Inground Pool Salt Chlorine Generator Buyer’s Guide

Pool owners know how much work and effort is necessary to maintain a healthy pool. It’s an endless job that can feel like a chore.

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to receive reliable assistance? Salt Chlorine Generators provide that extra help, saving you time, money and effort!

Salt Chlorinators give pool owners an easier way to maintain healthy pool water. As a pool owner, there is enough to worry about – any help would be great for anyone.

Salt Chlorine Generators assist you with maintaining water quality. You can rely on these handy chlorinators to consistently add the sanitizer needed to keep the pool water clean and clear. Salt systems convert salt into chlorine so that you don’t have to add chlorine yourself. Instead, you just add salt to the pool, which is transformed into chlorine by electrolysis.

bag-o-pool-salt by AquaSalt

A salt pool is constantly being sanitized as long as the pump is running. One bag of salt can keep proper levels for months at a time, and evaporation won’t reduce your salt levels. Salty water is safe for swimming, and is just a fraction of the levels of salt found in the ocean.

As pool water passes through the salt generator cell, it creates chlorine and releases it back into the pool. The salt cell instantly converts sodium chloride into hypochlorous acid, which immediately begins working, sanitizing the water.

Let's Get Salty!

There are several types and brands of salt pool chlorinators on the market. Let’s take a look at a few of these helpful chlorine generators. We have over 10 salt systems available, more than one that’s perfect for your pool type and size. Let’s Get Salty!

Pentair IntelliChlor

pentair-intellichlor-salt-system

The IntelliChlor has easy, push button operation, and features a bright salt cell display, allowing you to check the salt levels and chlorine residual at a quick glance. It also displays water flow, water temperature and cell system status.

The IntelliChlor is made by Pentair, one of the most respected names in the pool industry. It comes with an automatic shut-off below 50 degrees to prevent overworking the salt cell during cold weather. The titanium cell is easily removed for cleaning or inspection.

The Intellichlor can be wired with 115v or 230v, which means you can plug into a grounded outlet, or hard wire it directly to a circuit breaker, or connect to an existing timeclock or controller system. Like most inground salt generators, grounding and bonding the power center is required.

Hayward SwimPure+

Hayward-Swimpure Plus

The SwimPure+ comes from another trusted name in Pool Equipment – Hayward. The Turbo Cell generator plumbs in-line, and comes with two different disconnection options for removal and installation with ease.

The control panel can be hard wired in either 120v or 240v, and should be installed by a electrician.

The SwimPure is very simple to use, so you don’t get bogged down by technical details or confusing operation – just relax and let the SwimPure maintain the water. You can select the output of chlorine – between 1 and 100 percent.

The Control Board provides electricity to the cell – allowing users to select the amount of electricity that is given to the cell – to control the amount of chlorine that is produced. Typical cell life span can vary, with a maximum of up to 7 years.

Pool Pilot Digital Nano

Pool Pilot Digital salt system for pools

The Pool Pilot Digital by Autopilot comes easy to install and will be able to let you know how much salt should be added, if it is low. It has push button controls and an automatic salt cell cleaning function.

The tri-sensor will be able to measure the water temperature, flow and salt levels of the water, and the Nano will be able to maintain swimming pools up to 50,000 gallons.

The Nano also boasts a patented temperature compensation feature, Freeze protection and multi-language digital display.

It is recommended that an electrician hard wire the control box, which can be optionally configured to replace a mechanical time clock, and control the pool pump operation.

Salt & Swim Pro

hayward salt and swim

The Hayward Salt & Swim Pro is a lower priced salt unit that has a replaceable salt cell, which will last you for 2-3 seasons, depending on how long and how much you operate the salt system.

The entry price point on the Salt & Swim is much lower than the others, and the replacement cell only costs about $250. Other salt cells tend to last longer, perhaps as much as 5 years, but their price is as much as $500 to replace. The most compact design takes up only 6″ of pipe space, and the wall unit is also very small.

A single Salt & Swim PRO salt system produces the equivalent of 200 lbs. of available chlorine, and has a do-it-yourself installation that takes less than 20 minutes, with 110V 15′ power cable.

Aqua-Rite Turbo

hayward aquarite salt system

The Hayward Aqua-Rite salt systems uses a patented Turbo-Cell that is available in 3 sizes, for pools up to 15K, 25K and 40K gallons. Comes with a 3-Year warranty – one of the strongest among salt systems, and even covers the salt cell.

The Aqua-Rite system is made by Hayward, and is the same as their SwimPure salt system. Interfaces with Polaris, Pentair and Goldline controls. Titanium coated cell blades ensure long life.

Using an integrated pH and ORP sensor, the Hayward in-ground pool chlorine generator always keeps your pool water balanced and clear with little maintenance. Connects to 110V or 220V. 8 Diagnostic indicators monitors salt and chlorine levels automatically and continuously.

Salt System Installation

In terms of installation, all models take up about the same amount of room, with the exception of the Salt & Swim system, which is ultra compact. They consist of a wall mounted power center / controller and the inline salt cell. The AquaRite salt system has an additional flow switch to be plumbed in place. Systems with flow rates over 100 gpm may need to plumb the salt cell in a bypass loop, to control the water flow. And pumps with two speeds, or variable speed pumps may need a relay, to operate with low water flow.

To wire a salt system, most units can take power from an existing timeclock, breaker, switch or controller. The Salt & Swim has the easiest wiring, just plug it in. Other models have the ability to accept 220V or 110V. Salt systems for inground pools should be grounded and bonded according to installation instructions and local electrical codes. Wires are run connecting the power center to the salt cell and to sensors for salt, water temperature or flow rate.

In terms of features, all of the models above are self cleaning and have a boost feature, to superchlorinate. You may still need to use granular or liquid pool shock occasionally, when opening the pool in spring, or if you have algae, or if the pool pump or filter (or salt system) is not working.

You Salty, Bro? Stop buying, storing and handling dangerous chlorine products. Installing a salt chlorinator removes the day to day drudgery of testing and adding chlorine, and the salt makes the water feel silky smooth and helps buffer and stabilize pH levels.

Salt Chlorinators only need salt added to the pool once or twice per year (which you can buy locally), so you don’t have to constantly worry about checking the salt levels. You do have one worry however – salt cells eventually deteriorate, losing the protective coating on the blades. After 4 to 5 years, the chlorine output will diminish to a point where it’s time for a salt cell replacement.

Worry about that when the time comes – install a salt chlorinator! Salt systems are now standard equipment on over 75% of new pools built in the U.S.

One thought on “Inground Pool Salt Chlorine Generator Buyer’s Guide

  1. […] amounts of chlorine, but salt-generated chlorine is much milder than typical chlorine. According to IntheSwim.com, a salt chlorine generator naturally turns the salt added to the pool into chlorine through […]

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