Hi, I have a 25,000 gallon vinyl lined pool that is currently sanitized with liquid bleach. When I went into our local pool store to buy the ever-expensive bleach, I asked them about the possibility of converting to salt water. The pool lady immediately discouraged me, mostly due to upfront cost, the cost to replace the salt cell every 5ish years, and then the need to stain and seal our concrete pool deck. She told me it's not worth it. Am I a conspiracy theorist, or is the reason she'd tell me that is because I spend $800/year at her store for liquid chlorine during the pool season? Everything I'm reading leads me to consider a SWG as a way to save cost and headache. Thank you!
Discouraged by Pool Store to Convert to SWG
- Thread starter 2neuges
- Start date
- Jun 24, 2021
- 16,042
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Get the SWCG. Depending on your pool size the payback is 1-2 years. @Newdude will be along with the calculations. Your payback is 2 years with $800/yr on chlorine.
My pool, Liquid Chlorine, was 2200 ppm salt before conversion to 3000ppm for SWCG. No need to seal anything. Salt pool = chlorine pool. Chlorine pool = salt pool.
I started with TABS until I was "pool stored" for $1500. Then converted to LC with stenner pump, worked great. Lugging jugs was ok, and the expense was too. After converting to SWCG, I will fill in this pool before you will take it from me. SWCG is boring and WORKS!
Do it, NOW.
My pool, Liquid Chlorine, was 2200 ppm salt before conversion to 3000ppm for SWCG. No need to seal anything. Salt pool = chlorine pool. Chlorine pool = salt pool.
I started with TABS until I was "pool stored" for $1500. Then converted to LC with stenner pump, worked great. Lugging jugs was ok, and the expense was too. After converting to SWCG, I will fill in this pool before you will take it from me. SWCG is boring and WORKS!
Do it, NOW.
- Apr 10, 2018
- 6,331
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
You can replace the salt cell yourself usually for just parts. Buy a cell at least 2x your pool size and the cell lasts longer and you have lots more flexibility in pump time and chlorine needs. An IC60 runs half as hard as a IC30 (ignoring other factors for now). The cell life is measured in hours producing not in years so less hours needed to run = more years.
Fill out your signature with your equipment info including any automation and pumps and these guys may have much more specific advice. If you’re at all handy you can really cut some of the cost upfront depending on your electrical and controls.
SWG works most cost efficiently with a VS but can work with any pump really….
Fill out your signature with your equipment info including any automation and pumps and these guys may have much more specific advice. If you’re at all handy you can really cut some of the cost upfront depending on your electrical and controls.
SWG works most cost efficiently with a VS but can work with any pump really….
Ps - once all plumbed and such down the road I think @Newdude said he bought his replacement cell and swapped it out in 10 mins. It’s not a repeat of the same upfront effort
2,
What is your current salt levels in your pool??
Your pool store lady has no clue what she is talking about...
I agree that you will have to replace the cell itself about every 5 to 7 years, but that is far less than the cost of liquid chlorine over the same period.
Thanks,
Jim R.
What is your current salt levels in your pool??
Your pool store lady has no clue what she is talking about...
I agree that you will have to replace the cell itself about every 5 to 7 years, but that is far less than the cost of liquid chlorine over the same period.
Thanks,
Jim R.
- Jan 3, 2023
- 344
- Pool Size
- 9500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I lugged liquid chlorine for two months on my new pool. I installed my new unit before the temps got really toasty. I would NOT go back and I will stand by these experts here in recommending an SWCG. Your pool store person will lose the reoccurring revenue of you purchasing overpriced liquid chlorine with margins that are probably much better than a unit they may or may not be able to sell you as well the opportunity to get add-on sales. Very handy arrangement for them.
Here's the maths on a 25k gallon conversion.
2023 pool season chlorine supply: should I buy now or wait until the summer?
Cheapest I've seen it is 200# of cal hypo tabs for $750. What are the predictions for the 2023 summer? Will it skyrocket during the summer months or will the prices ease a bit with BioLab's reopening? Trying to decide if I should buy now or wait.
www.troublefreepool.com
That has to weigh somewhere in her mind. They exist to sell you stuff, not to help you maintain your pool on the cheap and easy. Period. She sees a one-and-done customer if you go to SWG, possibly not even buying it from her. Thats 5 to 7 years of purchases lost, possibly even more in AR with shorter seasons and less cell runtime. Whether it's 50/50, 80/20 or 20/80, it is a thought for her.
And also, many who have gone SWG don't know what they're doing, and it's every bit as troublesome as mismanaging a Liquid Chlorone pool. In those instances, the store/service gets an easy out blaming the SWG, not the sanitation method/targets that are destined to fail.
It was 10 minutes from couch, to front porch, to garage for a big wrench, to equipment pad to swap, to garbage cans in the driveway, to back to the couch.
The actual swap was 2 mins tops.
Thank you. This is oh so helpful. So it's a red flag if they refuse to install SWG without sealing concrete?
2,
It would be for me..
I have three saltwater pools and they all have some kind of concrete decking.. I have owned them for 10 or more years and none have any kind of sealer. And, NONE of them have any kind of saltwater damage..
Just total Bull Feathers.
A pool store is the very last place I would ever trust to install any equipment..
Thanks,
Jim R.
It would be for me..
I have three saltwater pools and they all have some kind of concrete decking.. I have owned them for 10 or more years and none have any kind of sealer. And, NONE of them have any kind of saltwater damage..
Just total Bull Feathers.
A pool store is the very last place I would ever trust to install any equipment..
Thanks,
Jim R.
I honestly don't know because I've never had a reason to test my salt levels...would the pool store be able to do that I'm guessing?
- Jun 24, 2021
- 16,042
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Yes, may not be accurate, but it is free.
Or you can get a K-1766 Taylor salt test kit.
How are you testing today? If you don't have one, time to get a good test kit...Link-->Test Kits Compared
So if we're not handy folks, and pool stores aren't the place to go for equipment install, then who is???
- Jun 1, 2018
- 16,019
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Well I have to go to the pool store today to spend $40 for my liquid chlorine for the week, so I will ask them to do it. Unfortunately I discovered the TFP method late...after I had already bought a test kit for the summer. This summer, I've been using the Taylor K1004 6 way DPD test kit. But next summer I plan to invest in one of the kits recommended here.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 16,019
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
You can contact different pool builders. Just make sure you know what you want in advance (we can help with that - just tell us about your current equipment/automation etc.)
- Jun 24, 2021
- 16,042
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Aloha Pools and Spas USA - Pool Builders in Union City, Cape Girardeau, St. Louis, Jonesboro and Marion
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- Jun 1, 2018
- 16,019
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
You just need the fas/dpd test (k1515) & the cya test. They can both be had along with the salt test at tftestkits
In actuality the pH is more impt for your pool/patio “damage” than salinity. Ph out of balance effects on metal and stone….I would hazard that the swg gets blamed for what are really ph issues