Does anyone have anything bad to say about saltwater pools?????
- Thread starter Dougk30
- Start date
- May 23, 2015
- 25,755
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Typical SWG cells operate at a nominal voltage of 30VDC and draw about 6 to 7 amps. So the typical cell only uses about 180 to 210W.
Phil,
If you truly run your pump 20 hours a day, then I highly suggest that you get a Variable Speed pump... At 1,200 RPM my pump consumes only 172 Watts. My pool electrical costs are about $20 bucks a month, and I run my pump 24/7.
Jim R.
- May 23, 2015
- 25,755
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
+1 to the VSP!! I ran my pump a total of 5hrs/day at about 200W output during the height of the swim season. So about 1kW-hr per day or ~$0.14/day to run my pool pump and another 1 kW-hr or so to run the chlorinator. Rough estimate is $0.30/day to filter and chlorinate my pool.
Actually both of you are being like me! My next cell will be the IC100.
I saw no change in my electric bill before and after the pool.
Not true with me. I've add acid 3 times for the whole summer, and twice was within the first month after install (so getting things balanced). After that needed only once more (minimal) the whole summer (April-October).
+++1 to VSP. Love mine. Run 24/7 during peak of summer. Very inexpensive.
OK folks calm down.
We have a poster (Philo) from San Diego CA (SDG&E known for some of the highest electric rates in the country) concerned that his costs will be high with a SWCG. And he is right. He needs to get a high volume cell and a VS pump. Remember California prohibits single speed pumps on new pools and most utilities give rebates for VS pumps.
Other areas of the country have drastically lower electric rates. This summer Texas had free power some nights for some customers.
Because rates vary so much across the country, its difficult to make generalizations and for some it may not make economic sense or is just a break even.
We have a poster (Philo) from San Diego CA (SDG&E known for some of the highest electric rates in the country) concerned that his costs will be high with a SWCG. And he is right. He needs to get a high volume cell and a VS pump. Remember California prohibits single speed pumps on new pools and most utilities give rebates for VS pumps.
Other areas of the country have drastically lower electric rates. This summer Texas had free power some nights for some customers.
Because rates vary so much across the country, its difficult to make generalizations and for some it may not make economic sense or is just a break even.
That's impressive. ?
My electric bill is Stupid during the summer. My wife stays at home, and has the A/C on 24/7!
The kids leave everything in the house on as well.
What can you do? [emoji13]
My pool is being built to accommodate a SWG but I'm not installing one yet. I'm going to run with the stenner pump and liquid chlorine for now. I can always decide to convert to SWG later and use the Stenner to pump acid.
Of the 4 bids I got, ALL recommended against the SWG. Probably much smaller PB's than what you crazy texans have so maybe they're just less informed (and less current on technology). Reasons were...deterioration to surrounding concrete, harder on steel walls if leaks develop, harder on equipment, more expensive to maintain / replace and longer pump run times.
I'm not saying that any of these reasons are true...it's just what the 4 builders told me. It seems all of that has been "debunked" by current owners of SWG posting in this thread anyway.
Bottom line, you'll probably be happy one way or the other.
I wonder what a thread titled "does anyone have anything bad to say about chlorine pools" would look like!!
Of the 4 bids I got, ALL recommended against the SWG. Probably much smaller PB's than what you crazy texans have so maybe they're just less informed (and less current on technology). Reasons were...deterioration to surrounding concrete, harder on steel walls if leaks develop, harder on equipment, more expensive to maintain / replace and longer pump run times.
I'm not saying that any of these reasons are true...it's just what the 4 builders told me. It seems all of that has been "debunked" by current owners of SWG posting in this thread anyway.
Bottom line, you'll probably be happy one way or the other.
I wonder what a thread titled "does anyone have anything bad to say about chlorine pools" would look like!!
- Jan 4, 2016
- 5,392
- Pool Size
- 44000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
We pay high electric rates here too. Around $0.24 per kW is the year-round average cost including the demand/daily service fee and including tax.
My saltwater chlorinator draws 110W when running, and 1.8W on standby. FC Output is in my signature. It's currently set on 70%, (on 70% of the time, off 30% of the time) so while pump is on, I'm drawing about 80W average for the SWC.
My pump draws 200W on low speed and 600W for the suction cleaner or a fast skim, and 980W for backwash or a faster skim and I run around 7 to 10 hours per day, usually on low speed, depending how much the pool is being used, wind, leaves, etc.
SWC 80W x 10 hrs = 0.8 kWh per day or $0.20 per day - $15 per month (less when the water isn't as warm as it is today! - 31C 88F)
I think the poster with the big numbers didn't realize that cell draw is at 24 volts, not 110 volts, and was looking at a monster SWC given the 14+ amps mentioned.
I just checked my pool: 240v and 1.71a with both pump and SWC - and 1.38a with just the pump.
My saltwater chlorinator draws 110W when running, and 1.8W on standby. FC Output is in my signature. It's currently set on 70%, (on 70% of the time, off 30% of the time) so while pump is on, I'm drawing about 80W average for the SWC.
My pump draws 200W on low speed and 600W for the suction cleaner or a fast skim, and 980W for backwash or a faster skim and I run around 7 to 10 hours per day, usually on low speed, depending how much the pool is being used, wind, leaves, etc.
SWC 80W x 10 hrs = 0.8 kWh per day or $0.20 per day - $15 per month (less when the water isn't as warm as it is today! - 31C 88F)
I think the poster with the big numbers didn't realize that cell draw is at 24 volts, not 110 volts, and was looking at a monster SWC given the 14+ amps mentioned.
I just checked my pool: 240v and 1.71a with both pump and SWC - and 1.38a with just the pump.
??????. I'm not including the electricity from the SWG. That's the pool pump's electrical usage. Of course it has to be ON for the SWG to operate.
It's time for you to get a VSP! Your electric co will give you a rebate, too. So it's definitely worth it.
- May 23, 2015
- 25,755
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Yes, it has been established that you were referring to a single-speed pump operating in a high utility rate locality. That particular scenario would contraindicate use of an SWG (but says nothing about the technical merits of an SWG) and TFP rarely recommends the use of an SWG with a single-speed pump as that is the least cost-effective way to generate chlorine (or pump water for that matter).
If one wants to retrofit their equipment pad with an SWG, then it would be wise to switch to a more efficient pump (2-speed or VSP) if a single-speed pump is currently installed. Not only will the pool owner generally lower their electric costs but they may possibly break-even on their investment if utility rates are high enough. At $0.25 per kW-hr, you would be well advised to switch your pump even without considering an SWG (especially with the availability of a rebate as others have suggested).
My two cents on this subject-
Skippy and I wouldn't ever be without a SWG. Consider that they were more common in Australia before coming to the US, and they've been proven for years here since too so that's a pretty good reference in my book. Also, areas of the country such as FL, TX, AZ..the south where pools are more common find more SWG usage. In small northern areas, perhaps where there are fewer residential pools and pool builders I would imagine there could be a bit of a lag on most current practices.
One nice thing about a SWG chlorine pool is I don't have to physically pour the liquid chlorine in daily or so. We can go away on vacays up to 2 weeks (closing the cover, lowering the pump time and SWG run time) and come back and everything is exactly as I left it. Even without the cover I can trust the chlorine level to be stable daily. Thank god since I'm currently confined to bed and no one is minding the pool! I know its fine.
My pool rarely ever needs the pH lowered. Each pool has its own personality based on many factors. You can't blame pH rise (all) on the SWG. Do you run fountains? Is your chemistry otherwise balanced? Got 23 kids in the pool daily splashing about? All those raise pH too..
Yip
ppii
Skippy and I wouldn't ever be without a SWG. Consider that they were more common in Australia before coming to the US, and they've been proven for years here since too so that's a pretty good reference in my book. Also, areas of the country such as FL, TX, AZ..the south where pools are more common find more SWG usage. In small northern areas, perhaps where there are fewer residential pools and pool builders I would imagine there could be a bit of a lag on most current practices.
One nice thing about a SWG chlorine pool is I don't have to physically pour the liquid chlorine in daily or so. We can go away on vacays up to 2 weeks (closing the cover, lowering the pump time and SWG run time) and come back and everything is exactly as I left it. Even without the cover I can trust the chlorine level to be stable daily. Thank god since I'm currently confined to bed and no one is minding the pool! I know its fine.
My pool rarely ever needs the pH lowered. Each pool has its own personality based on many factors. You can't blame pH rise (all) on the SWG. Do you run fountains? Is your chemistry otherwise balanced? Got 23 kids in the pool daily splashing about? All those raise pH too..
Yip
ppii
+1. Love my SWG, and once new pool was finally balanced (thanks to finding TFP!) I have added acid once since and ph has been stable.