As most who have owned or even spent significant time in a swimming pool are well aware, chlorine is the most common chemical used for basic pool sanitation and cleanliness. And while those in previous generations often had to pour their own chlorine in what could be a labor-intensive process for many pools, modern technology has brought us several assists here – and the most popular of these is known as the automatic pool chlorinator.
At Packman’s Pools, we’re happy to explain any part of our swimming pool planning and design processes to clients, including those who desire an automatic pool chlorinator as part of pool construction. This two-part blog will dig into everything you need to know about these items, from what they do and how they work to the types available and some important considerations as you determine whether or not to install one.
Automatic Pool Chlorinator Basics
As the name implies, an automatic pool chlorinator is an item that’s put in place to automatically dispense chlorine throughout a swimming pool. This comes in place of pouring your own chlorine, an imprecise and often labor-intensive process.
It’s important to note that there’s a difference between an automatic pool chlorinator and a chlorine generator. The former, which we’re discussing in this series, simply dispenses chlorine, while the latter actually creates it.
How They Work
In the majority of cases, an automatic pool chlorinator will plug directly into your pool’s pump and filter system. When water moves through this system and is returning to the pool, it will be infused with the proper amounts of chlorine by this piece of equipment. All you have to do is ensure you purchase the proper chlorinator type for your pool, which tends to depend on whether the pool is in-ground or above-ground.
Chlorine Type Options
Starting with the very simplest option, here are the types of automatic pool chlorinators you’ll be able to choose from:
- Floating chlorinators: Simple plastic items that can hold roughly three pounds of chlorine tablets, the floating chlorinator is loaded up and then placed in the pool, where water passes through it and dissolves the tablets over time. These are cheap and easy to replace, though they are not precise and require regular manual change-outs.
- Tablet chlorinators: Options that use a plastic canister to hold tablets, with connections to the pool’s plumbing. These come with a control knob that allows you to change how much chlorine is being put out.
- Salt chlorinators: As we noted earlier, certain products in this realm cross over into chlorine generation, and the salt chlorinator is a good example. Through salt cells, this piece of equipment actually creates its own gentle form of chlorine, automating the entire process. As you might imagine, these full-service items come at a bit higher cost.
- Automation: There are still other systems that have actual sensors in place, allowing them to automatically adjust their own chlorine output levels based on the water’s needs.
For more on the kinds of automatic pool chlorinators available today, or to learn about any of our swimming pool or custom spa construction services, speak to the staff at Packman’s Pools today.