Salt Chlorination for Swimming Pools & Spas

Rather than traditional liquid or tablet chlorine, a salt chlorinator is a chlorine generator that takes salt water, and through electrolysis, seperates the chlorine from the chemical compuond. It then instantly turns into hypochlorous acid when it hits water.

Most people ask: "Will my pool taste like salt water?"

The answer is not really. I mean obviously there is salt in there, so you may taste it a little, but it is not like the salt water of the ocean. Ocean water has a salt content of roughly 35,000 parts per million (ppm). The average salt chlorinated swimming pool will hold a steady 3500 ppm. BIG DIFFERENCE!

The simple, normal salt (NaCl) is composed of sodium and chlorine, aka sodium chloride. When it passes through the low voltage electrical current in the genetator cell,it is split into 2 seperate molecules- Na + Cl.

Water (H2O) is made up of hydrogen and oxygen. When the NaCl molecule breaks apart, then mixes with the water molecule, Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl) is the sanitizing product.

When you test your pools chemical balance for pH, Calcium Hardness, Alkalinity, etc. you will also test for your salt content. Many systems give a digital readout of your salt content in ppm. If it falls below where it should be (the manufacturer will provide an ideal range for each particular system) all you have to do is add salt to your swimming pool and let it dissolve. So simple!

Most people spend upwards of $25,000 to build their in-ground swimming pool, so it seems to me it would be silly not to splurge the extra $1000 to purchase a salt chlorination system and reap all of these benefits!

1. Softer on your skin, hair and eyes - Swimming in a salt chlorinated swimming pool is a lot like taking a shower in a home with a water softening system. Rather than drying your skin, hair and eyes, it actually softens them.
2. Resists algae growth.
3. Easier on your budget - save on chemical costs in the long run

The cellis typically located in-line with your plumbing. Over a period of time calcium and minerals will build up on the plates withing the cell, blocking the electric current, and preventint the cell from doing ts job-to turn salt into useable chlorine for your pool.

EVERY 3 Months

To clean your salt chlorinator cell, in a clean 5 gallon bucket mix:

1 part muriatic acid

3 parts water

The cell itself unscrews from the piping, so once you have it removed, soak it in the acid-water mixture. DO NOT SCRAPE ANY BUILD-UP OFF OF THE CELL OR PLATES. This mixture will dissolve the build-up by itself. You will ruin your salt chlorination cell if you attempt to scrape it.

If your swimming pool contractor installed a reverse polarity salt cell you will not need to do this as often. A reverse polarity salt unit reverses the flow of molecules through the cell, which causes mineral deposits to flake off.