In-ground Pool Salt Water Chlorinator System

PoolKits | April 24, 2016

Selecting The In-ground Pool Salt Water Chlorinator System

Thinking about converting your existing swimming pool (or a brand new pool kit) from standard chlorine to a In-ground Pool Salt Water Chlorinator System? How do you get started? What kind of system do you need? Don’t worry we’re here to answer all those questions!

Salt water chlorinators or salt water generators convert plain table salt into chlorine that sanitizes your pool, this is done through electrolysis. The salt water passes through the T-cell where the molecules of salt (Na & Cl) are broken down into just pure organic CL…otherwise known as Chlorine! A salt water chlorine generator converts a small amount of salt – approximately one teaspoon per gallon of pool water – into a virtually endless supply of fresh, pure chlorine.  This environmentally friendly and self-renewing process produces up to 1.45 pounds of chlorine a day.

There are a number of reputable brands and In-ground Pool Salt Water Chlorinator System available. At Pool Warehouse we recommend the Hayward AquaRite salt generator system. No matter what system you choose, the key in getting the right amount of chlorine into your pool is choosing the right size of salt chlorinator.

In-ground Pool Salt Water Chlorinator System

For example let’s say that you have a 25,000 gallon pool kit. We always recommend over sizing your pools salt water system. You don’t want to install a salt chlorinator made for pools up to 15,000 gallons because it wouldn’t be able to generate the amount of chlorine your pool needs. I would steer clear of a chlorinator for a 25,000 gallon pool, even though it says it’s good for pools up to 25,000 gallons. Why not a 25,000 gallon system? Chlorine demand in a pool can increase due to a variety of factors.

Factors That May Raise In-ground Pool Salt Water Chlorinator System Usage

  • Heat
  • Direct Sunlight
  • Increased Pool Usage

A In-ground Pool Salt Water Chlorinator System designed for swimming pools up to 25,000 gallons will have to work at 100 percent output just to keep up with normal chlorine demand, which can put a lot of strain on the salt cell causing it to need replacement more frequently. Once you start using your swimming pool in the hot summer months, the chlorine output of a 25,000 gallon salt cell won’t be able to keep up with the chlorine demand for your pool. We recommend getting a T-cell that is rated for a pool kit at least 1/3 larger than your pool size. For example, we would use a 40,000 gallon system on a standard 25,000 gallon inground pool kit.

How Hayward AquaRite Works

Selecting The Right Salt For Your In-ground Pool Salt Water Chlorinator System

The right salt for a In-ground Pool Salt Water Chlorinator System is non-iodized salt, yep that’s right, plain old table salt! Table salt can purchase it in bulk from Pool Warehouse or a local hardware store. It’s usually sold in large bags labeled pool salt as well. As far as how much salt you will need to add, follow the recommendations in the manual for whichever salt system you decide to use.

Any time you add salt into your pool water, walk around the pool distributing it evenly, and use a pool brush to stir the salt until dissolved.

Pool Warehouse recommends Sure Soft Pool Salt for our in-ground pool kits or any other pool converting to a salt generator chlorinator system. SureSoft meets or exceeds the standards set by leading chlorine generator manufacturers and has earned the official certification of the National Sanitation Foundation.

Swimming Pool Salt

Pool Salt Directions

  • Pool Salt should be distributed over the greatest water surface area possible to result in the fastest dissolve rate. Follow the Salt Chlorine Generator Manufacturer guidelines for quantity and frequency of adding salt. Avoid piling the salt on the pool surface and brush as necessary until fully dissolved.
  • A pool that is between 16,000 to 18,000 gallons will still require about 500lbs of salt when starting.
  • Monitor pH and adjust as needed.
  • Monitor salt level using a reliable method and adjust as needed.
  • Monitor conditioner/stabilizer level and adjust as needed.
  • Clean your salt system cell after every three months of use.
  • Keep 2-3 bags of Salt on hand to adjust levels as needed.

In-ground Pool Salt Water Chlorinator System Usage Chart

To determine the exact amount of salt you will need in your In-ground Pool Salt Water Chlorinator System please see the chart below. Find your pool size at the top of the chart, then find the amount of salt currently in your pool (ppm) on the left side of the chart. This will allow you to get a very accurate estimate of how much salt you should add to your swimming pool kit. This works for inground and above ground pool kits.

Swimming Pool Salt Usage Chart

Work To Eliminate Phosphates

Phosphates are the primary food source for algae, but also act as glue for contaminants that can cause scale build-up inside your salt cell.

Phosphates can enter your swimming pool from

  • Body fluids
  • Lawn fertilizers
  • Chemicals
  • Cleaners
  • Decaying plants
  • Rainwater
  • Various other sources

Phosphate test kits are inexpensive and easy to use. Any phosphate level below 200 PPB is safe, but it should be below 100 – 125 PPB. You can never completely remove phosphates, but the closer you can get to zero, the better.

Maintain Salt Water Levels & Enjoy!

In most cases, a salt cell will last anywhere from three to five years, when maintained properly. Pool Warehouse carries a complete line of replacement T-Cells from Hayward and can have one shipped out at the start of the season or when needed. Once your salt water generator is up and running you will no longer need to add costly chemicals, just sit back and let the salt chlorine generator do all the work! Remember you will need to add salt when your chlorinator reading gets low, and clean your salt cell when it needs it (check your manual for guidelines). You also need to continue testing your pool regularly. The easiest way to keep a pool in check is through constant testing with an FAS-DPD test kit.

Hayward Aqua Rite Replacement Cell

All Images & Content © PoolWarehouse.com

Jones
Pool Kit Specialist
[email protected]
Phone: 800-515-1747
www.poolwarehouse.com

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