Talk:Salt water chlorination

message: My new saltwater pool...
I just moved into a new home and the electrolysis unit looks like it has not been maintained. Chlorine level in pool is near 0. A bit of algae growing. Will get pH to 7.0, clean electrolysis unit, add algicide and let you know how things go.
cyanuric acid is used as a stablizer for chlorine in outdoor pools only, because of the effect UV light has on chlorine.
As far as I know, there is no chlorine left in the pool when you're using a salt chlorinator.  I've tested the chlorine level in my pool since I switched to salt and it registers no chlorine.  The water is run through the salt chlorinator and returned to the pool as salt water.  So the previous poster is incorrect about needing a chlorine stabilizer.Hcantrall 00:16, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Your chlorinator is supposed to chlorinate.  Are you measuring the chlorine in the water as it comes out of the chlorinator?  If so and there's no chlorine the most likely causes are some electrical problem resulting in no voltage across the plates (check with a voltmeter), or calcium build-up on the plates preventing the salt water contacting the active (clean gently with acid), or overly aggressive cleaning with acid removing the catalysts on the surface of the plates (replace the cell).  If you're measuring it later on, the lack of chlorine you're observing might be because in the meantime the sun's UV has broken down the chlorine too quickly because you didn't have enough CYA (cynanuric acid).  The whole point of a chlorinator is (ultimately) to ensure enough hypochlorous acid to break down the cell walls of organisms smaller than you, the same goal as when using chlorine (e.g. trichlor) tablets.  --Vaughan Pratt (talk) 05:49, 15 June 2008 (UTC)

text: If that were true the salt would continue to work just as well after the electrolysis unit has completely calcified over, as it will in due course without proper maintenance.  Have you ever seen a saltwater (6,000 ppm or less) pool without an electrolysis unit?  For that matter have you ever even seen a saltwater pool?  --Vaughan Pratt (talk) 05:16, 15 June 2008 (UTC)

text: First off it won't be solid metal but sodium hypochlorite, sodium hydroxide, etc.  Secondly any sodium not in a position to revert to NaCl due to loss of chlorine by e.g. evaporation will be backwashed out of your pool in due course.  So you might get some build-up of non-NaCl sodium compounds, but only up to a point as the overall system drifts into equilibrium.  It's a nice question what that equilibrium is, any pool scientists out there with a more precise answer?  --Vaughan Pratt (talk) 05:30, 15 June 2008 (UTC)

text: 35 ppt = 35,000 ppm, a lot more than 3,000-6,000 ppm.  --Vaughan Pratt (talk) 20:12, 13 June 2008 (UTC)

text: The article mentions chlorine evaporating (which it does).  Where does it mention salt evaporating (which it doesn't)?  --Vaughan Pratt (talk) 16:50, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

message: The last paragraph: Sodium bromide can be used instead of sodium chloride, which produces a bromine pool. The benefits and downsides are the same as those of a salt system. It is not necessary to use a chloride-based acid to balance the pH. Also, bromine is only effective as a sanitizer, not as an oxidizer, leaving a need for adding a "shock" such as hydrogen peroxide or any chlorine-based shock to burn off inorganic waste and free up combined bromines. This extra step is not needed in a sodium chloride system, as chlorine is effective as both a sanitizer and an oxidizer. A user would only need to "super chlorinate" or increase chlorine production of the cell occasionally. That would normally be once a week or after heavy bather loads.
This contradicts other Wikipedia articles that lists bromates as an oxidizin agent: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Oxidizing_agents Michaelassad (talk) 18:31, 21 August 2017 (UTC)
thread_title:  Incorrect Statements about Bromine 

message: The discussion surrounding the inventor of the residential salt water Chlorinator seems to be in dispute.
I am not sure where the original sources came from.
It would be interesting to see how they were validated by the original author.
Following is some verifiable history.
Historically, Lindsay Isles, Len David, Ted Romer, Bob Joy, Bob Nowland and Ian Bevan were all linked in the early sales of what became of the Watermaid product.
Len went on to create the "Clearwater" brand, 
Bob Joy initially sold Watermaid, later created the brand "Salt water pools" (that carried the Watermaid logo) then later "Aquajoy"
Early on, Ian Bevan Sold the Watermaid brand but a dispute over the Watermaid name was held when Ian decided to manufacture his own product and attempt to use the name Watermaid.
The Watermaid industries product was re branded "Aquamaid" after Ian failed to win the case.
Other significant brands that entered the market like Lectronator.
and...,
There was a brand (name currently eludes me) that became Poolrite
This model used a flappy paddle with a magnet and a reed switch to allow water flow detection.
Possibly the earliest implementation of water flow detection in a Chlorinator.
I repaired hundreds of them over time. 
Lectronator also used the flappy paddle (water pressure pushed the magnet on a paddle into the reed switch path to close the circuit) and there are still some product on the market today that use this (prone to failure) technique.
Lectronator were ahead of their time back then with possibly the first reverse polarity unit to hit the market.
As far as I am aware. Olin corp (chemical company) purchased Lectronator and paused the development to prevent Chlorine sale losses.
Barry Gillings was a dentist and an inventor.
He developed the Orsino Chlorinator and sold around 60 units which all ultimately failed.
I repaired/modified a lot of them to allow them to continue operation as they were a robust power supply on their own.
We added a Watermaid cell to them and they worked reliably for many years.
The last one that I knew of still in operation was at the home of professor Ray and Lorraine Pierens in Carlingford. 
This was replaced in 2019.
Barry holds some patents in the dental and other arenas. (he also plays the piano exceptionally well)
I also have an original Watermaid unit in the reception area in our building that was installed in 1973 and taken out of service and replaced in 2003.
Watermaid Industries (Ian Bevan) has since had it's registration cancelled (Oct 2019) 
When the name "Watermaid" was planned to become the product/company name, there was a meeting with Lindsay Isles, Ian Bevan and Ted Romer to decide the name.
Ian left the meeting and immediately registered the name Watermaid Industries that day.
Watermaid Pty Ltd was registered a few days later.
Watermaid Pty Ltd manufactured cells for Watermaid Industries until the design changed around 1994
Watermaid also manufactured cells for the brand "Salt Water Pools" which also carried the Watermaid Logo.\
Salt water pools (Bob Joy) re branded to become Aquajoy.
The Salt water pools unit was dominantly sold in Western Australia. (with the Watermaid cell)
Transformers were manufactured by Radix, whereas the Watermaid transformers were manufactured by Industria.
Andrew Andrew Romer (talk) 23:54, 18 November 2020 (UTC)
thread_title:  Electrochemical Chlorination.