Hot Tub Salt Water Chlorinator Suggestions?
- Thread starter duganderson
- Start date
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,959
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Are you considering switching from your smarter spa?
I like my saltron mini ok but it wouldn’t be my first choice if I were buying today.
The cells usually last me about 18 months. Which is what they advertise (I calculated this to be approximately 1700 hours based on my useage)
Its very basic (you just set the amount of hours you want it to run) 24 hours later it does that again.
When the power is lost & restored it turns back on to your previous setting so
I have mine on a cheap mechanical timer that is set to turn off & then turn back on multiple times per day and I keep the unit itself set for 1 hour.
In high use times I have the timer set for off/on 4x’s a day (which means 4hrs of total chlorination)
- otherwise I have it set for 2x’s a day. (2 hours of daily chlorination)
This may not be necessary in a larger spa.
But for my 200 gal tub I prefer the fc to stay more level throughout the day vs 1 part of the day it being very high. I don’t really have a set time that I use the tub & I like to be able to look out occasionally & check that the swcg comes on when it should.
I can always press the button for more juice if i like without having to rework all the settings/remember to put it back on the right amount of hours.
That said - the replacement cells & entire units are getting a little pricier.
My controller gave up the ghost in about year 5.
When I run through the replacements that I already own I think I will try a controlomatic unit. Most likely the basic one.
They are a little more pricey but they have a longer cell life. (Advertised 7k hours)
The cheapest model is only a few dollars more than the saltron mini unit now. The replacement cells are higher though.
Their only downside in my opinion is the controller isn’t weatherproof so it requires a separate weatherproof box for most instances. It also states it shouldn’t be exposed to temps below -4 F which can be an issue for a few people & requires some workarounds.
They make several types of units for spas up to 2000 gallons-
Chlormaker: Manually controlled - cheapest.
Smarter spa: automatic chlorine detection - more expensive
Smarter spa + : automatic chlorine detection + an app to control it - most expensive
You can manually control all the ControlOmatic units and they do require some frequent adjustments at first. They all have the boost option as well so you can get some additional fc without messing up your other settings.
If you have a 24/7 circulation pump they can also be used inline if you purchase the inline kit.
As far as add on/drape over spa swg’s go those are really the two manufacturer choices.
There’s a couple cheapo ones available on amazon now but they are pretty buyer beware - the reviews aren’t great.
I like my saltron mini ok but it wouldn’t be my first choice if I were buying today.
The cells usually last me about 18 months. Which is what they advertise (I calculated this to be approximately 1700 hours based on my useage)
Its very basic (you just set the amount of hours you want it to run) 24 hours later it does that again.
When the power is lost & restored it turns back on to your previous setting so
I have mine on a cheap mechanical timer that is set to turn off & then turn back on multiple times per day and I keep the unit itself set for 1 hour.
In high use times I have the timer set for off/on 4x’s a day (which means 4hrs of total chlorination)
- otherwise I have it set for 2x’s a day. (2 hours of daily chlorination)
This may not be necessary in a larger spa.
But for my 200 gal tub I prefer the fc to stay more level throughout the day vs 1 part of the day it being very high. I don’t really have a set time that I use the tub & I like to be able to look out occasionally & check that the swcg comes on when it should.
I can always press the button for more juice if i like without having to rework all the settings/remember to put it back on the right amount of hours.
That said - the replacement cells & entire units are getting a little pricier.
My controller gave up the ghost in about year 5.
When I run through the replacements that I already own I think I will try a controlomatic unit. Most likely the basic one.
They are a little more pricey but they have a longer cell life. (Advertised 7k hours)
The cheapest model is only a few dollars more than the saltron mini unit now. The replacement cells are higher though.
Their only downside in my opinion is the controller isn’t weatherproof so it requires a separate weatherproof box for most instances. It also states it shouldn’t be exposed to temps below -4 F which can be an issue for a few people & requires some workarounds.
They make several types of units for spas up to 2000 gallons-
Chlormaker: Manually controlled - cheapest.
Smarter spa: automatic chlorine detection - more expensive
Smarter spa + : automatic chlorine detection + an app to control it - most expensive
You can manually control all the ControlOmatic units and they do require some frequent adjustments at first. They all have the boost option as well so you can get some additional fc without messing up your other settings.
If you have a 24/7 circulation pump they can also be used inline if you purchase the inline kit.
As far as add on/drape over spa swg’s go those are really the two manufacturer choices.
There’s a couple cheapo ones available on amazon now but they are pretty buyer beware - the reviews aren’t great.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,959
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
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