Ozone generators, also referred to as ozone machines, are ozone-generating devices that intentionally produce ozone gas and inserts it into your pool water. It is a pH neutral option and an effective sanitizer that can be used as a supplement to the chlorine, bromine or baquacil in your pool.
Ozone is a blue-colored gas that’s made up of three oxygen atoms. Ozone is useful in swimming pools because it is a good oxidizer, effectively killing and inactivates bacteria, parasites, and viruses without any chemical assistance. Rather than adding ozone to your pool the same way you add other pool chemicals, ozonators sanitize your pool water within their circulation system.
Ozonators work in two different ways:
Ultraviolet radiation: This process of ozone generation is similar to how the sun’s ultraviolet radiation splits oxygen molecules into free oxygen atoms. Those atoms then combine with ambient oxygen and create ozone, which sanitizes the water.
Silent corona discharge: These machines use electric discharge to produce ozone by splitting the normal oxygen molecules in the air into single atoms. These atoms then attach to other oxygen (O2) molecules in the air to form ozone (O3).
While both of these systems can be effective, they function best in dry climates, so if you live in a more humid area, you’ll see a reduction in the ozonator’s performance, meaning you may have to fall back on some chlorine every now and then. Ozone also does not maintain a residual disinfectant, so another chemical, like chlorine or bromine, should still be added to the pool to ensure that the water is completely sanitized and safe for swimming.
Ozonators can be a bit more tricky to install than other alternatives such as salt or mineral systems. Ozonators are installed in the pool’s circulation system downstream from the operating equipment. As the water passes through the ozonator, it gets sanitized by the ozone before returning to the pool. Any time you install and use an ozonator, it needs to have access to fresh air, and it can’t be placed underground.
Because ozone is not safe for humans, all or most of the ozone should be used up before the treated water is returned to the pool where it will come into contact with swimmers. Your local or state health regulations may require you to install an ozone detection system as an added precaution, so you should check your local regulations before installing.
Both types of ozone generators do the same thing in terms of scrambling the oxygen atoms to produce ozone. However, they differ in a few key ways. First, corona discharge generators produce a higher concentration and quality of ozone than UV generators. CD generators are more expensive to buy and install in the beginning, but they produce ozone at a cheaper rate.
Adding chlorine, bromine or Baquacil is still required to fully sanitize your pool even when you have an ozonator, according to CDC requirements. However, ozone can be an option to reduce the amount of chlorine needed.