Saltwater pools have become increasingly popular — and for good reason. They offer a gentler swimming experience and simplify water maintenance. To make the most of your system, it’s important to understand how it works and how to care for it, especially before winter.

⚡ How does electrolysis work?

At the heart of a saltwater system is a salt chlorinator, a device that converts salt (sodium chloride) into chlorine through electrolysis.

Here’s how it works:

1. You dissolve pool-grade salt in the water.
2. The water passes through the chlorinator’s cell.
3. Electrical current splits the salt molecules, producing chlorine gas, which disinfects the water.
4. The chlorine naturally converts back into salt, forming a continuous cycle.

This means that, unlike traditional chlorine pools, you don’t need to add chlorine manually every week.

🌊 Understanding salinity levels

The effectiveness of electrolysis depends on the salinity — the amount of salt dissolved in the water.

• Ideal range: 3,000 to 4,000 ppm, depending on your chlorinator.
• Too low → the cell cannot generate enough chlorine.
• Too high → risk of corrosion on metal parts and scaling on electrodes.

Use a digital salinity tester or your EcO connected analyzer to monitor levels precisely.

🧼 Maintenance tips for saltwater pools

• Clean the chlorinator cell regularly to remove calcium deposits.
• Check pH weekly — salt systems tend to raise pH over time.
• Maintain proper calcium hardness and alkalinity to avoid scaling or corrosion.
• Rinse pool equipment (especially metal parts) occasionally with fresh water to reduce salt buildup.

❄️ Winterizing a saltwater pool

Cold weather requires extra care for salt systems:

1. Lower the water level and drain pipes and the chlorinator cell to prevent freeze damage.
2. Turn off the salt system — electrolysis stops working effectively below 15 °C (59 °F).
3. Store the chlorinator cell indoors after cleaning and drying it.
4. Balance the water (pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness) before covering the pool.

If you use an EcO sensor, remove it for winter and store it in a dry, frost-free place — or use the upcoming iopool Winter Kit for optimal protection.

✅ Conclusion

Saltwater pools provide smoother and simpler water care — as long as you manage electrolysis, salinity, and winterization correctly.
With the EcO analyzer and the iopool app, keeping your saltwater pool balanced is easier than ever.