From A to Z: All about Salt Electrolysis
An introduction to salt electrolysis
To keep your pool properly clean, it used to be virtually necessary to add chlorine to the water on a weekly basis. The annoying thing about this was that this agent lost its effect after some time and continuous refilling was absolutely necessary to monitor the hygiene of the pool water. Thus, if you had been on vacation for several weeks, you did have to apply a chlorine shock treatment to restore the chlorine levels. With salt electrolysis, this is no longer necessary! This smart cleaning method automatically keeps your pool clean using salt and electricity, even when you are away.
12 questions about salt electrolysis, with answers
In Western Europe, salt electrolysis is a relatively new technique. In fact, our swimming pool season is short, so the investment in this technique used to be considered not worth it. Nowadays we are beginning to see more and more the value of salt electrolysis, especially as this technique has been developed further and further and we have more options at our disposal. Perhaps you are already considering purchasing a salt electrolyzer or salt chlorinator. Still, we can imagine that you have questions about this advanced cleaning method. Therefore, Pool.shop presents: 12 questions about salt electrolysis that you may be looking for answers to.
1. What does salt electrolysis involve?
Salt electrolysis is a term from chemistry. In electrolysis, an electric current is applied to a chemical compound with the aim of decomposing it. The result is that two or more single substances remain, which the chemical compound was originally composed of. Now the chemical name of salt is actually sodium chloride (NaCl), a compound between sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). In salt electrolysis, an electric current separates the sodium and chlorine atoms, resulting in the formation of chlorine. Thus, salt electrolysis is the conversion of salt into chlorine and sodium by electricity.
2. What are the advantages of salt electrolysis over chlorine?
The major advantage of salt electrolysis over adding chlorine yourself is convenience. Because the equipment is constantly doing its job, the chlorine level of your pool is continuously maintained. In the process, the salt is converted into chlorine only slowly, so you can enjoy the hygienic effect of this remedy much longer than would be the case with normal dosing. Moreover, with salt electrolysis, the chlorine level is better controlled than if you were to add a (large) amount of chlorine to the water yourself. As a result, on average, there is less chlorine in the water, so you will have less trouble with the typical smell and you are less likely to experience skin irritation.
3. Does a pool cleaned by salt electrolysis still contain chlorine?
Yes. Contrary to popular belief, pool water will still contain chlorine when cleaned using salt electrolysis. Finally, an electric current decomposes the salt into sodium and chlorine atoms. However, the big difference from regular chlorine is that you no longer have to add the chlorine yourself when you use salt electrolysis. This automatically keeps your pool clean, so you can enjoy your pool even more relaxed.
4. What tools do I need to accomplish salt electrolysis?
For salt electrolysis, you only need to purchase two things: the actual electrolysis equipment itself and the salt. In the assortment of Pool.shop you will find salt electrolyzer devices from different brands, each with their own maximum number of cubic meters of pool water that can be cleaned with it. Additionally, it may be wise to clean your salt chlorinator regularly, yet at least every 3 months or 500 hours or so. To facilitate this process, it may be nice to use a cleaning mode.
5. How many grams of salt do I need?
Exactly how many grams of salt you need for salt electrolysis depends very much on your chosen device. As a rule, however, we can say that 2 to 6 grams of salt per liter of water is sufficient to maintain the chlorine level in your pool. Please follow the instructions provided.
6. Should I still check the pool water values with salt electrolysis?
To ensure that the chlorine level of your pool water does not get too high or too low, even with salt electrolysis, it is still important to measure these values using a water tester. In fact, while there are instructions for the amount of salt to be added to pool water, the actual amount is highly dependent on environmental factors and can fluctuate. In fact, too much salt is often added to pools, causing chlorine levels to rise hard and become too high. Therefore, check your pool water regularly before adding salt.
7. Why do I still need to refill the salt?
Salt does not evaporate, so you might think that it does not need to be refilled at all. However, this is not entirely correct; there are several ways salt can leave your pool. For example, it can stick to the bodies of swimmers, it can hit the edge of the pool in high waves, or it can stick to pool equipment, which then needs to be cleaned. This is why occasional refilling is indeed necessary.
8. How often should the salt be refilled?
Although the salt used in salt electrolysis does not need to be replenished nearly as often as normal chlorine, you will need to do this once in a while. No strict rules can be attached to this, as it depends heavily on the current chlorine levels of your pool. Only when they are in danger of becoming too low according to the measurements, you will need to add additional salt to the water. Therefore, measure your pool values regularly to determine when it is time to replenish the salt.
9. What happens if the salt level drops too much?
If you have a salt chlorinator, several things can happen when the salt level in your pool water drops too much. Some electrolyzers simply stop working, so no more salt is converted into chlorine. So then your pool is no longer kept clean. Another option is for the equipment to switch to hydrolysis. This involves splitting water molecules (H2O) into H+ and OH-. This process releases free radicals. These are powerful oxidants that are also capable of cleaning your pool water. Because salt electrolysis is preferred, however, due to the aging effects of free radicals, these devices will switch back to this once the salinity in the water is restored. Especially electrolysis equipment with hydrolysis function is very suitable if you plan to be away sometimes for long periods of time, since you will not need to refill the salt.
10. Does my salt electrolysis equipment also need to be maintained?
Salt electrolysis is a low-maintenance process, but that does not mean it is maintenance-free. Precisely because salt electrolysis uses salt, after some time calcium deposits will appear that could damage metal parts in your pool. This also applies to the salt chlorinator itself. Therefore, to monitor optimal operation of your salt electrolyzer equipment, it is necessary to clean and maintain it once in a while.
11. Does salt electrolysis have any drawbacks?
Salt electrolysis has many advantages, but also some disadvantages. Here the main disadvantage is that salt electrolysis is simply an investment, and it can be pricey: prices can range between 1400 and 4000 euros. Of course, you do get low-maintenance pool cleaning in return! Something you have to pay attention to with salt electrolysis is the importance of correct dosing. Too high a salt level can damage metal objects in your pool, such as a pool ladder or the electrolysis equipment itself. So to avoid damage, be careful with the amount of salt you use. As long as you observe this rule, salt electrolysis will otherwise provide you with fun and convenience above all else!
12. What are the best brands for salt electrolysis equipment?
In the assortment of Pool.shop you will find salt chlorinators from the brands Sugar Valley and Hayward. Here Sugar Valley mainly specializes in electrolysis equipment in particular, including redox controls and salt electrolysis kits. Hayward, on the other hand, is an expert in everything related to cleaning your pool: from pool robots and filter kits to salt chlorinators. On average, Sugar Valley is in the slightly lower price range than Hayward; however, what is advantageous about Hayward is that its salt electrolysis equipment requires only very low salt doses. Be sure to read through the product descriptions and check the maximum number of cubic feet that a specific salt chlorinator can clean before making your purchase. In any case, you can rest assured that you are purchasing top-of-the-line salt electrolyzers, whether you choose Sugar Valley or Hayward.
Salt electrolysis: for a clean pool without added chemicals
Salt electrolysis can be called a scientific miracle. A clean pool, without the continuous addition of chemicals and without you having to worry about it; what more could you want? We hope this blog article has provided you with enough information to make an informed decision about cleaning your pool. Would you now like to purchase the necessary equipment to clean your own pool in this way? Then take a look among our range of salt electrolysis products. We also look forward to seeing you at Pool.shop for your other pool supplies!
