Chlorine v Salt laws

[LorraineT]

I read a year or so ago that new pools had to be salt by law, in France. Is this true or false?

[Cat]

Where on earth did you read that Lorraine?  False, without a shadow of a doubt.

[Poolguy]

Absolutely false.......!

The contrary would be more plausible due to European Directive on discharge of Pollution into the Environment.

Incidentally, it should be pointed out (again!) that salt electrolysis is the SAME as chlorine direct treatment - there is chlorine and Cyanuric acid in the water. The difference is 3500ppm (or more) of sodium chloride.

Andrew

[Caussenarde]

Groan...I've got that déja vu feeling all over again...[:(]  Not the same.

An electrolyser cell is used to make hypochlorous acid, from the free chlorine ions delivered by the addition of salt.

The cell cannot produce cyanuric acid.

More detail extracted from an earlier post if it helps......but you can find this stuff on the WWW yourselves with little effort:

The electrolyser does in fact release HOCl (hypochlorous

acid) into the pool....but it does not add any stabiliser (cyanuric

acid) and it is this, that actually causes the smell and

possible irritations associated with 'chlorine pools'.  Cyanuric acid

is in the chlorine tablets commonly used, but not in the chlorochoc

tablets which have short life. The stablilsier is necessary to prevent

the HOCl disappearing too quickly due to the action of sunlight.

Cyanuric acid is used as a stabilizer in recreational water treatment to minimize the decomposition of hypochlorous acid by sunlight in outdoor swimming pools and hot tubs. It achieves this by absorbing UV radiation.

Chlorinated derivatives of cyanuric acid, such as trichloro-s-triazinetrione and sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione, are used as algacides or microbiocides in swimming pool water and large scale water systems in industry.

 and:

What's the difference between a saltwater pool and a pool maintained with packaged

chlorine?

Salt

water pools used to be the exception, but now they are becoming a

widely accepted method of water treatment in swimming pools. A lot of

builders are now making salt water systems standard on their new

pools.  Most equipment manufacturers have also become aware of the fact

that salt water pools are not just a passing fad.  They are here to

stay.

Lower

Chlorine Levels -

Saltwater Pools - 0.5 to 1.0 ppm chlorine

Traditional Pools - 3.0 - 10.0 ppm chlorine

No

"Chemical Bath" Feel

NO packaged chlorine needed.

NO algaecides needed

NO soda ash or baking soda

Better

Swimmer Comfort

By eliminating the need for the harsh chemicals, you eliminate

the source of the irritation that plagues swimmers in most pools.

Controlled

Stabilizer Levels

If

you are using chlorine tablets, you are adding 1 lb. of stabilizer for

every 2 lbs. of tablets you put into your pool.   Your stabilizer level

rises to over 100 ppm and your chlorine becomes ineffective and yellow

algae and poor sanitization results. 

With a salt system, you add stabilizer as needed and are able to

keep the level low.  Your chlorine remains VERY effective and you need much less in the water to do the job (see above).

On commercial pools, state code requires you to drain pools when

the stabilizer level exceeds 100 ppm.  The salt system avoids this problem.

Superior

Algae Control

Saltwater pool systems virtually eliminate algae problems. 

This is because the chlorine in the pool is not inhibited by high stabilizer levels.

[Poolguy]

Cassernade.

I submit that there is next to no supportable science in the quotes you have

posted. In the main you have promoted americanized commercial gobble-dee gook

If you really believe that it is correct then I will banter no further as it is

the same argument as last year and the year before.

But a small for instance:

Cyanuric acid (stabiliser) is an additive, it is in powder form usually and is

contained in the Gallets,(dichlorocyanurate de sodium) it is ALSO IN CHLOR CHOC

(trichlorocyanurate de sodium) and it is also in some salt (stabilized

salt- you can also buy unstablised salt). It is in now way contributing to the

'pool smell' that you refer too, which is actually chloramines - and oxidised, derivation

of sodium hypo chloride. It is a must in pool water up to 50ppm as it not only

protects the chlorine from UV but also enhances the disinfection qualities of

chlorine.

Another for instance.

Never has anyone I know in the Pool industry recommend that a chlorine direct

pool should be run between 3-10ppm, that is ludicrous and completely misleading

to the point of danger to the public. The correct figure is 1.5ppm up to 2.5ppm

if your pool is heated, above that is considered CHOC treatment and is not safe

for swimming.

PLEASE check your sources for accuracy before you post, as there is little to

gain from what is above, it does you no service.

Andrew

[Caussenarde]

Andrew

Maybe the penny has dropped.

I make little or no additions of cyanuric acid to my water, and I know that the electrolyser does not produce it, and I have been content with this (as above).

But would you say that this lack would be the cause of occasional algal blooms which occur easily after windy/dusty weather or thunder storms?

If so, what is the best method of adding cyanuric acid, via chlor choc?

On another note, the problem I have with the pool is the lack of metrics which I can map against pool conditions and I will be following up the quotation you have given me for the analyser, I think it will help a lot.

So, apologies. [:)]   The only excuse I have is its raining again and my work is stopped as a result.

No more grumpy posts, honest.