Salt Q's...

[RASelkirk]

Hi all,

Two Q's on a salt system:

1) Would this water (3k ppm NACL, no algaecide) be considered "potable" in an emergency?

2) What happens with the sodium atoms after the chloride is split off?

Thanks!

Russ

 

[mknauss]

No. It can be used for sanitation, washing, etc. The salt content is too high as well as the CYA in the water.

There are filter systems for back country camping that would remove the TDS from the water to make it potable, in a pinch.

 

[RASelkirk]

No. It can be used for sanitation, washing, etc. The salt content is too high as well as the CYA in the water.

There are filter systems for back country camping that would remove the TDS from the water to make it potable, in a pinch.

I'm sure there's some CYA in there but it never shows any on a strip test (yeah, I know about those). Just thinking of 18k gallons of possible drinking water if the shinola hits the fan. 3k salt (vs 100k saltwater) would be better than dying of thirst in a worst-case scenario...

Thanks!

Russ

 

[JamesW]

Hi all,

Two Q's on a salt system:

1) Would this water (3k ppm NACL, no algaecide) be considered "potable" in an emergency?

2) What happens with the sodium atoms after the chloride is split off?

Thanks!

Russ

It's a common misconception that a salt system splits sodium and chloride apart.

When salt is added to a pool, the sodium and chloride all split apart and move randomly through the water.

The sodium ions just continue to move randomly without doing much of anything.

The chloride ions also move randomly until they contact the charged plates in the salt cell where they lose an electron to become chlorine radicals.

Two chlorine radicals pair up to create chlorine gas, which dissolves in the water to form hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite ions.

As hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite ions oxidize things, the chlorine atoms gain electrons to become chloride again.

So, the salt chlorination process is mainly chlorine atoms losing and regaining electrons over and over.

 

[AUSpool]

It's a common misconception that a salt system splits sodium and chloride apart.

When salt is added to a pool, the sodium and chloride all split apart and move randomly through the water.

The sodium ions just continue to move randomly without doing much of anything.

The chloride ions also move randomly until they contact the charged plates in the salt cell where they lose an electron to become chlorine radicals.

Two chlorine radicals pair up to create chlorine gas, which dissolves in the water to form hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite ions.

As hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite ions oxidize things, the chlorine atoms gain electrons to become chloride again.

So, the salt chlorination process is mainly chlorine atoms losing and regaining electrons over and over.

Great post, I think it needs to be framed and hung above everyone’s chlorinator.

 

[cfherrman]

From Marty's post it sounds like legally and liability wise the water is not potable.

In a shtf situation, you will consider all local sources of water and salt content would be non existent on my list of concerns from pool water. Some work will need to be done if you want this option.

Cya is toxic but not in pool use, so there is a point on how much you can consume before you get to toxic levels. I have seen the number, and it is a lot of cya to affect a human, but I can't recall.

My main concern is drinking bacteria or algae laden water, in shtf long enough where you run out if water the pool will be green, I think a bucket and some bleach or boiling would solve this.

Your tears are around 9k ppm salt, so 3k salt I find hard to believe that is too much salt for temporary consumption.

 

[RASelkirk]

Thanks for the great chem lesson, my last HS class on this was... Well, longer back than most of the board members have been alive! I hate being a planner (the wife calls it "worrying"), but it has payed off more often than not. You just don't get much peace of mind (or sleep) being overly concerned with an out of control future...

Russ

 

[PoolGate]

You are better off getting a few 50 gallon drums and filling them up and also keeping emergency water sanitation pills. Your pool will sour very quickly if power stops and you don't manually chlorinate and circulate in which case it simply becomes a source of stagnant water that you can possibly purify if you have the right equipment.