Watermiad salt water chlorinator

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Alou49
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Posts: 5
Joined: Sat 28 May, 2011 18:17
My Pool: 40X20 Vinyl pool, salt water chlorinator, DE filter
Location: CT

Watermiad salt water chlorinator

Postby Alou49 » Sun 29 May, 2011 19:15

For those of you who continue to pollute your pools and yourselves with chlorine, it is time to convert to salt water chlorination. The big chemical companies don't like to hear this, but you are damaging yourselves and your children, by using chlorine for your pools. Sure it is cheap, but think of your health and that of your kids.

I have been using a salt water chlorinator (specifically Watermaid) for the last 16 years. During that time, I have had three different pools and converted each to salt water chlorination. The low level of salt in the pool actually acts as a buffer to reduce pH swings, and it allows your children and yourself to swim with your eyes open in the pool, without suffering.

Do it, if not for yourself, then for any child that may share your pool with you! :D


newbie123

Watermiad salt water chlorinator

Postby newbie123 » Thu 02 Jun, 2011 02:03

I don't understand the salt water chlorinator systems. Can't I get the same effect of softer water by just adding water softener salt along with the chlorine rather than paying for a system to convert it to chlorine?
chem geek
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Joined: Thu 21 Jun, 2007 21:27
Location: San Rafael, California

Watermiad salt water chlorinator

Postby chem geek » Thu 02 Jun, 2011 13:07

Yes, you can add salt to your pool to get the saltwater feel -- for that purpose, people usually raise the salt level to around 1500 ppm rather than the 3000 ppm in saltwater chlorine generator pools. The saltwater chlorine generator is for convenience since it creates chlorine automatically from the salt in the pool so you don't have to buy chlorine elsewhere and add it to the pool manually (or refill containers for automatic dosing systems like The Liquidator or a peristaltic pump).
Guest

Watermiad salt water chlorinator

Postby Guest » Wed 08 Jun, 2011 08:58

Great information!
scarolinagirl2968

Watermiad salt water chlorinator

Postby scarolinagirl2968 » Wed 29 Jun, 2011 19:32

I need help here. I have had a salt system for 3 1/2 years and all of a sudden last year my railings rusted so bad and underneath them also. They are a mess. Someone told me that a salt system over time will do this to an above ground pool with metal railings. I loved my salt system never , ever had cloudy water. Well I ask this one pool person that was suppose to know about pools and he said that he highly doubts if the reason my railings rusted was because of my salt system but because my ph was was out of wack. I use a Aqua-check digital to check my pool and it never showed up that it wasn't right. I bought all this stuff to turn my pool into chlorine and as I read the forums it just sounds like alot of work which I didn't have to do on my salt system. Do you think that it was my ph was not right or do you think that it was the salt system with my metal railings? I need to know because I am getting a new liner and railings and I need to know what I should do. Thank you
givemeabreak

Watermiad salt water chlorinator

Postby givemeabreak » Mon 08 Aug, 2011 01:57

Quit with the scare tactics and saving the children! Salt water systems convert the salt to chlorine, so your still are swimming in chlorine and also salt too. I was unaware that salt doesn't burn your eyes nowadays, maybe I'll rub some in my eyes just to make sure your right.
another salt peddler lol

Watermiad salt water chlorinator

Postby another salt peddler lol » Mon 08 Aug, 2011 16:50

LOL salt pools are a big JOKE! Enjoy buying salt cells that only come with a 1yr warranties for a reason and cost $500-600 a pop. You stop buying chlorine and start buying muriatic acid by the case hahahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahahha
seaevil

Watermiad salt water chlorinator

Postby seaevil » Fri 12 Aug, 2011 00:34

Now we have big evil salt companies to take their place. As far as your issues with rust, you now have introduced two corrosive's to your pool, salt and chlorine. My advice would be to use a chlorinater (tablets) and get rid of the salt b.s. it is just a gimmick (the new "fad"). With salt, you still need to shock your pool every so often, plus use algaside and like the previous guy/girl said your ph is all over the place so you have to use muratic acid (nasty chemical) way more than with tabs. So really there is no no no logical/ financial reason to use salt- plus every 3 to 5 years you have to change the guts of the salt generator at $300 + $s a POP. But if you still want the feel and taste of salt in your pool; do what the other Blogger said and pour salt (mortons pool salt-the mostd pure) in a regular chlorine pool to get the same feel (just use half the amount) like he/she said. Spread the word about these deceiving salt peddlers, do your research and price comparisons.
TSH Tech

Watermiad salt water chlorinator

Postby TSH Tech » Sat 13 Aug, 2011 01:42

I've been in the pool business for several years. I absolutely loath salt systems in residential pools. And personally, I think they're crap in the residential arena.

Salt generators are the best application for only 2 conditions:
1) Large public/olympic sized pools or mansion pools over 50,000 gallons.
2) An individual that has a severe allergic skin reaction to bromine or trichlor/calhypo chlorine

Salt generator companies sell the 'fluff', but they don't tell you all you are doing is trading one problem for another. The dirty little secret with salt generators is that they make a by-product of lye. Lye is alkaline, which means Muriatic acid needs to be dumped into the pool every week. You wonder why you Ph is so high, now you know. Then, within 4 weeks, your total alkalinity is all screwed up. So you go out and buy a bag of Sodium Bicarbonate and dump a few lbs. into the pool. Then the cycle starts all over again with the muriatic acid to the bag of Sodium Bicarbonate. So you've been told that you no longer have to buy chlorine, but you now have to buy a host of other chemicals just to combat the effects of salt generators producing chlorine.

Salt generator companies do not tell the consumer(entirely) the life span on salt generators is that of a halogen light bulb or less! You cannot buy new plates, you have to buy the entire generator. I've seen in my experience, plenty of homeowners who would rather blow $1000 on a new lake watercraft or dirt bikes, than $1000 for a new replacement salt generator they bought 2 years ago. And wonder why it's not working and why the 'poolman' isn't doing his job.

Salt generator companies do not say up front regarding ancillary chemical preparation and costs associated with just getting the pool ready, this is usually buried in the back pages of the user manual that nobody reads. There are certain filter criteria that must be met, not every filter type and especially any legacy stainless steel filter bodies will work.

Salt in itself is not corrosive, only when electrolysis is present does the presence of salt accelerate metal deterioration. Here's the catch, electrolysis exists in water! Moreso when the salt generator is plugged in!

No, salt water generators are not all they are cracked up to be. There is more general information in this post about salt water generators than you will ever hear from a 'buddy' who says they're really cool.
I would rather have my customers take that money reserved for a Salt Generator, and buy an LED pool light. 300-500 watt light bulb vs. 20 watt LED, you do the kilowatt/hr math.
SIMON

Watermiad salt water chlorinator

Postby SIMON » Thu 24 Nov, 2011 04:04

I agree, but I would not recommend Watermaid. I had one, which was effective, but the service is so poor that when I needed to, I could not get a new electrode for it. So I had to switch to another brand. :(
hbdiver
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My Pool: 14,000 gal 30mm vinyl in ground pool. 40 years old on my 6th liner. Installed last one on June 1 2011. Have a cartridge filter system with an [APURE1400]Jandy® AquaPure Salt Water Chlorination System (Up to 40000 gals). 1hp pool motor.
Location: Chino Hills, CA

Watermiad salt water chlorinator

Postby hbdiver » Sun 27 Nov, 2011 16:53

I just completed a year using the [APURE1400]Jandy® AquaPure Salt Water Chlorination System
(Up to 40000 gals). I installed it my self, very simple. My pool is only 14,000 gallons.
This has been the most carefree summer I have had in 40 years. I had to replace the liner in May 2011, not related to the salt system, or my costs would have been much less than the years before the salt system. I still check my PH and CL once a week but alkalinity, cyanuric acid and calcium once a month. I run my pool 8 hours in the summer, ave 78 degree water, and 5 hours in the winter average temp in winter about 56 degrees.
I did buy 3 gallons of acid because I read that I would be using a lot to keep my pool stable. I still have 1 quart left after a year.
I do use my pool in the winter, I teach SCUBA diving classes in it and it must pass the health inspection.
I guess I haven't had the experience of 16 years above or none as those that don't have a salt system, but I will report back here next year with a follow up on costs and any unexpected crisis that may occur.
I am totally satisfied with my salt system!

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