I was originally supposed to get a salt system from my installer last summer and he never provided it(story for another day). Anyway, I have decided to buy a system this spring and here are the specs on my pool. It's a 16x32 3foot shallow 8.5foot deep end, vinyl liner pool. I have a 1.5hp Waterway single speed pump. I think the pool calculates to about 22,000 gallons. I like the systems I've seen that have the digital readouts but am looking to stay in a reasonable budget hopefully 700 to 800 dollars. I was looking at the CompuPool sytems on e-bay but am open to suggestions. I'm not real informed on what to buy and would appreciate any help as far as size and brand system to buy. Thanks in advance!
Help picking SWG
- Thread starter VintagePool
- Start date
of course you should go for Autochlor 
as far as the size goes, anything that handles ~25k gallon pool or more should be ok
brand wise - any reputable brand will do
different people prefer different brands
as far as the size goes, anything that handles ~25k gallon pool or more should be ok
brand wise - any reputable brand will do
different people prefer different brands
Looking around the SWG market this year, it seems that many of the mid-priced units have raised their prices, so that most of the brands are now going for around $1000. The price contrast with the Intex unit, at about $150, has become even more dramatic. You would think that if Intex can be as inexpensive as they are, that others could be around $500. Sadly, that doesn't seem to be happening.
to be honest, knowing the manufacturing costs of SWG it's hard for me to understand how Intex can sell it at that price.
they have to either compromise on quality significantly or make 5-10 bucks per unit
they have to either compromise on quality significantly or make 5-10 bucks per unit
I keep waiting, expecting for prices to drop (as with other "new" tech things, like VCR and then DVD players, when they were new very pricey, and then eventually something else New came along and the prices came down) but that's not happening here.... arrgh. It makes you wonder how Intex is making money from it...
There are a handful of lower priced units out right now however most of them are probably aimed at pools under 20k gallons. Do you plan on supplying it with 110v or 220v?
I've been holding off on this comment for a while, especially since many forum users have had good experiences with Intex, but I must say that Intex is a toy manufacturer, and the Intex SWG is viewed by many as, indeed, toy-quality.
The least expensive pro-grade SWG I've seen is the Resillience, by American Salt Systems. Sadly their A-3 model, for up to 15K gallons is no cheaper than the Goldline or other's smaller systems. Their A5 (up to 35K gallons) is a better buy. Of course, sadly again for this forum, the American Salt Systems have internet protected pricing, so you best pricing will be from the dreaded "pool dealer".
The least expensive pro-grade SWG I've seen is the Resillience, by American Salt Systems. Sadly their A-3 model, for up to 15K gallons is no cheaper than the Goldline or other's smaller systems. Their A5 (up to 35K gallons) is a better buy. Of course, sadly again for this forum, the American Salt Systems have internet protected pricing, so you best pricing will be from the dreaded "pool dealer".
frustratedpoolmom said:
it's never going to happen
unlike DVDs and VCRs, SWG cell requires use of precious metals and titanium which aren't cheap
where does Intex make money, that's a question indeed
every now and then i get offers from Chinese companies to distribute their SWGs in Australia, and i must tell you i didn't get prices lower than 200-250 USD. and that's if i buy in bulk.
i think that Intex either make money from the pools and make a loss on SWGs or they sell them to Amazon at higher prices, and Amazon resells them at lower price, while profiting from internet ads
i'd be really interested to hear what the prices are from Intex distributors, if there are any
I have to agree 100% here. Intex is best known for their vinyl 'inflatables' (beach balls and tubes) rather than their pools! I would call that a toy company also!budster said:I've been holding off on this comment for a while, especially since many forum users have had good experiences with Intex, but I must say that Intex is a toy manufacturer, and the Intex SWG is viewed by many as, indeed, toy-quality.
The least expensive pro-grade SWG I've seen is the Resillience, by American Salt Systems. Sadly their A-3 model, for up to 15K gallons is no cheaper than the Goldline or other's smaller systems. Their A5 (up to 35K gallons) is a better buy. Of course, sadly again for this forum, the American Salt Systems have internet protected pricing, so you best pricing will be from the dreaded "pool dealer".
As far as the Resilience unit, it's top quality and an excellent performer. It doesn't have the bells and whistles of some of the more expensive ones but for the money it's a great value.
Budster is right on the money!
I would not call SWGs "New" technology. They have been around since the 60s!frustratedpoolmom said:
As far as Intex, it's a Chinese company. Need I say anymore?
On the Internet the Resilience in ground systems are significantly more expensive that most other brands.
Not so at pool stores where it is usually the 'entry level' unit and often quite discounted!JasonLion said:
waterbear said:
About 2 years ago they began a minimum advertised pricing policy for internet dealers so all dealers must adhere to that pricing when they publish a price online.
Everyone has opinions, some valid, some just regurgitate garbage they were told. With that said, I will say this. I have had 2 SWG's, an AquaRite on the pool at my old house, which worked great, but also cost almost 1k. I recently bought a house that had a pool and no SWG, and having been spoiled by one in the past, I will never do without one again. But I noticed they had actually gone UP in price which amazed me. The technology is not some crazy advanced circuitry, it's very basic. So I refused to pay that this time. I bought the brand "CompuPool" off ebay. I was able to get the CSPSC36, which is rated for 40K gallons (even though my pool is only 23k, I like to oversize), for about $600. It has most of the features that the other "name brands" have, including reverse polarity, to clean the cell. The cell is clear so you can see the buildup, and it disassembles COMPLETELY for cleaning, something most others can't claim. I have had it for about 8 months, and it has been nothing but perfect. I was scared at first by the cost, but I can honestly say it was a great buy.
str8down said:
It's not the circuitry that causes the cost, it's the ruthenium coating on the anodes. Ruthenium is a noble metal mined with platinum and its price has risen considerably over the lat couple years along with platinum. Products containing platinum (like ORP electrodes) have also gone up.
Also, as a new member you probably do not realize that Strannik, Joshu, and Budster are among some of our SWG industry authorities on here and Aquaman95 is one of our ORP and automation industry experts so their 'opinions' actually carry some weight because of their knowledge and experience!str8down said:
If you like the Resilience, look at this I-Pure model they make for Intermatic - http://www.poolandspacontrols.com/products/salt chlorine generators.aspx
and if you want a GREAT price, LOOK at this deal they offer - http://www.poolandspacontrols.com/~/media/Files/PoolAndSpaControls/Literature/Try Me Program.ashx
As far as the Chinese making inferior low quality "toy" products, or America making "better" stuff, believe what you want. As for why manufacturers market the exact same product at a higher price in different brand names, it's because PEOPLE WILL PAY A PREMIUM FOR A NAME. Ever had a marketing class? A higher price equates to higher quality in the simple minds of a lot of buyers. The component cost of ANY SWG is not what drives the sale price, its the marketing margin.
and if you want a GREAT price, LOOK at this deal they offer - http://www.poolandspacontrols.com/~/media/Files/PoolAndSpaControls/Literature/Try Me Program.ashx
As far as the Chinese making inferior low quality "toy" products, or America making "better" stuff, believe what you want. As for why manufacturers market the exact same product at a higher price in different brand names, it's because PEOPLE WILL PAY A PREMIUM FOR A NAME. Ever had a marketing class? A higher price equates to higher quality in the simple minds of a lot of buyers. The component cost of ANY SWG is not what drives the sale price, its the marketing margin.
You need to spend a lot of effort into building a good name first, so consider this a return on investmentNew2Me said:
No, we were talking about Intex and if you ever saw their products catalog they basically ARE a toy company. Most of what they make are vinyl inflatable toys.New2Me said:
So the Intex is not the "beefiest" SWG in the world, but can it ease the load of the BBBer whose AGP pool is open 4-5 months of the year?