Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: HotTubMan on October 29, 2004, 06:48:52 pm
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Hello shoppers;
I hear questions about salt systems very frequently so I thought I would start a thread to address this relatively new technology.
I am asked at least twice a week if I have a spa that runs on a salt system. To my knowledge no spa manufacturer is doing this. First off I think one should understand why it is popular in pools.
I find many consumers are in the dark as to what this system actually is. A salt water pool has a device plumbed in which creates liquid chlorine (sodium hypochloride) on site. Many beleive that the pool is chlorine/chemical free. Not true.
Some people buy these systems beleiving that they never have to add anything to the pool other than salt. Also not true. Pool water will still needs to be oxidized and balanced. Water Balance MAY be easier and less maintennce with the salt system. The high pH and TA of sodium hypo could help offset the affects of our acid rain. I find consumers with salt systems buy less TA+ & pH+ and purchase more pH-.
So why not in a spa? First of the salt will destroy any metal (jet ball bearings, heaters) it comes into contact with. The high TA and pH would not be off set by rain. Sodium hypo would also be hard on the plastics. That is why most manufacturers state that you void your warranty if you use liquid chlorine in your spa.
BTW, I predict that this trend will stop as soon as the electro magnetic "cartridges" on these salt systems begin to need replacement. They will last 2-3years with good water chemistry and cost roughly 1/3 the cost of the original unit. Similair trend happenned with pool cartridge filters.
HotTubMan
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Doesn't Bioquest use a form of salt as their additive to their system? It is made of Sodium Bromide which is ran through their system to create a form of Bromine much like what the salt system in a pool is doing correct. I have used the system in the past and it seemed to work alright.
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Doesn't Bioquest use a form of salt as their additive to their system? It is made of Sodium Bromide which is ran through their system to create a form of Bromine much like what the salt system in a pool is doing correct. I have used the system in the past and it seemed to work alright.
Not sure who or what Bioquest is.
Sounds to me like you are referring to a two-part bromine system that uses bromide and bromates to create hyperbromous acid. If this is what you are referring to, no it is no where close to the same thing.
HTM
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www.bioquest.com
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A few yrs ago Watkins said they were coming out with a salt bromine system. It never even made it to my store. They had trouble getting it to work so they bailed.
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We used the bioquest systems in 97-98 but we had alot of problems with them they seemed to have at up heaters like crazy. The last time that i had spoke with them they suggested that they had changed the formula and tha it should not do it. D-1 was offering it in the past and I think that you can still get it installed. It is a great concept if they could get it to work with the spa components. yes watkins was going to use it also.
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Coleman used it in the late 90's and had a high rate of heator failures as a result. We replaced all Bio 2 with an ozone system and Coleman paid for the change over.
I found that a spa with low useage or fewer bathers did just fine, however with heavy useage and bather loads the system couldn't keep up. The few who it worked well for really did miss it in the beginning. Of course they hadn't had to pay for any of the heators it burned up yet...
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Hello shoppers;
So why not in a spa? First of the salt will destroy any metal (jet ball bearings, heaters) it comes into contact with. The high TA and pH would not be off set by rain. Sodium hypo would also be hard on the plastics. That is why most manufacturers state that you void your warranty if you use liquid chlorine in your spa.
.HotTubMan
Yes Salt is very corrosive and has the nasty habit of creaping as anyone who owns a salt water aquarium will attest to.
The negatives out way the benefits in a Spa application.
Regards, Zz