, is it negligible or would it be worth the money to replace it?

You are now asking the question most folks ask before they buy their first salt system. The numbers I have seen is that salt vs. manually chlorinating via liquid is generally a wash. With salt you pay up front and factor in replacement cells. With liquid you pay as you go.

Salt has a leg up on convenience, but you can duplicate a lot of that with liquid automation, like a Stenner Pump.

 

[pooldv]

Right, to expand a little on what Tim is saying.

It all costs about the same in the end. Your pool needs chlorine everyday. You can buy liquid chlorine/bleach and add it every day. You can buy an SWG and it will make chlorine every day. Or you can use a Stenner pump or Liquidator to add liquid chlorine/bleach automatically every day.

We have lots of people doing all of the above here at TFP. Most are happy with what they have and will say they wouldn't have it any other way.

Like me, I am on my second SWG pool and my next one will be saltwater too.

 

[1900]

Thank you for the responses.