We seem to be getting quite a few questions about our Chlorine Generators and their impact on long or dyed hair.  Understandably, you should be concerned about bathing or swimming in pools with a great deal of chlorine or other chemicals.  Dry hair (and dried skin) will quickly absorb water, and with it, chlorine and the other chemicals.

High levels of chlorine have been known to lighten dyed hair, and even worse, turn blond hair a greenish color!  Ouch, that’s a waste of a $100 trip to the hair stylist!

There are some remedies, though.  First off, try wetting your hair before getting in any pool.  A quick shower is always better for your skin, your hair and the pool chemistry.  Secondly, there are many hair care products now on the market that can be worked in before you dive in.  We really do not recommend these, though.  The oils from these products will dirty the water and the spa.

What we do recommend is that you only bath in hot tub or spa using a salt water chlorination system like the TechniChlor or ColorChlor.  These units sanitize the water differently by making very small amounts of chlorine far too weak to be an impact on your hair color or moisture. 

They also require a small amount of dissolved salt in the water that softens the water and refreshes your skin.  You will feel silky smooth and not smell like a pool when you’re done.  It really make a dip in your hot tub feel like a day at the spa!

When adding chemicals to pools and hot tubs, the chemicals are usually added all at the same time – a couple times a week. For a period of time after adding chlorine the levels are too high, then for a period of time they are just right and then too low until handful is dumped in again.

Where does this Chlorine go?

Free chlorine in your tub naturally breaks down over time. The greatest loss is due to its reaction to the UV in sunlight. The next greatest loss, also the largest loss in high bather load situations and in spas and pools not exposed to sunlight, is from chlorine oxidizing ammonia and urea from bather sweat (yes, you are perspiring in the hot water!).

So, with traditional management, you must be continually adding more chlorine – especially when you are using your spa more often.

How does a Chlorine Generator Solve this Issue?

Chlorine generators create just he right amount of chlorine when needed. As your water temperature goes down, it will make less and as your water temperature goes up it will make more to compensate for more breakdown.

Our experience has been that since the chlorine is always in this good range, your bathing expectations quickly adjust. Most of our customers have now forgotten just how obnoxious traditional chemicals can be until they visit another spa. Then, wow! They really appreciate the investment they have made.

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.

Maintaining Hot Tub Water

Chlorination has been the traditional method of spa sanitation for decades-almost by default, since there were no alternatives for this crucial aspect of owning a hot tub. However, for many spa owners, chlorination and bromine are old and outdated sanitation methods discarded in favor of maintaining a salt water tub.

Chlorine / Bromine

So what’s wrong with chlorine? Nothing really.  It does what it is supposed to—killing algae and bacteria, keeping your spa attractive and sanitary.  A hot tub that doesn’t get regular chlorine / bromine will become green with algae and bacteria.  Depending on where you live – especially in a climate like California or Florida, an unmaintained hot tub will become a green, bowl of soup within a week.

Hot Tubs, Spas and Jacuzzies require attention. It is vital to test your water daily/weekly to watch for unexpected changes water quality (chemical makeup).   They will get out of hand quickly, just like a temperamental two-year-old at times.

If you are testing your water regularly, it’s not enough to dump chemicals in and let the tub do the rest.  Each brand and type of chemicals have different combinations of active ingredients and fillers.  These fillers tend to build up over time and inhibit the normal actions of the product.  There are plenty of other chemical additives too.  When things stat going wrong, folks tend to over do it making the tub a nasty chemical mix.

Chlorine and Bromine are important for sanitation, but many people react badly to sitting in a chemical bath. The harsh chemicals that are added to store bought chemicals irritate the skin and eyes, making swimming a highly unpleasant experience. It is important to note that it’s not the chlorine that’s the problem—in most cases it’s the chemicals which are added to the pre-packaged mix.

Salt Water

The main advantage of a salt water hot tub is that it only uses enough chlorine to do the job. Yes, a salt water spa does use chlorine to keep the water clean, but it is only a very small amount of pure chlorine with none of the additives and fillers that build up over time.   The advantage is that the owner doesn’t have to add  chemicals.  The chlorine generator creates the chlorine it needs from the dissolved salt.  The water is much less salty than your tears!  So, when bathing, there is no smell of chlorine gas from excess chlorine in the water – just crystal clear water.  You can’t even taste the salt.  The saltwater also tends to soften the water, so it’s much less harsh on your skin leaving it silky smooth.  Some say their saltwater spas “feel“better than a bath upstairs in the bath tub.

Another important benefit is more of a long-term one. In the short term, converting from chlorine to a salt water spa will involve a complete flush and rinse of the tub to remove all remnants of the chemical soup, the addition of a saltwater chlorine generator and a good amount of natural salt – we highly recommend un-iodized, 99% or purer salt developed from Solar Evaporation.

Over the first year or two, you will save many times the start-up costs – all the while greatly improving the spa experience for your guests!

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.

When the power level is set to 10 on the ColorChlor or TechniChlor, the unit will always be on except when in a light show. Power level 10 also doesn’t use temperature compensation.

If you use your SPA every day, and keep the power level set to 10, there is a good chance that the chlorine level is just right. If you don’t use your SPA for a couple days there is also a good chance that at this power level it will make too much chlorine when it isn’t used as the unit will be on all the time. If you set the power level to 6, then when you use your SPA the boost mode will keep it on for 24 hours after the light show which is like power level 10 for one day. Then if you don’t use your SPA for a couple days there will likely not be too much chlorine production. Note that power levels 6 through 9 will all be on for the full 24 hours after a light show which is the boost mode. The boost mode will increase the on time by 3.

The power levels chlorine production on times are:

PL 10: ON 100%, no temperature compensation.

PL 9: ON 83%, boost level 100% for 24 hours

PL 8: ON 68%, boost level 100% for 24 hours

PL 7: ON 51%, boost level 100% for 24 hours

PL 6: ON 34%, boost level 100% for 24 hours

PL 5: ON 25%, boost level 75% for 24 hours

PL 4: ON 16%, boost level 48% for 24 hours

PL 3: ON 8%, boost level 24% for 24 hours

PL 2: ON 4%, boost level 12% for 24 hours

PL 1: ON 0.5%, boost level 1.5% for 24 hours

The software version will be listed on the TechniChlor and ColorChlor next to the serial number label. To see what specific changes have been made to the particular unit you have refer to the ColorChlor pages at www.ControlOMatic.com. These changes may not be documented in the owner’s manual.

Software Version 1

Customer Request: Increased the light show time from 10 minutes to 15 minutes. The time off after the light show until chlorine generation will commence is also 15 minutes.

Customer Request: When used in very small SPA’s that are not used very often the ColorChlor makes too much chlorine even at the lowest power level. Turns out that when the ColorChlor is in an off cycle it checks to see if it has been removed from the water in order to start a light show, this checking was making more chlorine than we expected. The checking interval was 1 second and has been increased to 2.5 seconds. The on time was also decreased from 7.5 minutes to 2 minutes and the 1 minute minimum on time has been removed.

Few things are harder on your family than hard water. It’s hard on your clothes, your skin, and your hot tub.

What Makes Water Hard?
Hard water contains natural calcium and magnesium, the hardening minerals. Rain water begins as soft water, free of these minerals, but as it passes through and over the earth, it absorbs these minerals. While they aren’t harmful to your health, they do affect the water and how the water affects us.

Why Hard Water is Hard on your Spa?
Hard water can turn simple cleaning tasks into hard work. Tubs and fixtures will be covered with an unsightly film that turns into heavy deposits unless it is kept clean. These deposits can actually shorten the life of your spa by up to 35%.

Why Soft Water is Such an Advantage
Not only does soft water make your skin and suits feel good, it also saves money and time. You need less chlorine to keep soft water clean. You can say good-bye to annoying water scaling and scum as well as stubborn tub rings. Your pipes and filters remain stain- and clog-free, requiring less maintenance and repair.

How can I tell if my water is hard?
You may have hard water if your glasses and dishes are left with spots, or colored clothing looks dull. You can have your water tested by your water dealer or you may use a home water testing kit.

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.