SILVER/COPPER IONS VS. CHLORINE

Silver/Copper systems are the preferred water treatment wherever high temperature conditions are encountered - in the tropics, on shipboard, in air conditioning cooling towers and of course pool/spa environments. Under these high temperature conditions, residual chlorine evaporates leaving the system unprotected. As neither silver nor copper evaporate, continuous bactericidal action is provided even during shutdowns.

Chlorine quickly evaporates on a hot sunny day in two hours leaving the pool/spa water unprotected. Even with the use of stabilizer, cyanuric acid, chlorine's life is at best slightly extended. But there are other factors besides sunlight and temperature that affect chlorines availability to sanitize. Organic Materials such as rain, sweat and urine cause chlorine to form chloramines which are much slower and ineffective at sanitizing. Also the chemistry of the water determines what percentage of chlorine is available in it's killing form.

With a pH of 7.5, only 50% of the chlorine is in it's sanitizing form. With 25 ppm of cyanurate acid, chlorine behaves as though the pH is at 9 which leaves only 5% of the chlorine in it's killing form. Studies by Dr. John R. Anderson at the University of South Dakota demonstrated that the addition of cyanurate acid results in a greater decrease in chlorine's bactericidal properties than an increase in pH of 7.0 to 9.0.

In the real world, pools/spas are exposed to all kinds of organic contaminants as well as heat, sunlight and bathers absorbing the chlorine/bromine. In fact, 4 people in a 400 gallon spa absorb the entire sanitizer residual in as little as 15 minutes. These factors make it difficult to insure a chlorinated pool/spa is a sanitary environment. Also unreliable results occur when it is left up to manual dosing of the sanitizer. With the Carefree Clearwater system automatically sanitizing a pool/spa and always maintaining a stable residual, you can be assured of a clean, safe and healthy pool.