SWG or wait?

[Aquitaine]

Brand new to pool care and just ordered my Taylor test kit and picked up some liquid chlorine to get me through the next couple of weeks. But an SWG seems like the way to go for me - I'm fine with an up-front cost if it saves some (not all) regular maintenance and lets me go away for a week without having to train people on my pool.

But the cost seems to have gone through the roof lately. The question is: Is this here to stay for the next couple of years, or should we expect costs to go back down in 3-6 months?

It seems like everybody around here with an SWG loves it, but ya'll bought yours for 50-60% of the cost today. Would you have paid more?

 

[mguzzy]

The short answer is yes... its still worth it for the convenience and time it saves you.

And BTW.. welcome to the Forum!

 

[Oly]

My opinion, higher prices are here to stay. I like options and not being limited to one source and now have available three chlorine sources the primary being my SWG. Rising prices and availability seems to be affecting everything, so keep your options open and avoid analysis paralysis.

 

[markayash]

I love mine but paid $850. Not sure if I would have done it for $1500 which seems to be the current price.
But it make pool live so much easier, not only don't have to drag chlorine in and out but because its a constant feed a lot less likely to have algae sneak in.

Other side of the coin is some folks are having trouble finding chlorine.

 

[drsipe]

Doing the math, 1 gallon of 10% sodium hypochlorite contains about 1LB of chlorine, current price is about $3.50 per gallon.

DSP currently is selling a Circupool RJ60+ for $1689, which is capable (as per the official specs) 3.1 lb. of chlorine in 24 hours @ 100%, and is listed to have a 15000 hour lifespan. That equates to about 1937 lb. of chlorine over it's lifespan, of the cell which means you are spending about $0.87 per pound of chlorine.

Compared to $3.50 per pound of chlorine in sodium hypochlorite, the Circupool RJ60+ is a bargain.

When the cell does reach it's end of life, you should only need to replace the cell which is currently $800, so using the same calculations, with the replacement cell you are looking at about $0.42 per pound of chlorine, an even better bargain.

Now, with all that said, will the cell actually produce that much chlorine, I don't know. will the cell last 15000 hours, again I don't know, and will the replacement cells always cost $800,,,, that one I do know, they will go up in price, or they will become obsolete and you would need a new system.

I converted to SWG this spring, even though my pool builder recommended that I not convert, they had concerns that my fittings and sleeves would not hold up the salt (I think they liked selling me powders and potions). I love the slow constant flow of chlorine into the pool, I find it easier to hold a consistent chlorine level without the peaks when I was pouring in hypochlorite.

We each have to make our own decision, the SWGs are expensive, but in the long run they are cheaper, and more convenient.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Darin]

The way chlorine prices are this year you may have wanted to buy the SWG before the pool!

 

[Newdude]

I just bought mine for $1500 and I would have paid triple and not even blinked. The larger the pool, the quicker the ROI. I had and am rebuilding a 35k gallon pool. Even with an easier northern season, that’s a stupid amount of liquid chlorine needed. More to buy, more to lug, more to add. Nah. I like my little Buddy. I test weekly. Everything is fine. I pet the SWG like the dog. Who’s a good boy ??? YOU’S A GOOD BOY !!!!!!!

That convince cannot not be overstated. I had my next SWG before I had a build contract. It was that important to me.

 

[jark87]

I agree with the other SWCG proponents here - it’s a convenience I wouldn’t give up, even at double the price. Unfortunately, the manufacturers will figure that out and push the limit on what the market will support. And everyone who has one will be in the market for another one at some point. They don’t last forever.

 

[phonedave]

I can't remember what I paid, but it was not as much as they are now. My SWG is great.

When I was using bleach, I had my pool dialed in. I added a quart of bleach a day. I didn't even have to test. I would test every couple of days and all would be good. Still, I had to go out to the pool shed, get the bleach, add it to the pool, put the bleach back etc. I also had to buy bleach every 2-3 weeks or so. It was not horrible work by any stretch. However with the SWG I don't have to do anything. I can leave my pool for a week while I go on vacation with no ill effects. I keep some liquid shock on hand, just in case something goes sideways, but I rarely use it. I would buy my SWG again.

 

[markayash]

I had the same internal debate with a robot $700 , "isn't my Polaris doing a good enough job" after buying it " why did I wait so long"

 

[clambert1273]

I bought mine last year pretty cheapish from DSP, they had the upgrade to next size deal so I took that. I paid for the smaller and got the 40 which was perfect for me. I just went and looked mine up currently and on there it is 1299 and I would do that in a heartbeat.

 

[markayash]

I bought mine last year pretty cheapish from DSP, they had the upgrade to next size deal so I took that. I paid for the smaller and got the 40 which was perfect for me. I just went and looked mine up currently and on there it is 1299 and I would do that in a heartbeat.

That's how I got mine, think my edge 40 was $849. I bought in 2020 before all the COVAD stuff hit and glad since everybody was saying they can't find bleach

 

[clambert1273]

That's how I got mine, think my edge 40 was $849. I bought in 2020 before all the COVAD stuff hit and glad since everybody was saying they can't find bleach

We haven't had a chlorine problem here if I can't grab at walmart I go to my pool store & grab hasa LC

 

[Aquitaine]

Thanks, everybody.

I have an 11,000-ish gallon pool with ... this pump ... and an Aqualink RS4 controller. Is there a particular SWG brand I should steer toward (or away from)? I read that I should get one rated for 2x the size of the pool but that still seems like a smaller one might be good enough?

 

[clambert1273]

Thanks, everybody.

I have an 11,000-ish gallon pool with ... this pump ... and an Aqualink RS4 controller. Is there a particular SWG brand I should steer toward (or away from)? I read that I should get one rated for 2x the size of the pool but that still seems like a smaller one might be good enough?

My pool isnt much larger at 12k gals and my edge 40 keeps it nice and stable at a lower output level

 

[Jimrahbe]

A,

You want a SWCG system that your RS4 can control... In my tiny mind, it does not make sense to have a standalone SWCG if you have an automation system..

I am not up on the Aqualink, but I suspect the manual will tell you which Salt system are compatible.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[mguzzy]

I converted to SWG this spring, even though my pool builder recommended that I not convert, they had concerns that my fittings and sleeves would not hold up the salt (I think they liked selling me powders and potions). I love the slow constant flow of chlorine into the pool, I find it easier to hold a consistent chlorine level without the peaks when I was pouring in hypochlorite.

Your Fittings and Sleeves! they should be all plastic!.. geeze those builder guys sometimes... The slow constant chlorine level was my favorite discovery... it made all the other chem tweaking easier since the chlorine additions was more stable!

 

[Aquitaine]

It looks like Jandy/Aqualink wants to work with Aquapure, but that you can get an adapter for CircuPool stuff to work with Aqualink. I can't find anything here about anybody actually having done this, though.

 

[drsipe]

Your Fittings and Sleeves! they should be all plastic!.. geeze those builder guys sometimes... The slow constant chlorine level was my favorite discovery... it made all the other chem tweaking easier since the chlorine additions was more stable!

My sleeves are actually a white metal/aluminum material, and I'm sure salt is hard on that material, but probably not any harsher than chlorine is, or the salt that remains in the pool as the chlorine is exhausted.

I wish I had bronze sleeves installed whe I built the pool, but my Delorian is broke down, so I can' t travel back in time to change the sleeves. If and when they deteriate, I will deal with it then.

 

[mguzzy]

Well the salinity of most SWG pools is ~3400 ppm ... that is half of your tears. So you are in no danger of salt corrosion. The ocean by comparison is 10 times that at 34,000 ppm. That's was everyone thinks of when you say salt pool, that kind of salinity, but its just not that high.