There are also two versions of the ChlorSimple. The ChlorSimplehas no light shows, you can’t set the power level and does have self cleaning. If it is making too much chlorine you can add a standard timer and plug the ColorChlor into the timer to lower the chlorine production.

The ChlorSimple Ultra has light shows and includes 6 high output LED red/green/blue LED’s. It also has three output levels that can be set by turning on the ChlorSimple while it is out of the water making it hard to accidentally change the power level while using the pool. Since most above ground pools don’t come with lights the ChlorSimple Ultra makes the pool much more usable at night. The light shows are similar to the ColorChlor with single color and fading between colors.

The chlorine production of the ChlorSimple is between 0.2 and 0.3 pounds per day of chlorine and depends on the water temperature and salt concentration. The power supply is 12 volts and can provide 5 amps for 60 watts of chlorine producing power.

 Ionizers: These are usually copper and or silver electrodes which introduce soluble copper and or silver ions to the pool when an electric current is passed through the unit. Copper is used for algae control and silver for bacteria control. While once touted as “chlorine-free” systems, they are now mainly sold as devices to be used with low levels of chlorine. These ‘heavy metal’ devices (so-named because of the high density of elemental metals) are sold in the pool industry as ‘alternative’ sanitizers.

 They have several shortcomings, however. First, in Canada, silver is not allowed as a sanitizer and is not even allowed to be listed in any accompanying literature. Second, silver is relatively slow in its ability to sanitize. Third, although copper is an extremely effective algaecide, it has the propensity to precipitate and discolour pool surfaces with a tenacious stain. Finally, these devices are not oxidizers, so 90% of the workload of chlorine is not fulfilled.

 Magnets: Using magnets as water conditioners, mainly for pH and scale control, is possibly a scam. Aggressive marketing and threats of legal action often silence the opponents of magnetic devices. These devices are also sold as a way to increase gas mileage when attached to the gas tank and as a way to increase blood circulation when attached to the body by adhesive tape.

 Oxygen generators: These devices pass current between two electrodes resulting in the electrolysis of water creating two volumes of hydrogen at the cathode and one volume of oxygen at the anode. The word “nascent” oxygen is often used to give them a scientific flair. The sanitation properties of oxygen are flaunted. This weakly soluble oxygen has little – if any – ability to kill bacteria or oxidize organics and the failure of such systems was once the topic on the TV show ‘Hard Copy’.

 Ozone Generators: These create 0³ by passing air through either Corona Discharge (CD) or Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation. Ozone – an extremely powerful oxidizing agent – is so unstable that is must be generated at the point of entry into the pool. Due to its activity and low solubility, it does not leave a required residual past 22 minutes in the water and must be used with chlorine or bromine. It is not a stand-alone system. Allowing ozone to accumulate in enclosed areas can also compromise the health of the individual.

 UV Devices: It is known that bacteria are killed when subjected to certain wave lengths of ultraviolet light. You may have seen surgical instruments sterilized under UV light. Having UV irradiate water passing through a transparent pipe in the return line may kill the bacteria in the pipe, but it has no effect on sanitizing the remaining water in the pool. UV leaves no residual and no ability to oxidize. Trojan Technologies of London, Ontario, which sells UV generators, dismisses the use of UV technology for use in pools.

Oxidative Catalysts: These devices use a cartridge attached to the return line which contains metallic copper and finely divided elemental silver. There are no electrical components. The copper and silver dissolve by erosion or corrosion. Finely divided silver is known to be an oxidative catalyst in the synthesis of certain hydrocarbons. These devices claim that they can control algae and can assist chlorine in killing bacteria. This device is incompatible with bromine sanitizers. It has no ability to oxidize. While little staining occurs with copper, it is often difficult to measure any copper residual in the water. Some critics of this device say it is a form of homeopathy, a branch of medicine, which dilutes the drug to a point where it cannot be detected and yet claims medicinal results. Claims for silver efficacy are not allowed in Canada.

Self Cleaning

The chlorine generator has titanium plates with a special rare-earth coating that can have a build-up of calcium or other compounds over time. That is because during the electrolysis process current goes in one direction from plate to plate. Chlorine generators with the feature of self cleaning periodically reverse the direction of the current which helps to break up the compounds that have attached to the plates. If the hardness of the water is very high even self cleaning chlorine generators may still need to be cleaned, but not as often as those without self cleaning.

Adjustable Power

Chlorine generators typically operate at full power. To adjust the power they adjust how long they are on. A chlorine generator operating at half power may be on for 12 hours in a day, and off for 12. Chlorine generators without adjustable power usually need a timer added so you can externally control the amount of chlorine produced. Without controlling the chlorine production you can end up with too much chlorine. You can also adjust the chlorine production by increasing/decreasing the salt level but this can be a hassle.

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ControlOMatic is in the final test phase of the ColorChlorHP and TechniChlorHP. The HP – High-Power versions of these two salt water chlorine generators add a third titanium plate which nearly doubles the chlorine output. The HP version will easily handle a SPA up to 2,000 gallons and even small pools to 5,000 gallons. The chlorine usage for pools is much less than a SPA’s because of the lower water temperatures. The HP versions will be available in January 2009 and the list price is $475 for the ColorChlorHP and $420 for the TechniChlorHP.

The most common inground spa is tied in with a main pool to share the same filtration and pump equipment. This means that the inground spa will use the same water as the swimming pool. In these cases the ColorChlor will not work as the chlorine generator needs to be able to support the full water volume for both the swimming pool and the in-ground spa.

Portable Spas and Chlorine Generation

What is know as a portable spa is usually made out of fiberglass and is not connected to a swimming pool. The ColorChlor and TechniChlor were designed to support water volumes up to 600 gallons and are a perfect fit for almost all portable spas.

When salt is dissolved in your water and your spa chlorinator in running, the chloride portion of the salt is transformed into pure liquid chlorine. Chlorine dissolves in the water to form hypochlorous acid. The acid performs the same functions as conventional “Pool Chlorine” in oxidizing bacteria, algae, mildew, etc.

Salt chlorinator systems generate free chlorine that destroys odors and irritating chloramines as the water passes through the TechniClor or ColorClor. Chloramines are responsible for the chlorine odor, red-irritated eyes, bleached hair and ruined bathing suits that are associated with traditional pool and hot tub chemicals.

Chlorine Generator Benefits

Chlorine is an agent to disinfect water and is necessary for safe swimming pool water. Chlorine residual is necessary so that it may instantly react to kill disease causing organisms and oxidize bacteria, algae, ammonia and other organic matter that may be introduced into the pool.

After purchase and installation of a TechniChlor or ColorChlor chlorine generator, you simply add Pool Salt (99% pure or better) to the water and sodium hypochlorite (free chlorine) is produced automatically by electrolysis of the water.

• Eliminates the need to handle and store hazardous chlorine containing chemicals
• Softened water does not sting eyes and leaves your skin silky soft
• Sufficient chlorine oxidizes chloramines
• No more chlorine smell
• No dryness, itchy skin, red eyes, or green hair
• No more bleaching of bathing suits
• Lower cost than liquid chlorine (bleach), powders or tablets
• automatically generating chlorine on demand
• there is always sufficient chlorine in the water to remain sanitized

In summary, it’s a convenient, simple and safe way to disinfect water, producing high quality pool water with reduced maintenance.

Industry numbers show upwards of 50% of new residential pools and 25% of residential spas in North America are getting installed with salt water chlorine generators. There are currently some 6,000,000 previously installed residential pools now looking to add the units – all fueling this exploding new technology.