Salt Chlorination
Salt chlorination (salt water generation) is a system that produces free chlorine continuously by electrolyzing dissolved sodium chloride in pool water.
Definition
Salt chlorination (salt water generation) is a system that produces free chlorine continuously by electrolyzing dissolved sodium chloride in pool water.
Typical Values: Salt level: 2,700–3,400 ppm; CYA for salt pools: 60–80 ppm
In Plain Language
Salt chlorinators use a titanium salt cell to split sodium chloride molecules with a low-voltage DC current, producing hypochlorous acid at the cell surface. The pool still uses chlorine chemistry — it just generates it from salt rather than adding it manually. Salt pools still require pH, alkalinity, and hardness management. Salt cells scale with calcium deposits and need cleaning every 3–4 months.
Why It Matters
Salt chlorination reduces the need for regular chlorine additions but does not eliminate water chemistry management.
Typical Values
Salt level: 2,700–3,400 ppm; CYA for salt pools: 60–80 ppm
Last reviewed: 2026-06-01