Saltwater swimming pools are what’s trendy and cool these days, because they can leave skin feeling softer and smoother upon leaving the pool. Unlike other non-saltwater pools that can leave your skin dry and flaky when you get out of the water. But saltwater swimming pools do require some extra attention and care, and some additional pieces of equipment. One of these pieces of equipment you’ll need is a chlorine generator.
Chlorine generators will do all the work of handling, storing, and adding chlorine to the pool for you. It’s an automatic generator that will constantly produce chlorine for the pool. The generator will then keep the pool free of bacteria and algae. Because these pieces of equipment need some salt in the water in order to run properly, chlorine generators are generally only used in saltwater pools. Not all chlorine generators however, need salt in the water to run effectively. There are some generators that are called ‘brine units.’ These generators have a chamber in them that have salt in them so that no salt needs to be added to the water first. These types of generators are not recommended however, because they can create by-products that are difficult to get rid of, and they are also fairly messy.
Chlorine generators work through the process of electrolysis. First, water is passed over the chlorine generator, which produces chlorine. This chlorine is then instantly transformed into hypochlorous acid. This acid is the main cleaning component in chlorine and is what all chlorine turns into when it enters a pool; it is this acid that will work to kill algae and other bacteria in the pool. To do this however, the water still needs to maintain proper levels, especially proper pH levels.
Chlorine generators are very handy pieces of equipment to have around, because they save the pool owner from fussing with the chlorine themselves. However, these machines still require some maintenance themselves. The main thing to remember is that it’s important to keep the generator’s cell free of calcium and other mineral deposits that can quickly build up on the generator’s surface. The actual cell itself in a chlorine generator is made up of different precious metals and it must be properly maintained so that it continues to work properly.
There are now units available called ‘reverse polarity’ chlorine generators. These units reverse the electrolysis process, causing mineral deposits and flakes to fall off of the unit, without you having to do anything. These larger pieces will then be caught by the pool’s filtration system as it continues to clean itself. Manufacturers of reverse polarity chlorine generators claim that these units never need to be cleaned but be wary of that statement. All chlorine generators will need cleaning at some point, although these units definitely make it much easier.
Chlorine generators can make a huge difference in how much maintenance time the pool owner needs to spend on their pool. There are many different models available with different features so if you’re going to buy one, make sure that you do your research so that you can get the one that’s right for you and your pool!