Anode

[Dirk]

I've been fighting with my PB over an anode, which he has yet to install. I think my salt-water pool should have one. He claims bonding takes care of that. I figured it wouldn't matter who's right, that an anode could only help, or do nothing. And I thought they were zinc. As it dissolves, does it add things to the water you would not want? Or does its "waste" end up in the filter? (What is the byproduct?) And would they make any sort of difference if the pool is properly bonded? The only metal I know of is whatever is in my pump and heater and SWG. And the ring around the pool light. Everything else is PVC or plaster. Should I let this go?

--- Update ---

Ah, somebody moved my hijack to a new thread. Thank you!

 

[JamesW]

Re: Dont know what I'm looking at

The part is probably to an ionizer, which adds copper to kill algae. Copper normally doesn't corrode that fast, so they use a power supply to send electricity to the copper to force it to oxidize. You can see one of the connection terminals on the pipe. The ionizer is probably this one or a similar one.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Mineral-Pure-40-000-Gal-Residential-Swimming-Pool-Ionizer-R-40/204421747

A zinc anode is different. A sacrificial anode is supposed to reduce corrosion of metal.

Most people don't use an anode and don't have any issues. It might help in some cases if it's done correctly, but I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Dirk]

Re: Dont know what I'm looking at

The part is probably to an ionizer, which adds copper to kill algae.

A zinc anode is different. A sacrificial anode is supposed to reduce corrosion of metal.

Most people don't use an anode and don't have any issues. It might help in some cases if it's done correctly, but I wouldn't worry about it.

Thanks, James. Sorry to hijack if the OP's gizmo is not an anode. I don't care about that light ring. My only concern was what might be going on in my heater or pump, out of sight. I know the heater is bonded. As is the pump. Are pump impellers metal? Or is the shaft exposed? If my light ring doesn't corrode, is it safe to assume nothing else will either?