How it works…the truth

This may not surprise most of you reading this, but salt generators are actually creating chlorine! Some people are still surprised by this fact when they start asking about salt systems. Water travels through a “cell” in the pool’s circulation system. The cell contains layers of metallic plates that are electrically charged by the generator’s power supply. The process of electrolysis converts the salt to a form of liquid chlorine. This creates an instant and continuous source of free chlorine in the water. As the chlorine is used up, it converts back to salt allowing it to be generated into chlorine again. Because of its continuous chlorine production, there is less need for shocking or adding chlorine manually, yet there are times when a salt water pool will require the use of another type of chlorine. See the table below for adding salt (“Salt Demand”). Most manufacturers recommend around 3200 ppm of salt in the pool water to efficiently produce chlorine in the cell. Humans can usually taste salt around 5000 ppm. So, you shouldn’t be able to taste the salt in your pool water. The Pacific Ocean, incidentally, has a salinity level of 36000 ppm, more than ten times the salinity of pool water.

Some people comment that their pool water is “softer” now with salt than it used to be on their old system. Softness has to do with calcium hardness and not salinity. So unless the homeowner filled the pool from a soft water system, this statement is usually inaccurate. However, there is less “combined” chlorine in the water with salt systems, reducing chlorine odors and eye irritation. If you have ever walked into a public pool facility, you may have noticed the smell of “chlorine.” Most people assume that this is because of extremely high chlorine levels. In fact, the smell comes from “free” chlorine getting used up. As chlorine gets used up because of high swimmer loads and bather waste, the chlorine combines into “chloramines,” which are inactive or “dead” chlorine molecules. There is still chlorine in the water, but it is “bound up” with itself, unable to sanitize, creating the typical public pool smell. So, saltwater pools, with their continuous source of free chlorine, typically don’t have a public pool smell to them.

Salt, similar to calcium and cyanuric acid, stays in the water unless the water is diluted. Backwashing, bather splashing, and evaporation all require the addition of water throughout the pool season, effectively diluting the pool water. Typically, adding just a few bags of Pool Salt a couple times during the pool season will keep the salt levels where they should be.  Always have your salt level checked several times during the pool season. (See “Salt Demand” table below for top-off and start-up salt doses.)

Most generators are equipped with a sensor that tests salinity levels, but it only checks at certain time intervals. So, if you have just added salt, or are opening your pool, give the system some time (24-48 hours) to display an accurate salt level.

pH & Alkalinity

Anything that enters your pool water has a pH.  Humans, animals, leaves, rain, chemicals, or whatever will affect pH in the water. So what about salt? Well, salt itself does not drastically change pH or Alkalinity.  But the liquid form of chlorine generated by the salt cell will cause high pH swings (see “Disinfectant Characteristics”). The chlorine in salt pools is most similar to liquid chlorine with a similar pH. Of course nobody will tell you this when you are signing a pool construction contract or paying a pool guy to put one in, but salt systems will actually increase your pH and Alkalinity. One of the symptoms of a pool with extra high alkalinity is a clear green hue to the water. This is a common symptom especially during seasons when source water is already high in alkalinity. Since the chlorine generated in salt pools is very similar to liquid chlorine, salt pool owners have a unique challenge to constantly maintain their pH. Furthermore, since the total alkalinity acts as a buffer for pH, it is an even greater feat to keep alkalinity down. Allowing Alkalinity and pH to rise without any action will result in water that may allow staining or scaling. Since most Salt system customers have been told they don’t have to do anything but put salt in their water, we often find that a few years after installing their salt system, pool owners have to deal with scaling problems, plaster staining, or unusual water colors. Among these pools we also encounter cells that inaccurately sense the lack of salt due to scale buildup on the sensor. One of the simplest, yet mostly ignored, maintenance procedures is to acid wash the salt cell a couple times per season. Ask your pool professional to perform this or consult your pool dealer or equipment manual for help doing this on your own.

ORP controllers

Stay with me on this one. In most commercial pool systems, Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) controllers are used to automatically detect the oxidizing capacity present in the pool water. Oxidizers such as chlorine, bromine, and ozone accept electrons, while decreasers such as sodium bisulfate and sodium thiosulfate lose electrons. So, an increase in oxidation will result in a decrease in reduction and vice versa. The controller’s platinum probe sensors detect electron activity, and depending on the water’s ability to oxidize or reduce itself, the controller will activate feeding pumps which will dose the appropriate chemicals such as liquid chlorine and/or hydrochloric acid. These pumps may switch on many times a day to maintain pH and chlorine levels. It is common for a 40,000 gallon public pool to dose between 5 and 15 gallons of acid solution per week in order to keep up with the acid demand caused by liquid chlorine. Pool systems that already have acid pumps installed are good candidates for salt chlorinators since they already have a way to continuously dose acid.

Cyanuric acid

As is the case with Liquid Chlorine, the chlorine in salt pools is being generated continuously without any protection from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. This is what we refer to as “unstabilized chlorine.” The “stabilizer” required is called Cyanuric acid. There are also stabilized forms of chlorine such as Chlorine Tablets (Trichlor) or Granular Chlorine (Dichlor). Using these types of chlorine in your pool will offer some protection, but the cyanuric acid level should still be tested by a pool professional to ensure UV protection against the sun. Indoor pools need no stabilizer since they have no UV exposure.

90% of unstabilized chlorine is destroyed by the UV radiation from the sun within two hours. Salt cell manufacturers Pentair and GoldLine both require the presence of more than 50ppm cyanuric acid in the water to protect the Chlorine from burn out. In fact, in a recent phone call to Pentair regarding an issue with a salt cell at a jobsite, the Manufacturer told us they would not warrant the service until we could show that the Cyanuric acid level was above 90ppm in the pool water.

Pool owners have many positive and negative aspects they should consider before they convert their pools to salt systems. While swimming in salt water is considered more enjoyable than swimming in traditionally chlorinated pools, the costs of initial installation and keeping up repairs can be off-putting to some homeowners. Here are some of the pros and cons of converting to a saline pool system.

Maintenance
Maintaining your saline pool is easier than maintaining a chlorinated pool. Because your salt system converts the salt to the needed chlorine, you are not having to constantly add more chlorine to your pool. This makes maintenance much easier. You still have to check your pool’s water for the appropriate chemical levels, but you do not have to be constantly pouring in buckets of chemicals to keep your pool safe.

Softer Water
Although saltwater pools do still contain chlorine, their water is much milder than in traditional systems. They are also not nearly as salty as you might imagine, having a salt content that is more like that in human tears than ocean water. This makes for a much more pleasant experience with swimming because opening your eyes underwater will not sting or burn the way it would if you opened your eyes in a conventional pool system.

Chemical Costs
One of the huge advantages saline systems have over traditional chlorine systems is that the chemicals necessary to keep the water safe are substantially cheaper. Salt does not evaporate in the same way as chlorine, so you are not faced with the frequent expense of replacing evaporated chlorine-instead, you have to pay the minimal cost of adding salt only a couple of times a season (at worst).

Initial Cost
One of the major cons that homeowners face when they are considering converting their system to a saltwater pool is the initial cost. Most pool owners find this cost to be manageable, but it is a minimum of several hundred dollars to purchase and have the chlorine generator installed. Your pool may also have other specific needs before it is converted, so you should be certain you know all of the costs involved before you commit to converting. Your pool repair and installation contractor will be able to give you a full estimate before you begin switching your system.

Repair Costs
It’s one of the facts of chemistry that salt is a corrosive substance. Because of this, the metal in your saltwater pool is going to undergo more corrosion than it might in a chlorine-only pool. Since many parts of your pool do rely on metal pieces, you may need to replace various parts of your pool more frequently than you might have to with a chlorinated pool. Some experts suggest that some of this corrosion comes from improperly maintained chlorine levels, but the presence of salt does contribute as well.

Whether you opt to convert your pool to a salt system or choose to stay with the chlorine pool you already have, be sure to contact a pool maintenance company to keep your pool running at its best. A qualified pool maintenance company can make your conversion to a saline pool a breeze, and they can also make the regular chemical balancing of a chlorine only system easy too.

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While they were once only used sporadically, today, salt water pools are becoming more and more popular for homeowners. However, although many salt water pool manufacturers promote the ease of converting your pool to a salt water system, the pool treatment methods are not any easier than those of a typical pool. Before your convert your system, it is important to understand how it works and why you should (and should not) consider converting.

Salt treatment begins with understanding exactly how salt water pools’ chlorination systems work. The basis behind this system is that you do not have to add chlorination for this treatment. However, that does not mean that there is no chlorine. That’s actually a common misconception. There are chemicals in a saltwater pool. Treatment is still necessary, and although you do not have to manually add chlorine (in most cases), there is still chlorine in the system. The chlorine, however, comes from the salt itself.

A salt system is not the same as swimming in the ocean. In fact, the water in a pool system is actually still considered fresh water because there is only a very low level of salt in it (there’s more salt in your eyes). However, this amount of salt, when put through a control box, can create enough chlorination to keep your pool clean, blue and safe for swimmers.

The control box on a salt water pool treatment system is a device that actually sends electricity through the sale. The longer the electricity runs through the salt, the more chlorinated the water will be. The pool treatment system should automatically control this, but you’ll still need to use test strips to test for chemicals often. You can control how chlorinated the water is using the salt control knob. In addition, with the control box, you can tell when you need to add more salt to the system.

Although you will not have to add chlorine as part of your salt water pool treatment program, you will have to continuously check for alkalinity and pH level. It is a good idea to check your water once a week if you use it moderately and even more often if you use it often or get a lot of rain, which can affect the acidity levels. As part of your pool treatment plan, you also need to check the calcium levels in your pool. With too much calcium, your pool water will be “hard” and may leave unsightly build up along the steps and tiles. In addition, excess calcium in your salt water can clog the pump and control box system.

Salt water pool treatment is, for some, a better option than a typical chlorinated pool system. Keep in mind, however, that there are other options as well, and that natural pools are also becoming more popular. Pool treatment is an issue no matter what kind of pool you have, so don’t make the mistake of thinking there is no work involved with having a pool.

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Another important benefit is more of a long-term one. In the short term, converting from chlorine to a salt water pool will involve some cash outlay, since there are a few system components you’ll need to by. It’ll run approximately $1400-$1800 to convert a traditional chlorine system to a salt water system. Over two or three years however, the money you spend is recouped due to not having to buy extra chlorine for the pool. Just a bag of salt which is much less expensive.

Just to be clear though, salt water pools do in fact use chlorine to sanitize the water. So if you are not adding chlorine tablets or shock, how does that work?

A Salt Chlorinator manufacturers its own chlorine when pool water passes through the electrolytic cell.

It works because of the chemical composition of salt, which is made up of chlorine and sodium. Within the salt water system is a unit called a salt-chlorine generator, which uses electrolysis to generate chlorine by separating the sodium and chlorine molecules in the salt you add to the pool. As the generator unit separates out the chlorine, it’s returned to the pool, where it keeps the water clean and sanitary.

A well-maintained salt pool is an absolute delight to swim in with softer, more comfortable water that doesn’t irritate. It doesn’t taste salty, either, as you might think, because it has such a low concentration of salt that it’s officially considered to be fresh water! In the ocean, the salt concentration is between 20,000 to 35,000 parts per million, whereas in a salt water pool, it’s just 2,600 to 3,200.

Finally, don’t be fooled into thinking that a salt water pool maintains itself. It doesn’t. You still need to check PH levels and carry out other maintenance tasks. However,you’ll benefit from lower maintenance costs and a more enjoyable swimming experience, which definitely makes it worthwhile.

No more worrying about pH levels.

Keeping salt pools clear of germs and algae requires a balance of germ killing chemicals. Chlorine is the primary disinfectant used in a pool. Many homeowners though find that they are needing to add more chlorine to effectively kill germs. This can be attributed to high pH levels. A balanced pH and alkaline level is essential to maintaining optimum chlorination. Not only that but pH levels will also affect the comfort of swimmers. Levels about 7.8 could lead to eye and skin irritation. Most pool owners convert to salt water pools because they are told they are maintenance free. This is not true. Balanced water is essential and this requires frequent testing.

You can taste both the salt and the chlorine.

A properly maintained salt water pool has a salinity level around 10 per cent of water from the ocean. Most salt water pool owners can attest to the fact that the water in a salt water pool is very similar to that of water that has been softened. Soft water has a better feel and is less harsh on skin and clothing. Salt water pools with the proper level of salt will not have a noticeable difference in taste.

Salt water pools don’t require maintenance.

Aqua Rite Electronic Chlorinator

New owners of salt water pools quickly discover that these systems do require maintenance. While you do not have to continually add chlorine as with standard pools you do need to maintain the chlorine generation cells. Most salt water pools use titanium plates that are electronically charged to turn salt water into chlorine. Calcium builds up in the ‘cells’ and must be cleaned. Failure to do so will result in reduced chlorine generation and your pool will no longer be able to fight off germs and algae. Maintaining proper salt levels will also shorten the life of the chlorine generation cells. So there are times when either water or additional salt will need to be added to the pool.

Salt water pools are cheaper than regular pools.

There is a lot of confusion on this point. So let’s clear things up. The cost savings on one of these pools is based primarily on how long you own the pool and how well it is maintained. This is because salt pools are initially more expensive to install. Over a short period of time a standard chlorine system is cheaper. However continued operation costs over the next couple of years will begin to surpass that of a salt water pool. Chlorinated pools are constantly losing chlorine. Sunlight, splash outs and inclement weather are usually reducing the amount of chlorine requiring the use of chlorine pucks and pool shock systems. These can be expensive and dangerous to handle. There are other costs associated with salt water pools. Replacing pave stones, pump parts and chlorine generators can be expensive. In the end salt water pools aren’t very cheap at all.

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