K.I.S.S. - Keep It Salt for Safety

You might think that manufacturing your own chlorine at home would be  dangerous and unwise. You might think that adding chemicals to your pool is also  dangerous and unhealthy. Both of those statements are false.

The manufacture of liquid bleach (chlorine) by using salt and a small current  of electricity was started in the 1800’s. Now we can do this safely right at and  in our pools and spas.

As chlorine works by oxidation which is the ability for a molecule to grab  and burn oxygen we must use chemicals that promote this reaction to rid our  pool/spa water of waste and bacteria. This would require the oxidizer used to be  unstable so it can react quickly. We see this in fire situations where we are  told not to open a door where there is a fire. Increased oxygen flow increases  the ability to burn and flame. An oxidizer has the ability to burn, combust and  explode depending on how fast it reacts with another chemical or product. This  makes storage of oxidizers or shock products such as calcium hypochlorite and  sodium hypochlorite dangerous to store in your home or business. You may be  required to post a warning or informational card on your home, business or  vehicle when transporting. We know that adding water TO calcium hypochlorite can  cause an explosion. If a fireman comes to your home and business and sees a pool  in the backyard they are wondering where you store your chemicals for they do  not want to put a stream of water on a container of this strong oxidizer and  create a worse situation.

The storage and handling of chlorine is also a problem that could be costly  and dangerous. The fumes are very corrosive and if product is stored near  lawnmowers, chain saws, chemical controllers, pumps and other usually stored  items damage will occur in a short period of time. Unopened containers of  chlorine can become brittle and crack allowing product to come in contact with  grease or oils and ignite. Fumes are also dangerous to breathe and precautions  for breathing and eyes must be taken when opening and dispensing.

Chlorine generators have no storage of dangerous products. The main product  used is salt and there is no need to store any. Even if you did store salt it is  not dangerous. It’s not expensive either.

With manufacturing the chlorine yourself the costs come down dramatically for  sanitizer. The salt only needs to be replenished when the chloride (salt) level  gets low due to splash out, leaks, backwash or dilution of the pool water. The  salt stays in the pool during evaporation but can leave on swimmers and any way  the water is physically removed. With rising costs of inorganic chlorine salt  generation is economical and all of the initial costs can be recouped in a short  period of time.

A disadvantage would be the initial cost of the unit and installation. The  initial costs are much higher than an erosion feeder and it seems odd to be  adding hundreds of pounds of heavy salt bags to your pool initially.

What is convenient is that to super oxidize the pool as needed you can just  turn the production up on the unit or use a non-chlorine (MPS) type shock. There  is no mixing of chemicals, fumes or work involved other than testing the water  regularly to keep pH in correct levels.

It is still a chlorine pool so our water chemistry practice is still the  same. Keep the chlorine level at 1.5 ppm to 3ppm and balance the water within  parameters. However we do keep the total alkalinity at 80 ppm to 100 ppm to help  us keep the pH at an acceptable level.

The mineral salts make the water feel soft and luxurious. It has the “ahhh” effect on people. Saline solutions are used for contacts so you know that the  salt in the pool will not burn your eyes or delicate parts.

The pool does not taste like salt as it is not over 30,000 ppm such as  seawater. But it does not have a steel taste either that can be found in pools  with low pH and alkalinity levels. Pool water likes to be balanced and go to a  pH of 8. However a pH of 8 is not acceptable in a chlorine pool as the weak  chlorine (OCL) becomes more bountiful. Therefore we need to be sure as we do in  all chlorine pools to keep the pH in range of 7.4 - 7.6.

Due to the electron process the cells can scale up so there is a need to acid  wash the cell periodically.

As the pool is higher in total dissolved solids from the minerals of the salt  it is more conductive to electron flow. This can cause some corrosion in a pool  that is not properly bonded. However a inexpensive zinc anode can be placed in  the skimmer basket to help counteract the process.

With producing chlorine on site the pool water keeps a steady residual as it  is not depending on a feeder (human or automated). With less chances for a low  sanitizer event then it is less likely that algae, biofilm or bacteria are  allowed to grow. Evidence is suggesting that many oxidants can be formed within  the water and further decrease biofilms. It is imperative to keep chemicals in  the pool to combat bacteria, biofilm and other pathogens as they are more  dangerous than the recommended chemicals.

There are three available models of chlorine generators: brine, in-line, and  in-pool. I prefer the in-line model due to it’s convenience and available  options. The in-line model is comprised of a cell with housing cord and power  supply. Some in-line models will stop  producing chlorine when the salt level is too high or the water temperature is  above 96 degrees. This disadvantage does not have to be as long as you know what  to expect.

The in-pool units can be a nuisance as kids may want to play with them. Brine  tanks have to be monitored carefully as the by product of caustic soda has to  either be drained or introduced into the pool.

As with all equipment there can be a failure and a resulting down time. It  would be recommended to keep a back up method of sanitation for times as this.

Salt systems are not new to the pool industry. However they are more user  friendly than ever before. You do not need to be a chemist but you need to have  a good pool professional to check your water periodically or have a good  understanding of water balance and recommendations for salt water pools.

Less work is a nice by product of the safety issues that present themselves  when using a chlorine generated pool. The safer the pool and safer the water  provides a safer environment bathers and community.