In-line chlorinator Setup

[DianneN]

Thanks for the heater answer in my prior post.

Please can you help me with an in-line chlorinator setup question. The pool setup guy has the chlorinator really high up (I mean high elevation). It’s as high as the flow outlet into the pool. I have two worries with this. First off, I read somewhere it needs to be on the ground to prevent backflow. The second is will it be putting weight on the pool wall and eventually breaking the metal/plastic fitting? Lastly, I read there should be a check valve to separate the heater and the chlorinator. Are these valid concerns?

I'm going to try to attach a picture but I don't see the tab by options for attachments. Maybe if I use a different browser

[DianneN]

[DianneN]

I found the option to add the pic on the quick reply. Please let me know your thoughts on my setup. I'm a little worried because I really have no idea how experienced the guys I hired are.

[Denniswiseman]

I would go by what the instructions say.
If they haven't left any go online
Generally a check valve is fitted to prevent chlorinated water backflowing into the heat pump
Bear in mind that your pucks contain CYA
Excessive CYA renders your chlorine ineffective and you have to use more to get the same sanitation
For every 10 ppm Free Chlorine (FC) added by Trichlor, it also increases Cyanuric Acid (CYA) by 6 ppm.
For every 10 ppm FC added by Dichlor, it also increases CYA by 9 ppm.
For every 10 ppm FC added by Cal-Hypo, it also increases Calcium Hardness (CH) by at least 7 ppm
To reduce your CYA you have to do a partial drain and refill
Continuous use of Trichlor/Dichlor will raise your CYA which means you have to raise your chlorine level as well

[DianneN]

oh that's really interesting information. So basically I'll be feeding a monster! I'll add chlorine with CYA and as I keep building up the CYA, I'll need to keep adding more and more chlorine. Ok so I kind of get why the in-line chlorinator may not have been the way to go. Maybe I should have learned about salt systems. Well, for now I think I'm stuck with this. I'll have to watch those CYA numbers and see how fast they grow. I'm not adverse to freshening up the water every so often and doing a partial drain/refill but I don't want that need to become excessive. It's a 12 x 20 pool, so not very big. It doesn't have a water source so I'll be using a sub-pump and a garden hose to accomplish this.

Great info, thanks so much. Maybe I leave it for now and build a little stool for the chlorinator to sit on but push the issue of having him come back to install the check valve. That'll at least protect the heater from any backflow. It seems the worst case then would be the pool water might backflow into the chlorinator and chlorinator may not be effective in delivering the chlorine into the pool. I'll have to watch for that too I guess.

All this because I read that the floating chlorinator is bad for the vinyl liner! That did make sense though because it'll probably sit near the skimmer and it may deteriorate the vinyl or bleach it.

I hardly slept last night worrying about all this!!! Ughh this is rough!!!

Thanks again!

[Denniswiseman]

Don't panic, learn a little at a time

Salt systems (SWCG) are expensive and have a finite life use liquid chlorine

When the system is still there shouldn't be any reverse circulation just the chance of a concentrated chlorine seeping back to the heat pump

Use these common products to balance your pool
Liquid chlorine (sodium hypochlorite or plain bleach) when you reach your correct CYA level
Muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) to lower pH and TA
Bicarbonate of soda to raise TA
Aeration will raise pH only
Soda ash will raise pH and TA

Interesting reading
Slam (Shock Level and Maintain) with relation to Chlorine / CYA Chart and Recommended Pool Levels
Pool Maths

Test strips are commonly called guess strips
A good investment is a decent FAS/DPD test kit (Taylor K2006c or TF Testkits TF100 in the states) to get accurate results as maintaining an appropiate shock level means testing quite often during the day

[DianneN]

Great, thanks so much for all of this information. I'll start reading the links you sent. Good advice too, I'll try not to panic! I'm just going to keep reading and working at this.

[Denniswiseman]

Anything you're not sure of just come back and we'll do our best to help