As a general rule, if you are adding salt to your pool for the first time you will need around 1- 25kg bag of salt per metre of pool length. (e.g. 10 bags for a 10 metre pool). Most modern chlorinators operate with a pool salt content of between 4000 - 7000 ppm of salt.
DO NOT operate a chlorinator for 24 hours after adding salt. You may damage the cell or power supply. As salt takes approx 24 hours to dissolve, if you vacuum or you have an automatic cleaner, you may pick up undissolved salt which will pass through the salt cell causing a short between the positive and negative electrodes.
All water from the filter MUST flow through the cell to the pool. Diversion or water to heaters, spas, waterfalls etc before the cell will affect the cell's performance and life and may damage the cell. DO NOT RESTRICT water flow through the cell by closing valves, backwashing for more than 5 minutes, or allowing leaves to block skimmers and pool lines. Also with blocked pool cleaners or dirty filters poor water flow will allow water in the cell to overheat and may result in distortion, leaks, opaqueness and cell failure and low chlorine readings. DO NOT tap, jar, bang or prise at cell casing or mesh with solid or sharp instruments, particularly in cold weather. DO NOT over tighten cell unions. REMOVE all calcium deposits that form on the cathode plates (negative) BEFORE they engulf the anode (positive) plate, otherwise the cell may fail to work or the anode plate may get damaged or the cell case may crack, leak or distort. The cell can be cleaned with a strong water jet or a mixture or diluted acid to water (10 parts water to 1 part acid). The cell should be positioned after any solar heater and 2 metres after and below any gas heater. Ideal water chemistry: Calcium <80ppm. pH 7.0 to 7.8 Magnesium >20ppm. Salt 4000 to 6000ppm Water temperature 15 to 30 degrees C. We recommend the use of Stabilizer (cyanuric acid - this is an invisible layer that sits on the top of the water to stop the sun from "eating" the chlorine) and Epsom salts (Magnesium sulphate) to soften calcium scale deposits that build up on cells. DO NOT add pool algacides to skimmers. High copper and tin levels (low pH & fluoride) may destroy the cell electrodes and discolour pool walls. Ideal running time is between 4pm and 5am for at least 8 hours in summer. SUPERCHLORINATE your pool once a week in summer by adding an extra dose of chlorine.
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