Controlomatic Megachlor install in 700 gallon hot tub

[cowboycasey]

I have been using Salt in my tub for over a year and really wanted to go to a SWG but there were not any really good choices.. I have an always on circulation pump with 1.5 inch flex pipe and most small SWG were using 3/4 inch barb fitting or a drop in with a cord hanging in the tub...

Cutting into your perfectly good plumbing is not for the faint of heart

Pool Saltwater Chlorine Generator

I found out Controlomatic had the Megachlor that uses 2 inch fittings and is rated from 1000 gallons to 20000 gallons for a pool or spa and has a Chlorine production of 100 grams per day. It is a basic system in that it turns on a set amount of time in a 3 hour period.. I noticed once I received the instruction manual that power level's 1 to 3 are used for spa's and pools under 1000 gallons, so it should do well and is about 6 times over sized

I have a built in GFCI system so I wired the controller in so if I pull the breaker or anything were to happen it would turn off everything and trip the GFCI.. It has a long enough cord that you could plug it into a GFCI plug from your house. another thing, it is always on, so your hot tub would need to have a constant circulation pump like mine. In this picture you can see the 13 amp extension cord cut down to 2 feet and wired directly into my power center, the converter uses 1.8 amps and 100 to 240 volt's and I wired it 120v... so no issues with power. My hot tub uses about 50 amps with all 3 pumps and heater on, I have 60 amp 240 volt power going to it.

I used a 1.5/2 inch jandy valve just in case I needed to replace the cell and did not want to empty the tub.. I plumbed it in after the filter and heater just before it goes back into the tub..

 

[cowboycasey]

Update: On to the "how does it work"

It works great, I have it on setting number 2, so it runs 58 minutes a day (7.5 minutes every 3 hours) and with my CYA of 40 I have FC of 7. this is a little high for now but from Oct to April I use my tub 5 to 7 days a week and with the Ozone running to oxidize waist I think this will be a good setting.. I used it last night and the higher FC level did not bother me, it was a "just noticeable" chlorine smell when the wind died down but with any kind of breeze it went away. I just tested this morning, so 8 hours later and my FC is at 5.5 and 0 CC.. I will test again tonight and see if it returns to a FC of 7.

Every single screw in connection had a leak, I was able to use monster tape on the threads for the salt cell and it stopped leaking. But as you can tell, once you glue the other side the other 2 thread connections were done, I used plumbers putty that is suppose to be good to 2,000 PSI on liquid and 10,000 PSI on gas/steam but I believe the threads were just to big and also I could not get the connections screwed all the way in, there is probably 1/4 inch of threads left out of the 1.5 inch of threads... I don't know if the monster tape would have worked on the threads better, maybe it would, maybe not? The leaks were not major, but a salt water drip on metal can become bad. so I used plasti-aid to completely incase the threaded connections... It worked great but looks bad, no more leaks though...

I may redesign the piping and use only glue connections... all that would be required would be a 2" inch T, 1 2" inch to 1.5" inch thread connection and 2 1.5" inch reducers back to the original plumbing. you would need a 12 inch or so 2" inch pipe for the SWG to go down inside of, I may get some clear 2 in poly tubing like this one so I can see the SWG