Is a SWG worth it?

[thecabana]

We're going to be planning a pretty big pool renovation and update soon, and are curious if it's worth adding a SWG? Here's our situation...We already need to add a second drain (split our current single drain), update our electric, update automation, replace spa jet system, replace pool and spa lights, resurface plaster, and retile the pool & spa. Pool is gunite, currently has old marcite plaster, built in '94 and I don't think it's been resurfaced or anything since then. 17,700 gallons with attached spa. In central TX, gets ~6 hours of full sun in the heat of the day, shaded by trees and our house in the morning and early evening. We currently use liquid chlorine primarily to sanitize, sometimes using pucks when we're away for more than a couple days. I've tried to do research on SWGs but am getting mixed info if it's worth it for our situation because of the intense sun and heat we have. Any thoughts?

 

[PoolStored]

Definitely worth it. Take mine away, I fill in the pool. Get at least a 40K cell.

Here is an economic analysis.

SWG How It Works - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[JJ_Tex]

1000% worth it. Builders and pool stores are against them, partly because of ignorance and partly because they don't make as much $ off people with them.

 

[wireform]

What @PoolStored said.

 

[TinFoilHat]

In a clean and sanitized pool the SWG will maintain your chlorine more consistently (when set up properly) than you can with liquid chlorine. The SWG is for maintenance of the FC and you will use liquid chlorine to get the FC where you want it first. Your replaster will use lots of muriatic acid for a year or two so be prepared for that.

 

[pjt]

curious if it's worth adding a SWG?

Absolutely yes, especially in our Texas climate.

We already need to add a second drain (split our current single drain)

You could also seal off the main drain and remove it from service.

I've tried to do research on SWGs but am getting mixed info if it's worth it for our situation because of the intense sun and heat we have. Any thoughts?

You should get a SWCG precisely because you have sun and heat.

How did you end up with a mixed bag of equipment? (Pentair pump, Hayward filter, Jandy automation, etc.) It would be best if your automation, pump, SWCG, and heater were all the same brand so they communicate correctly with each other.

 

[thecabana]

Absolutely yes, especially in our Texas climate.


You could also seal off the main drain and remove it from service.


You should get a SWCG precisely because you have sun and heat.

How did you end up with a mixed bag of equipment? (Pentair pump, Hayward filter, Jandy automation, etc.) It would be best if your automation, pump, SWCG, and heater were all the same brand so they communicate correctly with each other.

If the main drain is sealed, how is the pool drained if needed? Does the water then only circulate back to the pump from the skimmers? (We have 2)

The pool is old (1994) and has had equipment replaced on and off throughout the years I'm assuming. We bought our house in 2022, so the way it is now is how we received it. I'd hate to stomach the expense of replacing all of it, especially the things that are working fine, and especially since we have SO much else to do, but it's something I'll ask the contractor we decide to work with. The heater, for example, is only 6 years old per the last owner. The other equipment predated them, I believe.

 

[thecabana]

In a clean and sanitized pool the SWG will maintain your chlorine more consistently (when set up properly) than you can with liquid chlorine. The SWG is for maintenance of the FC and you will use liquid chlorine to get the FC where you want it first. Your replaster will use lots of muriatic acid for a year or two so be prepared for that.

That's a helpful tip, thanks!

 

[PoolStored]

If the main drain is sealed, how is the pool drained if needed? Does the water then only circulate back to the pump from the skimmers? (We have 2)

Sump pump or Trash pump. LOTS of pools do not have a main drain. I have a 30K pool with two skimmers, no main. Works great.

 

[Dirk]

Ditch the drains. I did in a re-plaster and it was a great decision. They added directional return fittings when they replastered (that's possible, too, if you don't have them), and that greatly improved circulation. Ports that suck water (drains and skimmer) don't move the water around, only the water that is within about a foot of them, if that. It's the returns, pushing the water, that circulates your pool. With properly tuned directional returns, you'll get your pool water circling the pool (like a toilet flushing), and that will improve surface skimming, too.

They're adding a second drain to make it safer. One drain is a pretty dangerous hazard in a pool. They can cause injury and drownings. So a second drain makes them less of a hazard. Know which drain configuration is safest? No drains at all!

I have something wrong with my SWG. It's been a few days of manually adding liquid chlorine every day while I figure out what's going on. It's pretty awful... test, pour, test, pour, test, pour. Every day! I don't know how, OR WHY, people do it. I can't wait to get mine fixed and get back to normal! After you've used your SWG for a bit, don't be too hard on yourself, as you curse yourself for not getting one sooner!!

 

[SecoSteve]

It sounds like the main drain is working now, but just needs to be changed to bring it up to code for safety.

The SWG is a great idea and makes taking care of the pool soooo much easier!!

 

[Dirk]

PS. Did anyone mention? Years ago we did the math and found that the cost of an SWG, over time, was about equivalent to the cost of using liquid chlorine. So the main advantage was the convenience: no more buying and lugging chlorine jugs every few days, no more storing it all somewhere, no more worrying about finding and maintaining fresh chlorine (it degrades while sitting around).

But now, while both chlorine and SWGs have gone up in price, they didn't do so equally. SWGs are now considerably cheaper to run. The cost is upfront, but the ROI doesn't take long, and then the savings really kick in.

And I can leave my pool for a week, easy (I only test once a week when the thing is working correctly). And could probably go two weeks, no problem.

 

[wayner]

YES!

 

[Newdude]

So all the units have different outputs and all, but the Pentair IC40 will produce over 700 gallons of 10% worth of chlorine, fc to fc.

Besides the lugging of 706 jugs, it'd cost $4333.26 out the door at Walmart.


An IC60 would produce a hair over 1000 jugs worth, costing $6137.75. And again, you'd be lugging *1041* jugs.

*I don't even care what you pay to install them. They clean up with the first cell. Future cells make BANK not needing the instal parts / labor and $500 control unit.

 

[pjt]

If the main drain is sealed, how is the pool drained if needed?

Submersible pump or transfer pump. Under normal circumstances, you should never have to drain your pool, except for a replaster (once every ~25 years).

Does the water then only circulate back to the pump from the skimmers? (We have 2)

Yes. This is exactly how my pool is configured (2 skimmers, no main drain). I would recommend sealing off the main drain.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

I have had an AG pool for about 22 years. On my last pool, chlorine was managed with bleach and Cal Hypo mostly with Trichlor pucks in a feeder when on vacation. Our old pool was taken down and we were without a pool for about 2 years. I used to go get bleach on a weekly basis and store the jugs in my house to make sure they didn't get less potent. I had a 30 lb tub of cal hypo in the garage and a 30 lb tub of Trichlor in my backyard under the deck. I'm not going to lie, chlorine and bleach was relatively cheap back even 5 years ago and my system worked OK as long as I tested the parameters and switch when something got too high. It was a pain when going on vacation because I had no control in where I needed to put the chlorinator dial to get the level of chlorine the pool needed; I just loaded the pucks in and put the dial to 4.

In 2022 we decided to get a new pool and I added a SWG to the bundle. I finally have it working (I screwed up the salt chemistry last year) and have to say it is so easy and if we were to go on vacation there's nothing to worry about. My free chlorine level has been at 7.5 PPM for days now with a solar cover on the pool and all I have to do these days is test the water. No adding chlorine, no storage of chlorine and the chlorine level seems consistent.

If you can spring for it, get one. It should make your pool chlorinating life much easier!

 

[wayner]

If the main drain is sealed, how is the pool drained if needed? Does the water then only circulate back to the pump from the skimmers? (We have 2)

How does the main drain help you drain your pool? Maybe that depends on your system - I have a paper cartridge filter and using my pump there is no way to direct the water out of the pool. The only place for the water to go is in the return jets to the pool.

 

[TinFoilHat]

My cartridge filter has a 2" drain on it with a ball valve but maybe that is pertinent only to specific filters. I only use it when I wash out the filter while changing the cartridges. I did use it once for draining the pool but as mentioned it's a lot of work for a pump to drain a pool so a submersible pump is best for that, which is what I actually use when draining to my cleanout.

 

[Newdude]

I had a 3 way valve to waste with my 1st pools cartridge filter, but I could overflow the drainage field so I would pop my SWG and use two 10' pieces of corrugated drain pipe at the equipment pad to have 2 drain paths to alternate.

Now I have a farm behind me and it's downhill so I just let it rip.

@wayner it looks like you have room for a 3way after the pump if you wanted to add a waste port.

 

[Dirk]

Are you doing anything to the deck? If so, you could install an auto-leveling system and you'd never have to think about filling or draining your pool ever again. I wouldn't own a pool without one, especially in Texas.