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 Cells cost between $200 and $900 to replace, depending on your chlorinator model.
After a couple of years, you might need to replace them. Salt chlorinators can last between 3-7 years. Higher priced salt chlorinators generally last longer.
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.
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.
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).
Most chlorinators can be repaired but some items or types of damage are simply too expensive or unavailable, in these cases a replacement option will be recommended.
Shock is liquid or granular chlorine. You should add one gallon (or one pound) of shock per 10,000 gallons of pool water every week to two weeks. During hot weather or frequent use, you may need to shock more frequently.
The easiest way to ascertain if the chlorinator is working is to make sure the cell is clean by checking the needle or production lights. Ensure there is enough salt in the pool. On the chlorinator box there should be a light or dial that indicates it is working.
It is best practice to remove your salt cell during the colder winter months. By removing your cell, you limit the potential damage that may occur to the unit during cold or freezing temperatures. The cold water and temperatures can damage the plates and stop the salt cell from functioning as intended.
Overall, you need to run your saltwater generator and pool pump for at least 8 hours daily. Not running either of these long enough means not enough chlorine to sanitize the water. Remember, the pool pump needs to be running simultaneously with the chlorine generator for the salt cell to produce chlorine.
This is all possible thanks to your pool's salt chlorine generator cell. With proper care, a cell will last about five years. Eventually, though, it will need to be replaced. The trick is, it's not always easy to know when it's time.
Automatic chlorinators will work with pools of varying volumes, depending on the chlorinator and your configuration. For example, some automatic pool chlorinators will sanitize pools of up to 40,000 gallons (a pool that holds 40,000 gallons may be about 12ft.
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. It can also be found on board ships, in campers, in sport centers and health care facilities.
You should cover your pool every night for several reasons. First off, a pool cover saves energy and conserves water by decreasing the amount of make-up water. Also, it reduces the consumption of chemicals, and finally, it saves a lot of cleaning time since it keeps the debris out of the pool.
Therefore, you should be testing your pool water's chlorine and pH levels every two weeks. Maintaining proper water chemistry will reduce the amount of work needed when you're ready to start swimming again.
How Often Should I Shock My Pool? Shocking your pool regularly will help to keep the water clean and free of contaminants. You should aim to shock your pool about once a week, with the additional shock after heavy use. Some tell-tale signs that your pool needs to be shocked are cloudy, foamy, green, or odourous water.
If the salt cell bubbles, but only a little bit, then you probably have a bad cell. It is still a good idea to call a pool professional to confirm this diagnosis. If the salt cell bubbles vigorously, then it is working fine.
The main culprits for leaks are the unions not sitting properly (cross-threading) and old or dirty o-rings in the lid of the cell unit or in the unions. Sometimes cracks in the body of the salt cell or pipes occur. You can fix by tightening unions, replacing o-rings or repairing the crack.
The overall cost of salt for a saltwater pool will vary by the type of salt that you use and the size of your pool, but you can expect to pay on average between $10 and $25 per every 40 pounds of salt (or 25¢ to 63¢ per pound of salt). Some brands may even sell a 40-pound bag of pool salt for as much as $40.
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.