Salt Water Chlorinators - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
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How does a chlorinator work?
Chlorinators go in-line after your
pool water has been filtered and just before it returns
to your swimming pool. The control unit feeds a small
electrical charge to the electrodes so that electrolysis
occurs inside the housing.
As the water passes over the electrodes
the salt in the water (sodium chloride) is broken
down into hypochlorous acid and sodium hypochlorite,
sanitising agents that destroy bacteria and prevent
algal growth. Salt water chlorination is a closed
system, both hypochlorous acid and sodium hypochlorite
are unstable, especially in sunlight, and eventually
revert back to sodium chloride so that it can be re-used
over and over without the need for additional salt.
The only time salt is lost from the pool is during
backwashing or whenever water is discarded so salt
should not need to be added frequently.
What is the difference between solid plate and mesh
electrodes?
As a general rule older electrodes
use a mesh material while newer ones usually have
solid plates, as shown in the images on the CHLORINATOR
PARTS page. There is no detectable difference
in chlorine output between the two types however mesh
becomes brittle and easily damaged after around 5
years of use and ALLBRANDS will not attempt to repair
mesh electrodes that are obviously older than 5 years.
Why don't pools using chlorinators hurt your eyes or
turn hair green?
Granular and liquid chlorine both
contain chloramines, also called 'combined chlorine',
which are the chemicals that cause sore eyes, green
hair and have a strong chemical/ chlorine smell. When
chlorine is produced by a salt water chlorinator the
chloramines are burnt off during electrolysis, in
the housing, before the water is returned to the swimming
pool so they do not affect pools with chlorinators.
What is the white build up on the electrodes?
The white build up on the electrodes
in your chlorinator is mineral calcium. Just like
in your kettle or iron it comes out of the water when
water is heated and starts to build up. You can reduce
the speed that it builds up by making sure your water
chemistry is correct - see the WATER
CHEMISTRY page.
How do I clean the white build up off the electrodes?
It is very easy to clean your electrodes;
1. Switch off your chlorinator and unscrew the electrode
from the housing, disconnect the leads if you are
able
2. Cut the top off a 2L plastic soft drink bottle
and fill it almost to the top with tap water
3. Using gloves add pool acid (hydrochloric acid)
to the water in the bottle so the dilution in the
bottle is about 9 parts water to 1 part acid - ALWAYS
add acid to water and NEVER water to acid
4. If the mix is too strong it will eat the coating
off the electrode and 'kill' your cell so err on the
side of caution
5 . Submerse the electrode plates in the water/ acid
solution taking care not to submerse the plastic cap
or the pins
6 . Within a few minutes you should begin to see the
calcium falling off the plates in large pieces; leave
it in the solution until the plates are clean
7 . Screw the electrode back into the housing and
the unit is ready to run
What is a 'reverse polarity' chlorinator?
Reverse polarity chlorinators are
also known as self cleaning because they are designed
to minimise the amount and reduce the speed of calcium
build up on the electrodes. Regular electrodes have
alternate positive (+) and negative (-) plates and
calcium builds up on the negative plate during electrolysis.
In a reverse polarity chlorinator both electrodes
are identical and the controller unit reverses the
polarity of the electrodes (the + plate becomes -
and vice versa) about every 8 hours of operating time
so that any calcium that has built up re-dissolves.
If you have a digital chlorine output
readout on your controller you may see that sometimes
it reads as a negative number, this is not an error
it means that it is operating on reversed polarity
and is still producing chlorine.
How long can I expect my chlorinator to last?
The controller unit is like any electrical
device and may last anywhere between 5 and 30 years,
there is no 'standard' lifespan although protecting
it from weather and vermin will result in a longer
life.
Leads are exposed and heat and cool with use so they
often wear out within 5 years or less.
The electrode/ cell is probably the most sensitive
component and lifespan will depend on how clean (of
calcium) it is kept, how often the chlorinator is
used and at what output, and the quality of the original
construction materials. As a general rule you should
expect a cell to last around 5 years and mesh cells
usually can't be serviced after that period.
How can I keep vermin out of my controller unit?
One of the biggest causes of damage
to the controller unit of a chlorinator is vermin,
ants and geckos in particular. To prevent this from
happening you can try any or all of the following:
1. Use sticky 'fly trap' type paper around the controller
to stop vermin before it enters, this will need to
be replaced periodically
2. Seal any entry points with fly screen or mesh
3. Smear grease on the mounts between the unit and
the fence or wall
4. Smear grease around entry points
What size chlorinator should I buy for my pool/ spa?
Firstly you need to know the size of your pool, as
in how many litres it holds.
Calculate your pool size here: POOL
SIZE CALCULATOR
Go to the CHLORINATORS - PRODUCTS section of the site;
each product includes information on how many grams/
hr of chlorine they produce and what size pool they
are suited to.
How can I convert my fresh water pool to a saltwater
pool?
Install a chlorinator and add salt!
There really is nothing else to it.
Why the huge difference in cost between replacement
electrodes/ cells?
Depending on their chlorine output
electrodes have different sized plates and different
numbers of plates, the coating on the plates is extremely
expensive (a 100g vial costs about $2,000) so more
plates in the cell and larger dimensions (= surface
area) results in higher production costs.
As with car parts both original and
aftermarket versions of the more common cells are
available, aftermarket cells are always cheaper than
originals. Some manufacturers use a computer chip
inside the cell cap or some other method to prevent
their products from being reproduced, obviously if
a manufacturer can monopolise the market for replacements
they are going to be expensive.
If cell replacement cost is a consideration
when buying a chlorinator look for popular brands
that don't use overly large or specially customised
cells, and ask ALLBRANDS for advice.
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