Thinking of making a solar powered chlorine dosing system for my pool. Advice?

[biosurfer1]

Originally Posted by cabmando

Maintenance really isn't that bad. I have a pool robot that I drop in 2 or 3 times a week. While I'm working in my shop.. or doing nothing at all, it's wandering the bottom of the pool picking up stuff. The extent of my chemical addition is, walk out at around 7 pm, pour in 1/2 gallon of chlorine, walk back in the house. Once or twice a week I check Chlorine and PH. Once or twice check to make sure stabilizer is right, check total alkalinity about once per season.

The reason I'm not a fan of pools is you just mentioned your routine maintenance requires 13-15 times a week to check on or do something to the pool. Maintenance isn't all that hard, but for something I hardly use, like yourself, I don't want to have to check on/adjust/maintain dozens of times per month no matter how little time or easy it is.

The bigger issue for me is I have a SWG and that just adds to the number of things to break. In addition to routine maintenance, there is always a pump, a filter, a skimmer, a float, a cleaner, a controller, a cover, a cell, a leaking pipe, etc, etc, etc that needs to be fixed it seems.

And just when you've replaced damn near everything and are ready to enjoy, summer's over and it's time to winterize

Cheaper and less painful to just have a close neighbor with a pool!

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by jwasbury

~24k gallon gunnite IG Northern pool here. Open about 4-5 months per year, but only drained to below skimmer. After 2 seasons on Tri-chlor my stabilizer level was >100ppm. After 4 years on only liquid, last season was the first time I had to add stabilizer.

I’m actually starting the season on Trichlor this year because I need to increase stabilizer level anyway.

My stabilizer level increased from 35PPM to 65PPM in 6 weeks! Stupid Tri-chlor

[javadog]

65 ppm is fine. I used to keep mine at 80 to 100.

[greglepore]

Ecosmart user here, chlorine free ... odor free...still can turn your blond hair green tho.

[willtel]

I got my new Stenner pump hooked up today. What a disappointment this thing is.

The motor runs all the time (not quietly) and the pump rollers only engage on occasion with a loud click when it needs to meter out fluid. Sort of like leaving your car running in the driveway at 3000rpm just in case you need to go for a drive later.

I guess I'll use the tank and re purpose a dosing pump I used have on an aquarium. I feel like an idiot for throwing away so much money on this thing.

[freeform911]

[QUOTE=greglepore;10491875]Ecosmart user here, chlorine free ... odor free...still can turn your blond hair green tho.

Copper and whatever sanitizers you're using attached together turns hair green.

If you use a copper base algaecide stop! Metal in pool water doesn't get filtered out..

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by greglepore

Ecosmart user here, chlorine free ... odor free...still can turn your blond hair green tho.

I've never had a problem with my pool turning blond hair green. My youngest daughter has the blondest of blond hair and it never got that light hint of green like it does at the local pool.

[Cajundaddy]

This is a game I have played for a very long time. If you do it right, pool maintenance only requires about 15 min per week to keep the pool clean and sparkling, with no chlorine taste, smell, or other negative side effects. Test the water weekly and pay attention to the results. Adjust dosage as needed. If you ignore the pool it will get ugly and swimming will get pretty uncomfortable.

My recommendation: K.I.S.S.

-Get an auto cleaner, a VS pump, and a good quality filter system, and run it long enough.
- Use 3" tabs for residual chlorine levels and shock treat monthly, or after a swim party in summer with liquid. Test every week and adjust your dosages as needed. Adjust pH as needed maybe once a month or less.

After 20 years working with salt chlorine generator systems I am less enthusiastic about them. When everything is working perfectly they do work but they are very expensive compared to traditional CL2 methods. They do require a lot of cleaning, fiddling, and repairing when the cell scales, the cell fails, the board fails, the flow switch fails, and if you ignore them they are very scale forming and will quickly make the pool very uncomfortable to swim. Certainly more expensive and every bit as labor intensive as not owning a salt system. There are just as many green pools out there with failed salt systems as green pools out there with failed maintenance routines.

Most other alternative sanitizer methods work well as long as you are diligent with your maintenance routine but are 5-10x more expensive to use. Whatever sanitizer you choose, test weekly and be diligent with your routine. This is far more important than whether you choose traditional Cl2, salt chlorine generator, Biguanide, mineral, ozone, UV, or any other sanitizer. They are only as effective as the person applying the technology.

[cabmandone]

Seems appropriate to revive this thread in light of the "chlorine shortage". I saw a thread in PARF about a shortage of chlorine. I haven't bought my supply of chlorine for the season. I went to Rural King to buy some and they were sold out with a sign that read "limit 2 cases". So the panic buying will be here for pool shock.

I bought a new SWG system for my pool today. Circupool RJ30. Has the same chlorine generating capacity as most systems rated for a 40,000 gallon pool.