I am a new pool owner, 13K semi above ground vinyl lined pool. I asked the pool company about making it a salt water pool and they said it’s not possible and would void warranty. But I see a lot of info on SWG for sanitation. Can someone explain it to me like I am 5 yrs.old. Does a SWG make your pool “ a salt water pool”?
Above ground salt water pool?
- Thread starter talapier
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 64,901
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
A "salt water pool" is a chlorine pool.
The only difference is the source of the chlorine. With a SWG the chlorine is create on site instead of in jugs or tablets.
The salinity of a "salt water pool" is around 3000 ppm.
The salinity of the ocean is 30,000 ppm or 10X a "salt water pool". You are not swimming in ocean water.
All chlorine chemicals contain salt which get added and accumulate in the pool water. Over time every chlorine pool becomes a "salt water pool".
The only difference is the source of the chlorine. With a SWG the chlorine is create on site instead of in jugs or tablets.
The salinity of a "salt water pool" is around 3000 ppm.
The salinity of the ocean is 30,000 ppm or 10X a "salt water pool". You are not swimming in ocean water.
All chlorine chemicals contain salt which get added and accumulate in the pool water. Over time every chlorine pool becomes a "salt water pool".
From a water perspective it can be done just like a full in ground. I think when they say voids warranty they're worried about pool walls and uprights where it can rust away from the salinity not like it wouldn't happen with a chlorine pools.
A salt water pool uses a salt water chlorine generator (SWCG) to make chlorine. It does this using the salt in the water. It does not use it up, you do not have to keep adding salt. Using a SWGC means you do not have to add chlorine yourself (Liquid Chlorine, Bleach, Pucks, Sticks, Granules, etc)
Some people add salt to their pool even if they don't have a SWCG because they like the feel.
Salt water causes things to corrode faster than non-salt water.
Having said the above, the level of salt in a pool set up for a SWCG is not like ocean water, it is a LOT less (too much and the SWCG will not work). I myself can *just* taste the salt in my pool (at around 3200 ppm). Some people cannot
All pools become salty to some extent naturally. Sweat, bleach, other chemicals, all add salt to the water.
If you have a metal pool (especially top rails) with a lot of scratches on it, adding salt MAY cause it to rust faster - minimally faster.
If you have resin parts, and your metal parts are in good shape, nothing is going to happen.
Most manufactures warranty for a worst case scenario and look for ways to void a warranty. Most warranties are not worth the paper the are printed on - with prorations, required paperwork, filing procedures, "authorized" installers, etc.
Some people add salt to their pool even if they don't have a SWCG because they like the feel.
Salt water causes things to corrode faster than non-salt water.
Having said the above, the level of salt in a pool set up for a SWCG is not like ocean water, it is a LOT less (too much and the SWCG will not work). I myself can *just* taste the salt in my pool (at around 3200 ppm). Some people cannot
All pools become salty to some extent naturally. Sweat, bleach, other chemicals, all add salt to the water.
If you have a metal pool (especially top rails) with a lot of scratches on it, adding salt MAY cause it to rust faster - minimally faster.
If you have resin parts, and your metal parts are in good shape, nothing is going to happen.
Most manufactures warranty for a worst case scenario and look for ways to void a warranty. Most warranties are not worth the paper the are printed on - with prorations, required paperwork, filing procedures, "authorized" installers, etc.
FWIW, I just bought a new liner and the liner itself said that it was not warranted for a salt water pool.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 64,901
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Going to be hard to keep your pool from becoming a “salt pool” when every gallon of 12% liquid chlorine adds 9.8 ppm of FC and 16 ppm of salt.
Interestingly enough, a SWGC pool makes liners last LONGER (maybe)
The salt has no impact on the liner. But what does have an impact the chlorine. Yeah, the sanitizer we all know and love is not good for vinyl. It is a trade off, and a good trade off because it is by far the best sanitizer out there, and really does not do *that* much damage to the liner.
However, when you have a SWGC pool, you can run slightly lower concentrations of FC. Making it easier on the liner.
The reason you can run lower levels is because :
1. You are getting a more consistent level of FC in the pool. Lets say I have to add a quart of bleach each day to my pool to maintain FC (like I used to). If I add bleach all at once, my FC spikes, and then drops over the next 24 hours. I have to add enough to cover the lowest level the FC gets to just before I add more. Now if you have a SWCG and you run it 8 hours a day to add enough chlorine, it is like pouring in that quart of bleach slowly over 8 hours. Even better if you split your run times into two 4 hour blocks, your FC fluctuates even less.
2. The second reason is the cell itself acts as a sort of super-chlorinator. The FC concentration in the salt cell itself is quite high. The theory is that the water passing through the cell is super chlorinated for a short time, before it mixes into the pool itself. So while the overall FC is normal, there is a chamber where the FC is quite high.
also less risk of dumping too much in one spot, or other accidental spill scenarios