Salt systems
Using a salt water system is a popular alternative to disinfecting pool water compared to chlorine. Salt has disinfecting properties and produces chlorine through electrolysis, which drastically reduces the use of chemical care products. Salt water is also good for the skin and the environment. The salt system is used in combination with a sand filter system to properly filter and clean the swimming pool.
Frequently asked questions for Salt systems:
Check that all connection lines are open (gate valve, by-pass set). Remove dirt from the housing of the storage cell. Bleed the air from the filter pump. Check the water connection lines for correct installation according to the operating instructions and clean and check the flow sensor for dirt or deposits.
Check the titanium and eco-electrodes for dirt and deposits (lime, salt). Clean them by soaking the cells in vinegar water. The storage cells are a wearing part that can be replaced regularly. To do this, disconnect and unscrew the cell. First soak the complete plastic part including the cells inside in vinegar for several hours. Rinse it with clear water and reinstall it. Check the flow sensor for dirt or deposits and clean it. Plug the sensor firmly into the socket provided. Use salt content test strips to check the value of the water. Add sufficient salt to the pool according to the instructions. The salt generators of the last few years required approx. 3 kg/m³ of water salt, which corresponds to 3000 ppm. The salt water system requires a uniform salt concentration in the entire pool water. Therefore, there must be sufficient circulation and dissolution of the salt before the unit is switched on.
If the salt content is too high, drain off part of the pool water and fill it up with fresh water. Check the titanium and eco electrodes for dirt and deposits (lime, salt), clean them by soaking the cells in vinegar water. The storage cells are wearing parts that can be replaced regularly. To do this, you need to unplug and unscrew the cell. Soak the entire plastic part including the internal cells in vinegar for several hours. Then rinse with clean water and put it back in. Use salinity test strips to check the value of the water. The salt water system requires an even salt concentration throughout the pool water. Therefore, sufficient circulation and dissolution of the salt must be given before the device is switched on.
Check the power supply in your socket, if necessary try another socket. Check the power plug or connection cable for damage.
Clean the electrode of your pool's salt water system with vinegar or with a mild descaling agent that you dilute with water, depending on the product used. Important: Do not use hard objects (knives, etc.) to remove limescale from the electrode, as this could damage it.
The filter system should always be the first part in the water treatment system. The rest of the pool accessoires should only be connected after the filter system. A heat pump should ideally always be the last part in the water treatment system, so that the filtered, treated water flows through the heat pump and the path of the heated water into the pool is as short as possible.
Salt water systems for the pool
For daily cleaning and disinfection of the pool water a salt system is always used with a filter system. INTEX's Krystal Clear Sand filter Systems® combined with a salt water system cleans the pool water mechanically while the salt provides the natural disinfection. INTEX's salt water sand filter systems also have a water revitalisation technology that helps to improve circulation, filtration, pool clarity and air quality.
Disinfection with salt
Natural salt - special salt for salt water systems should be used here - or sea salt is added directly to the pool water. Attention: Do not use iodine salts. The purer the salt, the better the performance of the electrolytic cell.
As a rule, about 3 kilograms of salt are required for 1000 litres of water to achieve the correct salt concentration in the pool water. This corresponds to a salt concentration of about 0.3 to 0.4 percent salt. The exact amount of salt required can be found in the operating instructions. The bath water is soft and not comparable with sea water, which has an average salt concentration of 3.5 percent.
Salt consists of the chemical elements sodium chloride. In the course of daily filtration, the water is pumped through the electrolytic storage cells to produce pure chlorine (electrolysis). Electrolysis separates sodium and chloride and thus the desired chlorine for pool disinfection is split off while the sodium is retained. The chlorine produced combats micro-organisms effectively and lastingly. As salt does not evaporate, this process is automatically repeated every day when the salt water system is put into operation. During the bathing season, you only need to add salt again when you feed fresh water into the system.
The Salty de Luxe salt water systems from Steinbach are suitable for Styrofoam pools and polyester pools. Depending on the model, it can be used with a water capacity of 50 m3 or up to 80 m3. The required salt quantity for both Salty de Luxe models is approximately 5 kilograms per cubic metre of water. The maximum chlorine production is 15 to 20 grams per hour. The disinfectant is produced naturally by the user. The integrated electrolysis process reduces the amount of chlorine required by up to 70%, which means that you need little or no chemicals for disinfection.
The pH value must be checked and adjusted twice a week. Use measuring strips to test the pH value to the ideal value of 7.0 to 7.4 and the chlorine content of 0.3 mg to 0.6 mg per litre. If there is too little chlorine in the water, increase the running time of the salt system. If the chlorine content is too high, reduce the running time. If there is too little salt in the system, the chlorine production is also reduced. Too high a dose of salt in the pool water can cause damage to the metal parts of the pool. If there is too much salt in the water, drain in about 20 percent and fill the pool with fresh water. After adding salt to the pool water, run the filter pump for 24 hours to allow the salt to dissolve. Due to the low salt content of about 0.4 percent in your pool water, you will hardly notice the salt, nor feel, smell or taste it.
Continuous maintenance of the salt system
The salt system has a self-cleaning function. Depending on the hardness and pH value of the water, deposits can form. While household cleaning agents are generally not suitable for cleaning the pool, lime scale deposits can be removed from a salt system using standard vinegar. Please follow the operating instructions.
Salt water systems have several advantages, which are listed here:
- Salt has disinfecting properties. The advantage is that you can save the chlorine supply almost completely, which is why the chlorine smell is reduced or hardly noticeable. Caution: A lot of chlorine is produced by the electrolysis process. Be sure to regularly test the chlorine content to its ideal value of 0.3 mg to 0.6 mg per litre.
- Reduction of costs and energy. The filter running time is reduced due to the high disinfection effect of salt, which means that the pool is also less affected by micro-organisms that cause water turbidity.
- Salt is good for the skin and for any skin problems. The salt water cleanses and helps heal wounds
- Salt makes the water soft and crystal clear. It does not cause eye irritation as the concentration is very low at 0.4 percent.
- Salt is natural and you do not have to follow any hazard warnings when handling it.
- Salt has an unlimited lifespan and therefore no expiry date.