Have you ever bought a residence with a swimming pool then you know there is nothing is worse than having a swimming pool which is green from algae or has gunk on its walls and floor. Most pool owners are satisfied to add powdered chemicals constantly to maintain chlorine levels high. But for some the chlorine generator has replaced the job of adding chemicals.
There are two kinds of chlorine generators used in residential pool systems. A brine unit makes use of a container of salt and by electrolysis generates chlorine which upon contact with water generates hypochlorous acid, which is then infused into the pool water as it is clean. Hypochlorous acid is the vigorous ingredient used in chlorine laundry bleach and is an efficient sanitizer when utilized properly. The negative aspect of this type of chlorine generator is that the electrolysis process generates large quantity of sodium hydroxide (lye) which should be flushed out of the unit and thrown away properly. Owing to this waste disposal issue, brine units are less commonly used these days.
The most common chlorine generation unit requires that salt be added to the pool water, usually about 25 pounds per 1000 gallons. There are two dissimilar kinds of salted water chlorine generators. Both kinds utilize electrolysis akin to the brine unit, but rather than using concentrated salt use the salt in the pool water. The foremost type of salted water chlorinator makes use of convection to circulate pool water and makes chlorine even if the circulating pump is turned off. The other type of salted water unit is installed in line with the filtration system and just generates chlorine when the filtration system is active.
There are two benefits to this system in that slightly salted water often "feels" better than fresh water and that waste production is a lot reduced. However, it must be kept in mind that for finest performance the units must be cleaned regularly, and a few systems offer reverse polarity options that make the units self-cleaning and greatly reduce maintenance. A few users may be concerned regarding cost, as chlorine generation units are not cheap, but some costs are recouped in the fact that pool chemical expenses are a lot lessened in a salt system.