Thinking about going with a Salt water Pool

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markayash

markayash

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TFP Guide
Mar 21, 2016
4,623
Atlanta Ga
Looking for basic feedback..Pool is drained and will be re plastered with Quartz or normal white plaster..I stay busy between work and kids and usually forget about the pool until I notice it's getting dark.
Mine is around 18000 gallon what would be a good long term system? Advantages/disadvantages over normal chlorine?

If I did it now would be the perfect time
Oh I have a Hayward 4030 cartridge filter and my pool stays in the shade 1/3 of the daylight hours.
 
A SWG system can work fine with your existing pump and filter. All you are adding is a device that is going to take the salt from your pool (you'll add that) and break it down to make chlorine. The salt isn't depleted by this process as it is an never ending circle of events.

You can hook the SWG into your timer and have it run as much or little as you need for it to make the desired FC.

Will you be having a pool pro or store do the work?

Maddie :flowerL
 
No I installed pump filter and heater and moved from 1-1/2 with 90 ecerywhere to better flowing 2".
Looks like a straight in and out..I just remembered the breaker box with one with and extra timer which would be perfect..
Brands all the same?
 
The most recommended brands here are Pentair, Hayward, and Jandy

There are a growing number of recommendations for CircuPool. They had a bad history with a different manufacturer which ended about 4 years ago.

You can compare various outputs and brands here: Compare and Review Saltwater Chlorine Generator Prices and Features
I have no experience with them, but I've heard they're helpful on the phone.

Main thing is to take the manufacturer's pool size rating with a grain of salt (haha) and buy a chlorinator rated for around double the size of your pool (so around 40,000 gallon rated) Otherwise you might end up running your pump more than necessary.
 
I just installed my Circupool RJ-45 yesterday. Waiting for salt to dissolve and then I'll let you know how well it works. Installation was a breeze though: 4 quick screws into a vertical piece of wood and the Control Module just hangs on its bracket, and the cell just screws in with its 2 union fittings. It comes with everything you need for both 1.5" and 2" PVC piping.
 
lightmaster said:
I just installed my Circupool RJ-45 yesterday. Waiting for salt to dissolve and then I'll let you know how well it works. Installation was a breeze though: 4 quick screws into a vertical piece of wood and the Control Module just hangs on its bracket, and the cell just screws in with its 2 union fittings. It comes with everything you need for both 1.5" and 2" PVC piping.
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How did you wire in the power? Did you use a timer?
 

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markayash said:
That's one thing I don't understand..Do you need a timer or do you set it for what you want and when the water is good it stops making chlorine?
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As mentioned it's connected so it can't run unless the pump is running. Then you set a % run time, let's say 50%. The SWCG power supply that's wired into the pump timer then energizes the salt cell to produce 50% of its potential production.

The next day you test your water for FC the same as you would for other chlorination methods. If your FC is a bit high, you turn it down to 40% and see how the FC is the next time you test.
 
Flatag said:
How did you wire in the power? Did you use a timer?
Click to expand...

Yes, you have to have a timer (unless you want to come out twice a day to turn it on and off, every day, defeating the purpose of having less daily pool maintenance, lol). I used an Intermatic t101r I bought at Lowe's for $60. Picked that one cuz of its all metal waterproof enclosure. Make sure you wire the SWG into the terminals as your pump, so the SWG only receives power when the pump is currently running. Yes there's also a flow switch to prevent it from generating when the water isn't flowing, but its always better to have a second level of protection. From what I've heard, generating chlorine while there's no water flow is an explosion risk because the hydrogen gas will accumulate in the cell and have no where to go.

Check out SWG Run Time Calculator to get a starting point for how long and what percent to use. Also, its best to run it during the daytime when the sun is trying to break down your chlorine, so you're adding more then.
 
markayash said:
That's one thing I don't understand..Do you need a timer or do you set it for what you want and when the water is good it stops making chlorine?
Click to expand...
I should have mentioned... after a while you get your own trend for your pool and settle in at the % that works and adjust less often. I just changed mine last week (reduced as autumn arrives) because my FC had climbed 1 ppm since last week. Prior to that it had been on the same setting for about 10 weeks.
 
My breaker box has a 2nd timer I can use. Hoping I don't have to run my pump 24x7 like I did last year..If I cut it back in a week it would start turning dark and chlorine would be nothing..
Also I have a heater that also does the hot tub, any concerns with 100 degree water going through it?
 
markayash said:
My breaker box has a 2nd timer I can use. Hoping I don't have to run my pump 24x7 like I did last year..If I cut it back in a week it would start turning dark and chlorine would be nothing..
Also I have a heater that also does the hot tub, any concerns with 100 degree water going through it?
Click to expand...

I don't have a heater so I can't say with 100% certainty, but I can't imagine any issue 100 degree water would cause. The owners manual even specifically mentions that you have to install the SWG cell after a heater to prevent the freshly chlorinated water from damaging your heater. Not sure if that's from a higher amount of chlorine or a higher pH or what, but the manual does mention installation with a heater.

About the water turning "dark", how much chlorine were you adding, what was your CYA at at the time, and did you preform a SLAM to completion? You really shouldn't need to run your pump 24/7 except to mix up some chemicals like freshly added salt or CYA.

- - - Updated - - -

Also, when you pick out your SWG, make sure its rated for at least twice the volume of your pool. Yours is an 18k pool, so while you could get away with the RJ-30, the RJ-45 would be better. The more powerful the SWG, the lower % you'll need to run it at (longer cell life), and the less time you'll need to run your pump for chlorination.

You can get a Circupool RJ-45 here CircuPool RJ-30 Saltwater Chlorinator for up to 30000 gallon salt water pools for $800 through a sale that ends 3/19/18. Just select the upgrade option to upgrade from a RJ-30 to RJ-45 for $1 more.
 
I can't really put it after the heater :( without breaking concrete and major work so will have to leave it and hope for the best.

You hinted at my issue..Last time I filled it 3 or 4 years ago I adjuested the CYA using test strips..Dumped 8 pds in..CYA 0 added more and more..When I found this site I bought the test kit and it was around 100..

I should have let Leslie's test it but they are so " oh you need to buy this and that and this " which is over kill.. Had they tell me a 10pd bag of arm and hammer backing soda wasn't as pure as what they sold..Says right on the bag 100% sodium bicarbonate :)
Off my soap box, needless to say I avoid them :)
 
Any test result of 100 CYA needs to be redone using the diluted test in the Extended Test Directions. You likely had a CYA of 150 or more, and weren't putting enough liquid chlorine for such a high CYA. Normally you'd do a partial drain and refill to lower your CYA to get it to a more reasonable level. The higher your CYA, the more chlorine you need. Before you start running a SWG, you need to make sure your pool is balanced according to Pool School.

And everything I've read about installing a SWG before a heater means that the chlorine gas will sooner or later destroy your heater. Maybe at the very least a manual bypass around the heater so you don't have water flowing through the heater unless you're actually running the heater? That would at least mitigate any damage to the heater and would take up less space between the heater and the concrete.
 
If you post a pic that includes the outlet from the heater and where that pipe goes into the ground and enough of the space that we can see your constraints, there's a chance someone will have an idea.
 

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