We definitely think a chlorinator is a worthwhile investment: It automatically and evenly dispenses chlorine (even when you're out of town) You can control the rate that chlorine flows into your pool. You can avoid chlorine tablets in your pool or skimmer (and the vinyl liner stains they can cause.
The difference between these two chlorinators is the way they are plumbed into your swimming pool line. The offline chlorinator is ideal for retrofitting existing pool systems. The inline chlorinator is for permanent installation into the return line of new or existing systems.
An automatic pool chlorinator plugs directly into your pump and filter system and sanitizes the water returning to the pool. Rather than placing the chlorine directly in the pool in a floating chlorinator, for example, an automatic chlorinator dispenses chlorine steadily from outside the pool.
U.S. Pool Supply Floating Chlorine Dispenser
Highly reviewed, users found that the dispenser held up and did its job no matter how rough and tumble kids and pool users were with it. Easy to load and adjust for chemical output, this dispenser does the job of keeping the pool water clean and sanitized quietly and simply.
In-line chlorinators must be installed after the filter and after any heater. They should be installed at ground level to prevent back flow, and if you have a heater, a one-way check valve should be installed between the heater and the feeder, to prevent damage from corrosive chlorine gas.
It is essential to keep your chlorine levels between 1.0 and 3.0 parts per million to maintain a clean and well-balanced swim environment. To keep your pool running optimally, you will need an automatic pool chlorinator to make your life a little easier.
Given that your pool's chlorine demand can have such variation, most pool owners will want to choose a salt chlorinator with a maximum capacity 1.5 times to 2 times your actual pool size. For example, you may want to choose at least a 30,000 gallon max capacity system if you have a 20,000 gallon pool (1.5x more).
Bromine is more stable than chlorine, especially in warm water, making it more commonly used in spas, whereas chlorine is more often used in pools. The exception to this is ultraviolet (UV) light, which destroys both chemicals, but bromine breaks down more quickly.
To use the right number of tablets, always round your pool volume up to the nearest unit of 5,000 gallons. For instance, your pool has a capacity of 20,000 gallons, you would add four chlorine tablets. But if your pool holds just 16,000 gallons, you'd still use four, three-inch chlorine tablets. It's that easy.
NEVER just throw them into your pool water. This will cause them to dissolve on the floor and it can damage and create a permanent bleach stain to your liner or concrete.
A Salt Water Chlorinator usually costs anywhere from $800 - $1500 for a decent model, which will also rely on the size of your pool.
Salt systems will save you a ton of money on chemicals in the long run. While it is true that you will save money by not having to buy nearly as much chlorine, those savings are negated by the initial costs of buying the system, and the cost of replacing the cell every 5-7 years.
Chlorinator systems are designed for disinfection of drinking- and swimming pool water, odor control of slime and marine growths in e.g. cooling water towers, circulating water and service water systems.
Inline Pool Chlorinator
An inline chlorinator is connected directly to your filtration system, after the filter or heater, and before the filtered water is returned to the pool. Since it's chlorinating the water after it's passed through the filter and heater, it helps protect pool equipment from corrosion.
Most floating chlorinators can hold anywhere from two to eight weeks worth of chlorine, depending on conditions such as the season and your pool's size. An automatic feeder works in a similar way, allowing it to mix with the pool water slowly and deliberately. This type generally comes in a large bucket.
Chlorine pucks also allow you to manually control how much chlorine is in your pool's water. It is usually 1 chlorine puck for every 5,000 gallons of water.
We suggest you start your salt chlorine generator at 50 percent output and run it for a couple of days, then check the chlorine level. In a balanced pool, a good chlorine level is 1-3 parts per million. If your chlorine levels are low, you can raise the percentage, and if it's high you can lower the percentage.
So how long it takes for a chlorine tablet to dissolve really varies for every pool. As a general rule, we see stabilized chlorine tablets (also called trichlor tablets) last anywhere from two to three days. Slow dissolve cal-hypo tabs may last four to five days.
If you switch from chlorine tablets to bromine tablets and, you will need to purchase a new brominator because mixing chlorine and bromine can cause a dangerous chemical reaction. Pool Bromine also does not dissolve quickly enough to use a floating chlorinator, use a bromine feeder.
As long as you follow the manufacturer's instructions for both the hot tub and the bromine, you can use bromine regularly for treating and sanitizing your spa. However, it may be wise to use bromine granules instead of bromine tablets. This will lessen your direct interaction with the chemicals.
Can you switch from chlorine to bromine? You can switch from chlorine to bromine sanitizer in a hot tub. In fact, it is actually easier to go from chlorine to bromine than the other way around.
Test and adjust your pool water's salt levels
If you're using the Water TechniX Salt water chlorinator then you should try to aim for a salt level of around 3,000 to 4,000 ppm.
Salt water systems, regardless of brand, are rated based on the grams of chlorine they produce per hour (GPH). For instance, the Auto Chlor RP25 produces 25 grams of chlorine per hour. When set to 100% output and set to run for 10 hours, the salt system will produce 250 grams of chlorine (25×10).
The answer really depends on the use conditions and how often you do maintenance on your pool. The safe answer is that they usually last for about five to seven years. Salt Cells cost between $200 and $900 to replace, depending on your chlorinator model.