Pricing out new pool... SWG questions...

Jump to latest Follow Reply
G

gtnos

Well-known member
Jun 9, 2013
549
Newcastle, Oklahoma
after being a BBBer (Troublefree pool method) for so many years, I im considereing a SWG on this next pool, 18 x 42 vinyl inground. We are shopping around with pool builders.

First, I know to start out a pool it will take several hundred lbs of salt, but after that, will I need that much salt every year or is that just an initial amount to get it to go? How much salt do most of you guys use a season?

Second, PB quoted me $1800 on a Pentair Intelichlor SWG. I thought this was high until I checked further and found that the cells run about $550.00 to replace every 5 years! :eek:

that seems really expensive to me. Is there another brand of SWG that isnt so pricey that does a great job or do I just need to suck it up and pay for the Pentair? PB says the Pentair is the top of the line SWG.... price seems to back that... but is it worth it?

Finally, with a SWG it is my understanding that along with checking FC daily I will also need to check salt PPM at least every few days or once a week.... whats the rules on this? I assuming the led indications on the salt cell indicating amount of salt in water are to be taken (pun intended) with a grain of salt? :D

I appreciate any information. I am just wanting to go into this well educated and knowing what im getting into and what is the best way to spend our hard earned $$$.

thanks!
 
I only add 1-2 bags of salt per year now that it is up and running. It doesn’t really change much unless you have to drain the pool down for some reason.

Salt cells are expensive, but your not dumping chlorine in every couple of days. I think I saw somewhere where the cost is about even. It’s just a one time purchase ever 4-5 years instead of an ongoing expense. The only chemical I add is muriatic acid to control ph.
 
I only add a bag or two every couple of years....my cell, being oversized, has toodled along working brilliantly for 7 years now. I anticipate it going for a few more in fact.

I truly believe in oversizing the cell and our PB did it for us before I even knew to do so. <yay for good PB'ers!>

Maddie :flower:
 
The pool we just had built is only a few months old so only added salt 30 days after fill. My last pool that I had for 5 years was also SWG and I never added salt until the cell started to go out and started reading low salt. That ended up being a blessing because it led me to this site!

Just go in knowing that you will still have to add chlorine/bleach during the winter when the water is too cold for the SWG to function properly. And you will more than likely have to add Muriatic Acid every few days. But it saves you having to add a gallon of bleach every other day during the summer.
 
Like you, my local store was asking $1,800 to install a comparable size Pentair or Jandy (can't remember which one) swcg. So I don't think their asking price in unreasonable. My local store didn't include salt for that price either. I couldn't bring myself to do it for that so I went the self-install route (just self-installed a circupool rj 45). I didn't do it at the time of the build due to budget.
 
Nectarologist said:
Like you, my local store was asking $1,800 to install a comparable size Pentair or Jandy (can't remember which one) swcg. So I don't think their asking price in unreasonable. My local store didn't include salt for that price either. I couldn't bring myself to do it for that so I went the self-install route (just self-installed a circupool rj 45). I didn't do it at the time of the build due to budget.
Click to expand...

yeah... I think some of these "extras" im going to do myself later, like the SWG. seems after talking to several of these places they mark up all this stuff, so if its something I can do myself, ill save some coin. 1800 for a SWG that it appears I can get everywhere else for 800-1000 is a bit too much of a markup for me. I get that they are in business to make $$$ and I have no issue with that... but I am in the business to save $$$ as well. lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply