What would it take to convert to SWG and is it advisable?

[New2water]

I’m tired of having to lug liquid chlorine every few weeks. Frankly, we don’t use the pool much but just want to keep it operational. As the subject says, is it worth making this change? Which parts of the system will I need to replace if I add a SWG?

 

[Newdude]

is it worth making this change

It is STUPID worth it. With SS pumps you'll want an IC60 for the least amount of runtime. (Or Circupool RJ60 if you're never going to get automation).

The IC60 will produce 5417 lifetime FC for you, the equivalent of 967 jugs. Multiply your price per gallon by 967 and that's what they'll cost you, Walmart would be $5976.35 with tax. It doesn't even matter what you pay the PB to install it. You can pay $3000 for it and still net a 2X ROI. If you can DIY, it's almost a 4X ROI. But the convenience. Oh my LUCKY stars, the convenience. Most of us would pay more for the convenience. Don't get me wrong, I'm gaga that it's a honking savings. But I'd pay more.

For either cell you need a controller, a cell and a timer. Install the cell where the tab feeder is. Go vertical if you have to, but remember the flow switch goes on the upflow side.

 

[Mdragger88]

As @Newdude said you don’t need to change any equipment really- just remove the tab feeder & replace it with swcg.
You’ll need to hook up your swg to the same timer as your pump (or another timer synced with your pump timer) so the swg doesn’t ever run if the pump is off.
You also want to be sure to check your salt levels before adding any. You probably have quite a bit of salt already if you’ve been manually chlorinating for some years without exchanging water.
Your shopping list:
At least 40k but preferably 60k gal rated swcg system
Possibly another timer
K1766 salt kit
Salt

I don’t see it in the pics but do you have automation of any kind? Do you want automation?

 

[HermanTX]

@Newdude & @Mdragger88 - Look at the picture - is that tab feeder AFTER the filter and BEFORE the heater? It looks that way to me and the horizontal pipe from the heater is going to the returns.
Correct me if I am wrong - but if that is the case, then remove the tab feeder but put the SWCG after the heater.

 

[Ahultin]

Given you are in California, I'm going to take a step further and say 100% add swg AND swap the single speed pump to a variable speed. Between the energy savings, the chlorine savings and the time savings , you may find more time to actually use the pool
Your local utility may even have a rebate available for a portion of the variable speed pump, something like this wont break the bank and will pay for itself in energy savings in 1-2yrs

CaliMar® Variable Speed Pool Pump | 3HP | CMARVSP3.0

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[Mdragger88]

If you go with one of the “budget” brand vsp’s like the calimar, black & decker etc.
I highly recommend purchasing the extended warranty as their longevity has yet to be determined. Cheap insurance.

 

[jgf310]

i'm in a similar situation as the OP - liquid chlorine is a pain.
my local stores have stopped carrying it for the season- they are putting Christmas stuff on the shelves...
one thing i haven't been able to figure out: yes, I will save money on chlorine.., but what about electricity? Do these things us a lot of power?

 

[Mdragger88]

i'm in a similar situation as the OP - liquid chlorine is a pain.
my local stores have stopped carrying it for the season- they are putting Christmas stuff on the shelves...
one thing i haven't been able to figure out: yes, I will save money on chlorine.., but what about electricity? Do these things us a lot of power?

The swcg itself uses very little electricity.
The pump however needs to run long enough for the swcg to create enough fc each day.
If you have a vsp already then you likely won’t have any increased energy consumption.
If you have a single speed pump and only run it a few hours a day that would probably need to change/increase which will then noticeably increase your energy consumption.
This is one reason why it is recommended to get a swcg that is rated for least 2x’s your pool’s volume so you don’t have to run it as long.
What size is your pool & what kind of pump do you have?

 

[jgf310]

The swcg itself uses very little electricity.
The pump however needs to run long enough for the swcg to create enough fc each day.
If you have a vsp already then you likely won’t have any increased energy consumption.
If you have a single speed pump and only run it a few hours a day that would probably need to change/increase which will then noticeably increase your energy consumption.
What size is your pool & what kind of pump do you have?

i have a circupool variable speed pump
i think my pool is about 32,500 gallons.
i live in CT, and the pool is open early June-through September - it's not heated.
i probably run the pump more than is needed - we like to see the water moving!

 

[Mdragger88]

i have a circupool variable speed pump
i think my pool is about 32,500 gallons.
i live in CT, and the pool is open early June-through September - it's not heated.
i probably run the pump more than is needed - we like to see the water moving!

The rj60+ would also be ideal for your pool size.
You only need to run the rpms high enough to engage the swcg’s flow switch & effectively skim the pool to your liking. You can do this around the clock so that you’re always skimming & chlorinating if you like then you just fiddle with the swg %.
Most people find ideal to be somewhere around 1200-1400 rpms. Some are able to go lower.
If you’re running much higher than that changing would likely result in noticeable energy consumption reduction. Which is the reason to have a vsp!
You wanna have a couple hundred rpms as a buffer incase the filter gets dirty as that can slow flow.

 

[1poolman1]

@Newdude & @Mdragger88 - Look at the picture - is that tab feeder AFTER the filter and BEFORE the heater? It looks that way to me and the horizontal pipe from the heater is going to the returns.
Correct me if I am wrong - but if that is the case, then remove the tab feeder but put the SWCG after the heater.

The "tab feeder" is actually a "Pool Frog" mineral pack dispenser. It doesn't have to be removed (but I would), just remove the internal mineral pack.
Will take a bit of creative plumbing to install a SWG, but it can be done after the heater. Flow switch can go in the pipe after the filter.

 

[rjb1211]

If I understand all of this correctly you find the sweet spot to run the pump enough to produce the amount of chlorine needed based on which cell you have. Does the cell produce the same amount of chlorine regardless of the flow, meaning that it is only time that determines the amount of chlorine produced?

 

[Mdragger88]

If I understand all of this correctly you find the sweet spot to run the pump enough to produce the amount of chlorine needed based on which cell you have.

Correct

Does the cell produce the same amount of chlorine regardless of the flow,

Yes, so long as its enough flow to engage the flow switch

meaning that it is only time that determines the amount of chlorine produced?

Sort of, time & the percentage setting on the unit.
So for instance- 50% for 10 hours is the same output as 100% for 5 hours
Their 8-10k hour life span rating is based on running at 100% output so you could say 16-20k hours at 50%.
The bigger the cell, the less you need to run it to achieve the necessary fc required.
The less you run the cell the longer it will live in people years (seasons).

 

[New2water]

The "tab feeder" is actually a "Pool Frog" mineral pack dispenser. It doesn't have to be removed (but I would), just remove the internal mineral pack.
Will take a bit of creative plumbing to install a SWG, but it can be done after the heater. Flow switch can go in the pipe after the filter.

The Pool Frog came with the house. We’ve never used it. No problem removing it. What do you suggest in terms of creative plumbing?

 

[needsajet]

one thing i haven't been able to figure out: yes, I will save money on chlorine.., but what about electricity? Do these things us a lot of power?

My SWCG is rated at 1.3 lbs per day (if run for 24 hrs which I never do) and consumes 110 W to do it. I can't speak for the IC60, but that's rated at 2.0 lbs per day and the electrochemical process is the same and the cells tend to perform somewhat similar. That would put the IC60 somewhere around 170 watts. For 3 ppm FC per day and 18000 gals, it's 8 hrs run time, and around 1.3 kWh per day. Most of the year while the sun is low in the sky and the pool is not being used, run time will be much less than that, e.g. might only be one or two hours per day during low sun and short days around Christmas time.

That's after the pool is crystal clear and you know you have no chlorine being consumed to kill algae, of course.

 

[Newdude]

Both the SWG and SWG affect the electric bill, but I've never in 12 years noticed that I opened/closed the pool. At those times electric bill is at its lowest with no AC and plenty of daylight still and it would be easier to tell the bill changed $40 from the month before/after.

 

[kellyfair]

Do it, do it, do it, do it. Did I mention do it?

 

[1poolman1]

The Pool Frog came with the house. We’ve never used it. No problem removing it. What do you suggest in terms of creative plumbing?

SWG will use less electricity than a 60 watt light bulb.

Plumbing. Remove vertical pipe at the heater outlet, cut it flush below the second 90, install a 2" pipe extender, raise the plumbing about 4" inches with a coupler and pipe, and then install the SWG cell vertically then back over to the pipe running into the valve. You could just attach to to the pipe extender, but if there is ever a problem there is nothing left to glue to if the new union were to break. That's why the 4."

If you use it on the pipe where the water goes up the cell will be full even if you get a VSP and slow the water down as that "pipe" would have to fill completely before it would go over the the downward flow section leading to the valve. Put the cell in that pipe and the cell might not stay full at lower water speeds.

 

[needsajet]

SWG will use less electricity than a 60 watt light bulb.

That's a bit on the low side unless considering only small chlorinators such as IC-20, T-cell-3, RJ-16, for example). Average SWCG's run around 100 watts and up, with the larger domestic units above 200 watts.

 

[1poolman1]

That's a bit on the low side unless considering only small chlorinators such as IC-20, T-cell-3, RJ-16, for example). Average SWCG's run around 100 watts and up, with the larger domestic units above 200 watts.

But they are not constantly using that power unless set to 100%, which if sized correctly, you shouldn't have to do.