swg cost
- Thread starter davids1973
- Start date
It all depends on what features you want. You can go from the Intex at the lower end of the scale ($100 - $180), up to the higher end versions that can cost over $1000. Just for kicks, I went to Amerimerc.com, and they have the Intellichlor IC15 for $429, the Intellichlor IC20 for $899, the Aqua-Rite 15K for $674, and the Aquatrol 20K model for either $450 or $580, depending on how you hook it up.
As a general rule, the higher the price, the better the options and reliability. For example, I personally have an Intex; I have no problems with it, but it has no options other than alarming for different problems (low salt, low flow, etc) and a rudimentary timer that allows for coming on at a certain time and going off at a certain time, day after day. There's no battery backup either, so if you lose power, you have to reprogram the timer. Our power grid is very stable, so I don't have to worry about having to reprogram it all the time, so that's no biggie for me. I'll be going on three years this year with mine, and it hasn't given me any trouble at all (knock on wood).
Is this an inground pool or an above ground? I ask because some models are more suited for inground versus above ground,and vice versa.
As a general rule, the higher the price, the better the options and reliability. For example, I personally have an Intex; I have no problems with it, but it has no options other than alarming for different problems (low salt, low flow, etc) and a rudimentary timer that allows for coming on at a certain time and going off at a certain time, day after day. There's no battery backup either, so if you lose power, you have to reprogram the timer. Our power grid is very stable, so I don't have to worry about having to reprogram it all the time, so that's no biggie for me. I'll be going on three years this year with mine, and it hasn't given me any trouble at all (knock on wood).
Is this an inground pool or an above ground? I ask because some models are more suited for inground versus above ground,and vice versa.
I'm sorry I should have included that info. It's an in-ground. Also what should I need to start-up the pool, we are going to fill it next weekend. I have 8 pounds of stabalizer already. With the salt pool do you have to add algaecide on start-up and then every week? Also how much salt do I need, the pool is oval 14x28,avg depth of 4.5 feet. Do I add chlorine at startup ? I know That's alot of questions. I just calculated that at about 10400 gallons
Please bear in mind the prices mentioned before were likely to be just a cell, not the power supply/controller and cell.
If your current salt level were 0, you would need 267 lbs of salt to get to 3200 ppm. It's roughly 50 lbs per 600 ppm.
Test your water 1st! See where it's at.
Use a gallon of Clorox at startup to quickly get chlorine in. Run your pump until the pool is balanced. Have a blast!
Scott
If your current salt level were 0, you would need 267 lbs of salt to get to 3200 ppm. It's roughly 50 lbs per 600 ppm.
Test your water 1st! See where it's at.
Use a gallon of Clorox at startup to quickly get chlorine in. Run your pump until the pool is balanced. Have a blast!
Scott
Hi davids1973!
Welcome to TFP!
I would strongly suggest that you read the pool school section, it took me several reads to finally understand all of the info given there. The Pool Calculator will make it a lot easier to add the proper amounts of pool ingredients. The BBB method advocated and practiced by many of the people here will usually negate the need for dosing algaecide on a regular basis by maintaining proper free chlorine levels for the CYA (stabilizer) level that you have. See the suggested FC/CYA charts. I also suggest that you also read the section on adding borates, it will act as a long term mild algaecide, and also help control ph.
The best advice I would give any pool owner is - Get a good drop based test kit!
There are plenty of posts about which kits are good, and why. The money you save in fuel just from not taking your water samples for testing will pay for the kit.Trust me on that. Plus, you will be taking control of the most important variables in the pool equation, the interpretation of the water quality test and the decision on what action(s) needs to be taken.
As Mike said about the Intex SWG, it is the least expensive self-cleaning one that I know of. It does use fittings intended for the flexible hose connections used on most above ground pools, (most in-ground pools utilize hard pipe connections,) but you can find several posts showing how to plumb in an Intex with out much trouble. It is certainly about the easiest to connect electrically, you just plug it in! Your pool is well within the size of pools that the unit will handle, mine is 24,000 gallons and I run it 4-6 hours/day, YMMV.
Whatever model SWG, if you do choose one, remember that they are a intended to slowly add maintenance levels of chlorine; to shock the pool you will need another means of quickly adding it (bleach, chlorinating liquid, cal-hypo, etc...) SWG equipped pools also tend to need acid additions to counter the upward creeping ph that occurs with electrolysis (adding borates will help.)
Good Luck, and Best Wishes!
Welcome to TFP!
I would strongly suggest that you read the pool school section, it took me several reads to finally understand all of the info given there. The Pool Calculator will make it a lot easier to add the proper amounts of pool ingredients. The BBB method advocated and practiced by many of the people here will usually negate the need for dosing algaecide on a regular basis by maintaining proper free chlorine levels for the CYA (stabilizer) level that you have. See the suggested FC/CYA charts. I also suggest that you also read the section on adding borates, it will act as a long term mild algaecide, and also help control ph.
The best advice I would give any pool owner is - Get a good drop based test kit!
There are plenty of posts about which kits are good, and why. The money you save in fuel just from not taking your water samples for testing will pay for the kit.Trust me on that. Plus, you will be taking control of the most important variables in the pool equation, the interpretation of the water quality test and the decision on what action(s) needs to be taken.
As Mike said about the Intex SWG, it is the least expensive self-cleaning one that I know of. It does use fittings intended for the flexible hose connections used on most above ground pools, (most in-ground pools utilize hard pipe connections,) but you can find several posts showing how to plumb in an Intex with out much trouble. It is certainly about the easiest to connect electrically, you just plug it in! Your pool is well within the size of pools that the unit will handle, mine is 24,000 gallons and I run it 4-6 hours/day, YMMV.
Whatever model SWG, if you do choose one, remember that they are a intended to slowly add maintenance levels of chlorine; to shock the pool you will need another means of quickly adding it (bleach, chlorinating liquid, cal-hypo, etc...) SWG equipped pools also tend to need acid additions to counter the upward creeping ph that occurs with electrolysis (adding borates will help.)
Good Luck, and Best Wishes!
davids1973 said:
Hmmmm..most of the inground models are well over $500 at the web site I'm using as a reference. Since your pool isn't that large, you could probably get away with using the IC15 or the Aquatrol. The IC15 is rated for pools 15,000 gallons or less, and the Aquatrol for up to 18,000 gallons. Both can be hard-plumbed, which is what you would want. There's more out there on the market, so I'd also suggest doing a Google search and see if you can find any better deals. I know there's more models out there than the ones I've listed, so if anyone else who's reading this thread knows of one in his price range, please speak up!
One other item to mention - to install a SWG, you'll need a straight run of pipe from your filter or heater to wherever it turns to go underground. Length of the straight section will depend on the length of the cell of the SWG you buy. If you don't have a straight section of pipe to cut to install it, you may have to do some creative plumbing.
First thing you need for startup is a good test kit, so you can test your water and determine from the results what you need to add to maintain your water balance. We recommend two; the Taylor K-2006 and the TF-100 which is sold by one of the members here on the forum. Until you can order one, you can make do with one of the 6-way hth test kits from Walmart or go to a pool store to have your water tested, but trust me, the best money you will ever spend on your pool with be for a good test kit. Once you learn how to do your own testing, you'll be in control of your pool, and not vice versa.
Once you get your pool filled and the pump running, you'll need to add chlorine daily until you get your SWG installed and get the proper amount of salt in the pool. For 10400 gallons, that's around 86 ounces, so I'd just add a small jug of unscented bleach every night. Go ahead and put two pounds of stabilizer in a sock or stocking and either hang it in front of a return in the water, or place it in the skimmer so it can be dissolving. Make sure you don't block the skimmer completely. This won't be all you'll need to add, but it'll be a good start until you can test to see how much CYA is in the water. If you don't have a test kit yet, take a sample to your local pool store for testing (don't buy anything, just tell them you'll be back later), and come back and post the results. We'll be primarily interested in FC, pH, CH, TA, and CYA.
If you keep your chlorine level up by adding bleach every night, you shouldn't need an algaecide at all. The chlorine will keep the algae at bay.
How much salt you'll need will depend on which SWG you go with, and what level they recommend.
Lastly, a housekeeping item and a homework assignment. Housekeeping - please add your pool info to your signature, if you don't mind. This information helps the forum members with the advice they will give you. Go to the top of the page and click on "User Control Panel" > Profile > Edit Signature, and add your info (5 lines or less, please!). Homework - at the top right of the page is a button labeled Pool School. Click on the button, and you'll find a plethora of information about pools. I'd recommend reading the first two sections; "Getting Started" and "Pool Chemistry".
It's been suggested that I can get an Goldline Aqua Trol hp and that would work for my pool because it can be hard piped. the tf 100 test kit i didn't se a test for the salt level? Also I'm working on my pool info for my signature,Thanks.
I found a CompuPool Pool Salt System Chlorine Generator CPSC24 for $499, does anyone else have this or know if it's any good? it has a 2 year warranty on controller and 5 year pro rated on the cell.
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