SpaChlorinator specializes in the the hottest new technology in the spa and Hot Tub market today – Chlorine Generators

High Tech Spa Accessory

If you are looking for a method to lower spa maintenance and operating costs while greatly improving water quality, then adding a chlorine generator should be your first addition.

Lower Spa Maintenance

By adding a chlorine generator the daily need to measure chlorine and add chemicals will be virtually eliminated.

Lower Maintenance Costs

Adding a chlorine generator can reduce your costs on chemicals by up to $300 and year

We want all of our customers to enjoy their spas and hot tubs as often and as long as they want without having to worry about what chemicals they are exposed to. So SpaChlorinator.com now offers the best two Salt Water Chlorine Generation Systems for your spa or hot tub: the ColorChlor and the TechniChlor made by ControlOMatic.

Why ControloMatic? They are one of the oldest and most recognized and reputable leaders for chlorinators and automation systems in the spa industry today.  They have over 15 years experience designing and producing chemical automation systems for pools and spas and over 20 years experience in the swimming pool industry servicing, repairing & training in recreational water facilities ranging from 200 to 1.8 million gallons of water.

Here are some benefits you get from a chlorine generation system:

• Crystal clear water, containing very low levels of natural salt
• Sweet smelling air to breath while bathing and under the cover
• Silky soft skin that is not dried and flaking
• Significantly less time testing and treating your water
• Significantly less expense for keeping the water this way

Here are some things you lose with a chlorine generation system:

• No more packaged chlorine, shock treatments or algaecides
• No more exposure to chlorine powders, liquid spills, dangerous storage, etc
• No more red eyes, green hair, dry irritated skin
• No more smell of chlorine in suits, towels or bed sheets
• No more worries about your children or pets getting into chlorine or bromine

With so many different choices to sanitize your hot tub available, how do you know which on to use? The answer is not always easy to come by as there are a lot of opinions, almost to the point of putting 5 people in a room, asking the question and getting 10 different answers!

In the 23 years I have been in this business, I have seen many things come and go and come again but few ever really do what they claim. I have even been suckered into many of them myself.

Traditional Pool Chemicals

For decades, traditional chlorine and bromine tablets and powders have been the dominant players in the marketplace. They are widely available and you can get started with them for under $100.00. The problem with these products is not so much the chlorine or bromine itself, but all the other “stuff” needed to carry the chlorine and bromine molecules. As these other ingredients dissolve and build up in the water, they actually inhibit the chlorine or bromine from being able to oxidize the contaminants which leads to poor water quality. This is the reason you need to frequently drain a hot tub to keep the water clear.

Another problem with chlorine and bromine tablets is the fact that they are extremely low in pH which causes your water to become very aggressive as the pH and total alkalinity start dropping to low levels. This causes metal parts to deteriorate potential discoloration to the shell and of course eye and skin irritation.

Ozone Sanitation Systems

Ozone is a very effective oxidizer provided you have enough being properly introduced into the water. It’s only real downfall is that it is highly unstable and only lasts a short period of time so there is no residual of ozone in the water. It doe make for a very effective supplement though. If you do have ozone, it is necessary to replace the cartridge every couple of years in order to keep it producing an effective level of ozone.

Mineral Treatments

Now we have mineral treatments which have plenty of arguments for and against them. These are typically copper/silver ions being introduced into the water by passing water through a cartridge filled with beads containing low levels of copper/silver ions. The ions have the ability to kill bacteria and algae but at a slower rate and they will not oxidize impurities so they can be filtered out. Minerals are also likely to fall out of solution when the pH goes up and then stain surfaces, skin and clothing.  Ozone in high enough quantity will actually oxidize the ions so they end up in the filter. Minerals must have a supplemental oxidizing agent in order to make the water acceptable to use.

Bromine Generation

Bromine generation was a short lived fad that showed promise but was found to have produced questionable by-products and would work great for an undetermined amount of time and then suddenly crash.

Chlorine Generation

Chlorine generation has been the best option in the alternative sanitizer category because it actually makes pure chlorine that is highly effective in keeping water clear & sanitary as long as it is properly used. Chlorine generation also is good as it recycles. The electrolytic cells split ordinary salt into chlorine and sodium. When the chlorine is used, it reverts back to salt and the process begins all over again.

Quality chlorine generation systems that are properly sized and maintained have proven themselves over a long period of time. They continually produce chlorine at a user selected rate to satisfy the demand of their particular situation. Chlorine generation users also have the benefit of clearer water, increased comfort and ease of maintenance. Chlorine generation has become so popular that it is now installed in approximately 50% of all new pool construction.

Saltwater / Chlorine Generation Process

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.

TechniChlor and ColorChlor manuals recommend a salt level of close to 3,000 ppm. The amount of salt required will depend greatly on the size of you tub in gallons. Most applications will require about 5 pounds, but please refer to the users guide instructions for the specific amount of salt for your particular tub.

These are simplified equations here.

• Cups of Salt = Spa Gallons * (3000 – Current Concentration) / 81,000
• Pounds of Salt = Spa Gallons * (3000 – Current Concentration) / 120,000

The current concentration can be found using the included test strips. It will take your tub some time to dissolve all the added salt. If the water is hot this should take 30 minutes to an hour. if the water is cold, it may take overnight.

It is always recommended you start the conversion to salt water chlorine generation with a complete flush, rinse and cleaning of your tub or spa to remove any contaminates and residual.

While your TechniChlor or ColorChlor is oxidizing bacteria and other reductants, the chlorine reverts back to chloride ions to maintain the salt concentration in the pool. Top-off salt needs to be added when fresh water is added to the pool due to water losses from splash out, pump outs or filter backwashing. In northern climates, pools are usually drained and “winterized” at the end of the swimming season and new salt is necessary when the pool is re-filled the following spring.

If your tub is used year-round, it is also recommended to drain and refill every six months.

Solar Evaporation methods produce the purest salt of the many different commercial salt mining and producing methods. It will produce 99.5% pure salt – and this is the recommended purity level for salt water chlorine generation. When buying salt for your pool or hot tun chlorinator, always look for Solar Evaporation with above 99% purity!

Solar Evaporation is the oldest method of salt production and still is the most environmentally friendly. It has been used since salt crystals were first noticed in trapped pools of sea water. Solar salt production is filling shallow ponds with saltwater where the sun evaporates most of the water. The salt is then gathered by mechanical harvesting machines. Any impurities that may be present are drained off and discarded prior to harvesting.

These salt ponds range from to 40 to 200 acres with a foot-thick floor of salt resulting from years of depositions. During operation salt water flows continuously through these ponds. This is called a saturated brine solution, containing as much salt as it can hold, so pure salt crystallizes out of the solution as the water evaporates. Natural chemical impurities are returned to the salt water source.

Chlorine Generators are changing how Americans, Canadians and Europeans are managing their hot tubs and spas.  The technology was first implemented in Australia years back, but has now come to this side of the world.

Salt water Chlorine Generators are the natural way to keep your hot tub or spa water sparkling clear, fragrant  and fresh.  Spa owners are turning to this natural way to keep their tub clean and healthy,  rather than continually dumping harmful chemicals into the water.

How a salt water chlorinator works

The first component is, of course, salt. Instead of the hash chemicals, you put a small amount of salt in the water - less than the salinity of your tears. The salt, dissolved completely in the water, is made up of sodium and chlorine.

The chlorine generator contains a series of plates with opposing electrical charges.  These charges start a very small chemical reaction called electrolysis which releases chlorine from the salt.  This is the most pure form of chlorine and since it is already in the flowing water, there is never any residue or by-products.

Note: Saltwater from the ocean has approx 20,000ppm (parts per million) of salt. Saltwater chlorinators require around 3000ppm, which generally can’t even be tasted.

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