Have you ever bought a home with a swimming pool then you know there is nothing is worse than having a swimming pool which is green from algae or has slime on its walls and floor. Most pool owners are satisfied to add powdered chemicals day after day to maintain chlorine levels high. But for a few the chlorine generator has replaced the task of adding chemicals.
There are two types of chlorine generators utilized 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 filtered. Hypochlorous acid is the active ingredient used in chlorine laundry bleach and is an effective disinfectant when used correctly. The disadvantage of this type of chlorine generator is that the electrolysis process produces large amounts of sodium hydroxide (lye) that have to be cleaned out of the unit and disposed of correctly. Because of this waste disposal issue, brine units are less commonly used these days.
The most common chlorine generation unit needs that salt be added to the pool water, mostly about 25 pounds per 1000 gallons. There are two diverse types of salted water chlorine generators. Both kinds use electrolysis akin to the brine unit, but rather than utilizing concentrated salt use the salt in the pool water. The foremost type of salted water chlorinator uses convection to circulate pool water and makes chlorine even if the circulating pump is turned off. The other type of salted water unit is fixed in line with the filtration system and merely generates chlorine when the filtration system is active.
There are two upsides to this system in that slightly salted water often "feels" better than fresh water and that waste production is greatly reduced. However, it should be remembered that for finest performance the units must be filtered repeatedly, and a few systems offer reverse polarity alternatives which make the units self-cleaning and greatly reduce maintenance. Some users may be concerned regarding cost, since chlorine generation units are not inexpensive, but some costs are recovered in the fact that pool chemical expenses are significantly decreased in a salt system.