Pool - stick with bromine or switch to salt/chlorine generator

[dennis in se pa]

A search revealed one topic that touched on this, but not deal with it directly. My pool is approx 18,000 gals. My brominator began leaking this week. My pool guy is recommending I switch to a salt/chlorine generator. A new brominator is $110 and should just plug in. Salt machines seem to be around $1300-$1400 and I may need new plumbing and have to drain and refill the pool.

Anyone with experience care to give me some advise please?

POINT OF CLARIFICATION - I am not talking SALT POOL I am talking a bromine feeder vs a salt system that generates it's own chlorine.

I live in SE PA and keep the pool at 85 degrees from May through September

[chocolatelab]

Not sure where you are in the country but my old pool guy said that salt pool systems don't work below a certain temperature. He said that in southern california they just arent that effective for much of the year.

I can't confirm that but worth checking out.

[tevake]

Dennis; My pool guy, 30 yrs in the biz. Said that the equipment replacement on the salt systems goes way up. Due to the corrosiveness of the salt added to that of the chlorine. Plus there is still chlorine in the water as well as salt.
So I stuck with the older type of system. With a drip feeder the chlorine level stays constant at the minimum level needed.

Cheers Richard

[M.D. Holloway]

we do the salt thing - best there is, just add a few qts of acid every week and the water is put-near potable!

[stomachmonkey]

One thing I love about TX, salt water pools.

[masraum]

I can't offer advice on the hardware, and I'm not sure if "brominator" equates to a regular old pool with chemicals or is something different, BUT what I can tell you about is the experience of swimming in a salt pool.

My parents had a salt pool. It's SO MUCH BETTER than a regular old pool that is treated with chemicals. Wow, amazing. It's slightly salty compared to the ocean. It doesn't smell bad like a chemical pool often does. It doesn't really burn your eyes like a regular chemical pool. It's much easier and more pleasant to just relax and float in (we float more easily in salt water).

The running cost is, I believe much less per month which over time, may be better, worse, or just break even with having to buy chemicals, but the experience and enjoyment of swimming in the pool is much, much better.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by chocolatelab

Not sure where you are in the country but my old pool guy said that salt pool systems don't work below a certain temperature. He said that in southern california they just arent that effective for much of the year.

I can't confirm that but worth checking out.

I keep a solar blanket on my pool during the winter months but my chlorine generator works fine year round. Of course it never really gets that cold around here, the coldest I've ever seen my pool is a 63.

But, the chlorine that is generated is not stabilized and goes away quickly on hot days with direct sun.
I add a tablet of stabilized chlorine once in a while during the summer and that helps a bunch.
Can't help with the bromine thing, doan know nuthin bout it.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by masraum

The running cost is, I believe much less per month which over time, may be better, worse, or just break even with having to buy chemicals, but the experience and enjoyment of swimming in the pool is much, much better.

they tole me it would be cheaper but it ain't.With a salt pool you don't have to buy as much chlorine but you have to buy more acid so the cost savings really are not there.
Plus the sparktricity costs to run the pump to make chlorine costs a little more than it would just to buy the chlorine. You gotta run the pump longer than with a regular pool. But it's worth it to me 'cause the pool is nicer to use and lower maintenance.

[911Urge]

Another thumbs up on the salt/chlorine generator pool system. Pool guy adds adds maybe 16oz of acid per week and nothing else. Chlorine levels are maintained without the chemical smell or dryness to eyes or skin. We add a bag of salt maybe once a year.

Yes, you need to run the pump a bit longer as the chlorine burns off during hot/sunny periods but our chlorine levels are pretty stable throughout the year. Plumbing for ours is no different than other systems. Good luck on whatever you decide.

[dennis in se pa]

Thanks for all your input. I will discuss this some more with my pool guy before making a decision, but I appreciate your responses. Thanks.

[johnco]

you'll need to keep your stabilizer(cyanuric acid) level up or the generator won't catch up to chlorine loss. it also won't produce chlorine under 50F. at least the ones I always use work this way

[red-beard]

I'll take the other side of this. Every person in my neighborhood with a salt system has black mold problems. I have a Chlorine pool. My regular maintenance is 4 x 3" tablets a week, with an occasional check on the pH and adjustment with HCl. 2 tables get dropped in a skimmer and 2 go in a floating holder in the hot tub. So, about 3 minutes.