Getting sick of putting chlorine in

[EricJ320]

Discount Salt Pool definitely jacked up the prices on April 1st. I was looking at the RJ20+ for $988 with a $10 upgrade to the RJ30+ but after April 1st the RJ20+ is now $1198 (+ $1 upgrade). I ended up with the Edge 40 since that cost only went up $50 (Edge 25 + upgrade for $1)...The first one was from a e-mail to remind me I had items in my cart. 2nd is from their website now.

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No doubt they watch the price of liquid chlorine and base the price of their units accordingly. As a point of reference, I got my Edge 40 in February 2020, for $849, as a $10 upgrade from the Edge 25.

@Rodex , if you don’t want to see the prices continue to go up, I’m not sure how much longer I’d wait. I can’t imagine the prices going down after 4/7, but I bet if you bought now and they did go down they would honor the new price, but that’s just a guess. They seemed like nice people and super helpful when I called and talked to them last year.

At $50 higher price, but $1 vs $10 upgrade, think of it as only $41 more than on 4/1. I’d be willing to bet the new price will stay the same and the upgrade will go back to $10 on the 8th. But that’s just my guess.

 

[EricJ320]

The following article provides a good explanation. Essentially, the rare earth minerals used on the plates of the cell have skyrocketed in price. (China, electric vehicles, etc)

SWG How It Works - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

From another thread about SWG prices, if anyone is curious why.

 

[red-beard]

My main pump is 1.5 HP, electricity costs are around 0.10/kwH. Pentair’s calculator shows about $670 in electricity savings a year so pretty in line with what you are seeing. Welp....one thing at a time but yeah that’ll be on my radar for sure.

That being the case, should I be looking at other models that play friendlier for some reason with a newer VS pump? And is a $330 cell replacement cost expensive (Edge 25 that I’m looking at). Thanks!

The only issue with the VSP and a SWG is you may have to increase pump speed to activate the flow switch. I was running my pump 22 hours a day at 1050 RPM (38 Watts), but that wasn't enough to activate the flow switch. I increased speed to 1250 and it worked fine. Pump uses a bit more energy (63 Watts), but I'm still WAY ahead. And I don't have to go to the store to buy liquid chlorine (bleach) every week. More time to be in the pool than working on the pool.

My heater is a different story. It needs to see 1 psi pressure before activating. That is about 1650 RPM. None of this stuff is difficult. And it is different for each pool, because the plumbing is unique.

After the pump, your next purchase will be a pool robot. I see it in your future...

 

[Rodex]

The only issue with the VSP and a SWG is you may have to increase pump speed to activate the flow switch. I was running my pump 22 hours a day at 1050 RPM (38 Watts), but that wasn't enough to activate the flow switch. I increased speed to 1250 and it worked fine. Pump uses a bit more energy (63 Watts), but I'm still WAY ahead. And I don't have to go to the store to buy liquid chlorine (bleach) every week. More time to be in the pool than working on the pool.

My heater is a different story. It needs to see 1 psi pressure before activating. That is about 1650 RPM. None of this stuff is difficult. And it is different for each pool, because the plumbing is unique.

After the pump, your next purchase will be a pool robot. I see it in your future...

Got the robot a couple months ago

The Indoctrination is almost complete.

 

[Rodex]

From another thread about SWG prices, if anyone is curious why.

Thanks for this, will be calling them tomorrow!

 

[Rodex]

Screw it. Took the dive.

I’m nervous

Also, is this the sort of salt I need?

 

[EricJ320]

Screw it. Took the dive.

I’m nervous

Also, is this the sort of salt I need?

No need to be nervous, you’ll wish you’d have switched long ago!

I’m not sure about that salt, Clean and Protect sounds like it might have additives you might not want in your pool, but I couldn’t find any specific ingredients listed on the bag. If you are going to go with a softener salt I’d probably go with something like the one below. Similar price, and I feel like it wouldn’t have anything extra you wouldn’t want, but there is no data to back that up, just my feeling. Someone might have more specific experience with Morton salts and can comment.

I use Diamond Crystal Splash ready pool salt, it’s a little more expensive, but it’s easier to find at my HD than softener salt for some reason. It is smaller and easier to dissolve. Either will work just fine though.

 

[mknauss]

Also, is this the sort of salt I need?

In most areas, the blue bags of water softener salt are plain. The yellow bags have additives to control iron.

 

[red-beard]

I buy water softener salt, but the crystals not the pellets. They are a little larger than the "pool" salt and take more time to dissolve. 15 minutes instead of 10 minutes.

Home Depot has "Solar" Salt Crystals. Any of them, except the one to control iron, will work. Pellets take the longest to dissolve. Or so I'm told. Never bought pellets. I bought the pool salt once at ACE hardware, as it was the same price.

 

[mguzzy]

Screw it. Took the dive.
I’m nervous

YAY!

Just stay away from the the Clorox branded pool salt.. DANGER WILL ROBINSON DANGER.. That brand may or may not have iron in it.

 

[Newdude]

Just stay away from the the Clorox branded pool salt.. DANGER WILL ROBINSON DANGER.. That brand may or may not have iron in it

See Guzz ???? A bad example is still a good example cuz you’ll help save Rodex and countless other readers from repeating it. Way to take one for the team !!

 

[Rodex]

I buy water softener salt, but the crystals not the pellets. They are a little larger than the "pool" salt and take more time to dissolve. 15 minutes instead of 10 minutes.

Home Depot has "Solar" Salt Crystals. Any of them, except the one to control iron, will work. Pellets take the longest to dissolve. Or so I'm told. Never bought pellets. I bought the pool salt once at ACE hardware, as it was the same price.

Got my Edge 25 in! That was fast.

I’m seeing Home Depot has bags of that Solar Salt Crystals (99.6% pure) for $4.97 and even cheaper for 6 or more. And plenty of them too.

 

[Rodex]

Reading through the Pool School and mfg instructions, seems there are slight disagreements in levels - eg FC in Pool School is 4-6 while the instructions say 1-3. Same with TA. I would assume Pool School is what should be adhered to, any other opinions?

 

[Newdude]

The instructions use outdated industry standards from the 80s. Imagine going to the Dr and being treated like it was 1983. Yeah. No. Hard pass.

Pool school on the other hand has kept up with the times so follow that.

Until you know your new system backwards and forwards, and also know how your pool responds to it just as well, I will always reccomend 'running hot' targeting the high range #. Preferably you would start a bit higher and drift back into range at times so you never go anywhere near minimum. It won't hurt a thing but the added safety net could make all the difference in the world.

I started this way when I learned 8 years ago and it worked so well I never stopped. No weather event, incredibly hot day, party, etc ever mattered. I had enough FC.

 

[Rodex]

Starting the install - does the requirement for 6” before the flow switch include the flow switch union? I might have to just assume it does, I’m quickly running out of room on that pipe!

 

[red-beard]

Give it as much as you can. The worry is turbulence.

 

[mguzzy]

You can use the cell as part of that straight run.

 

[Rodex]

You can use the cell as part of that straight run.

Wouldn’t that entail making the cell upstream of the flow switch? The instructions say the flow switch has to be upstream of the cell...another manufacturer error?

 

[cowboycasey]

I try to keep my FC at 7 or above at all times, it just works better and no problems for 7 years now... I have had to do 2, 24 hour SLAMS when my breaker went off for some reason in those 7 years because I keep my FC at 7... I knew instantly once the water does not sparkle there was something wrong

 

[red-beard]

Wouldn’t that entail making the cell upstream of the flow switch? The instructions say the flow switch has to be upstream of the cell...another manufacturer error?

Well, on the Hayward Cells, we are allowed to install the flow switch downstream of the salt cell. And the salt cell really helps straighten the flow. But it uses a flapper type switch. If the switch is a pressure switch (like my heater) you definitely would want it upstream of the SWG.