How Does a Saltwater Chlorinator Work?
If you’ve been for a swim in a pool in the last 20 years, there is a very high chance it was a saltwater pool. Saltwater chlorinators are the most convenient, consistent, and cost-effective way to keep your pool sanitised.
There are, of course, different ways to sanitise your pool, such as manually dosing, non-chlorine oxidisers, as well as freshwater options; however, if you want convenience and an easier way to maintain your pool, a saltwater chlorinator is the way to go.
HOW DO SALTWATER CHLORINATORS WORK?
There is a range of swimming pool chlorine generators (also known as saltwater pool chlorinators, hydroxinators, or oxidizers, depending on brand and marketing). They create their chlorine, meaning you don’t need to manually add chlorine to your pool.
Saltwater Chlorinators use a process called electrolysis to produce chlorine from saltwater. Using electricity to make chlorine gas from the dissolved chloride (from the salt aka sodium chloride) in the water as it passes through the cell. The chlorine gas is the cloudy appearance coming off the cell, as you can see through the housing.
Chlorine gas then binds itself to the Hydrogen (H) and Oxygen (O) to create Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), which sanitizes & oxidises the water.
The chlorine gas then reforms dissolved chloride as it bonds again with sodium/potassium/magnesium.
This will occur throughout the operation of the chlorinator, which is a highly efficient and cost-effective method of sanitising your pool.
There are 2 main functions of a saltwater chlorinator: the first is to produce chlorine gas, and the second is for the timer function, which controls when the pool pump turns on and off. Automating both the operation of the pool pump and the chlorination process leads to a much more consistent sparkling pool.
Tips for using a saltwater chlorinator
You get 2 warnings/notifications with a saltwater chlorinator, Now Flow and Low Salt.
No flow is precisely what it says; a sensor in the cell detects water flow, and if there is none, it turns the cell off to avoid damage. Many modern units also turn off the pump on the assumption the low water flow will cause damage to the pump as well. Read our no-flow article to learn more here.
Low salt. This is usually because the salt is lower than the manufacturer’s ideal range.
If the salt is low, the light will come on if the cell tries to produce at a level it cannot.
e.g. it’s set to 100% production, though the salt level is slightly lower than usual, so you’ll see the low salt light. If you reduce the output to 80%, the standard salt light may go off as it can now produce at that level.
The low salt light may come on for other reasons e.g. due to calcium build-up on the cell, faulty terminals, or just an old cell or control board, so it is best to get the salt level tested before adding salt.
Benefits of using a saltwater chlorinator
#1 – Use Fewer chemicals
While chlorine is present in the pool, there is a reduced need for additional sanitising chemicals. Other chemicals like oxidisers are also minimised, saving you money and time. This means that caring for the pool is more environmentally friendly. Plus, there is usually no strong chlorine odour around the pool.
#2 – Minimal maintenance
A chlorinator requires minimal maintenance, and you can set it to control your filtration pump and run the system automatically. The chlorine production can be directed to suit your pool size and the bather demand. However, most chlorinators do not monitor the level of chlorine in your pool, so you should still conduct regular water testing to ensure your chemical levels are in balance.
#3 – Cost-effective
Chlorinators may cost more upfront, but in the long run, they save much more in costs and time, thanks to the significant reduction in chemicals and maintenance.
Note: The salt cell does have a limited lifespan (roughly 3-5 years, depending on the unit and use), so the cell will require replacing, similar to tyre changes or other periodic maintenance needed for a car.
#4 – Smart features
The new generation of chlorinators offers Bluetooth or Wifi connectivity that allows you to monitor and control your chlorine output remotely. They even have smart sensors that automatically regulate chlorine output in cold water to prevent excessive wear and tear on your salt cell.
What size chlorinator do you need?
Chlorinators are usually sized in grams of chlorine gas produced per hour.
To determine what size chlorinator you need for your pool work, you need 20grams of chlorine gas per 10,000 lts of pool water per day. See our example calculations for a 65,000 lts pool would be:
- 65,000 lts / 10,000 = 6.5
- 6.5 x 20gms required per day = 130gms per day.
- Divide the daily requirement by the number of hours the system runs daily. We would suggest a minimum of 6 hours/day
- Therefore, 130 grams / 6 hours = 21.66 grams per hour of chlorine gas.
We always suggest sizing up so you can run them at a lower level to reduce any strain on the system.
CONTACT US FOR MORE SALTWATER CHLORINATOR INFORMATION
Some Chlorinator options we stock
HALO CHLOR
The AstralPool HALO Chlor Chlorinator is a high-performance chlorinator with a large touchscreen display so you can easily navigate the menus. With Wifi and Bluetooth connectivity, the HALO Chlor Chlorinator can be accessed by the HALO Go mobile phone app, so you always stay in full control!
The Halo Chlor comes in 4 sizes.
- The Halo Chlor 18 (18 gms of chlorine gas/hour) suitable for pools up to 40,000 litres
- The Halo Chlor 25 (25 gms of chlorine gas/hour), suitable for pools up to 80,000 litres
- The Halo Chlor 35 (35 gms of chlorine gas/hour), suitable for pools up to 80,000 litres
- The Halo Chlor 45 (45 gms of chlorine gas/hour) suitable for pools up to 105,000 litres
All require salt levels of 4,000ppm (at 25°C)
VIRON EQUILIBRIUM
The AstralPool Viron eQuilibrium Chlorinator is made in Australia and provides a range of options to minimise changes in your water balance. It has Bluetooth connectivity and “Total Ai mode,” which tests, monitors, and maintains the perfect sanitiser (chlorine) level and your pH balance. It controls the Viron XT variable speed pool pump for maximum energy savings.
The AstralPool Viron eQuilibrium Chlorinator comes in 4 sizes. The EQ18 (18 gms of chlorine gas/hour), EQ25 (25 gms of chlorine gas/hour), EQ35 (35 gms of chlorine gas/hour) & EQ45 (45 gms of chlorine gas/hour). All require salt levels of 3000-8000 ppm
E SERIES SALT CHLORINATOR
The Australian-made, affordable chlorinator with self-cleaning technology is easy to use and operate. It comes in two sizes: the E25 produces 25 gms of chlorine gas/hour & the E35, for larger pools, produces 35 gms of chlorine gas/hour, both with salt levels of 4000-8000 ppm
*sources – Zodiac blog
