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domwild
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Joined: 16/12/2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 873

Posted: 01:16pm 30 Sep 2013

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Found a pool chlorinater at the kerb. Imagined myself to be rich as the electrodes must be platinum. Our chemistry prof talked Latin like an alchemist and used the phrase "in status nascendi" or at the state of birth and chlorine would be most aggressive at that point and only platinum can handle that.

The four electrodes look like copper now. Looks like platinum was only electrolytically applied, shame! Two fuses,3A and one at 15A and 32VDC and it looks like that is the output. Could not measure the output as a sensor looks for saltwater and I do not know which resistance to place between the sense wire and active to fool it into believing it has water as an error flashes up on the panel. Any idea?

Massive toroidal transformer with three different pick ups on the secondary, massive alu heat sink for 2x2 diodes (?) paralleled with the heat sink being one pole. Circuit board, timer, relay, switches, socket for pool pump and connection to pool light.

Apart from the transformer, etc. is it of any use other than a boat anchor or door stop? It does have some sort of a rotary "intensity" switch, does that govern the voltage or amps to the electrodes? Battery charger?

Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up.

Winston Churchill

paceman
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Joined: 07/10/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1329

Posted: 04:02pm 30 Sep 2013

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Hi Dom,
I had to replace the cell in my chlorinator early this year (about a one in every six years job) so had a bit of a look at the circuit while I was in there. I think the 'sensor looking for salt water' that you mentioned is there as a safety switch so that it doesn't try to push current in when the pump isn't on and water flowing. The resistance is probably not very important (but it'll be low because salt water conducts pretty well) and it might also be a current level because the area of that electrode (mine's about 6x10mm) will determine the current flowing through it. Apparently quite a few years ago (like more than 25 years because mine's about that old) there were a few explosions when cells were on and no water pumping. BTW salt pools run at about 0.6% salt (one sixth of sea water but the levels not at all critical).

On mine the control of voltage out (hence current depending on salt level in the water) was done with a big-ish standard domestic light dimmer - that's the rotary control you mentioned. As I remember (when I had it on the bench) the circuit was only made when the water contacted that sensing 'electrode'. I think I just linked it and then got voltage at the main electrode terminals.

I seem to remember being told that one electrode was titanium and the other was platinum plated (plated onto what, I don't know). Whatever it is they're expensive, because my pool shop charged me $400 six years ago for a new electrode assembly, but this year I got it off the net from an Australian manufacturer for $200.

As you say there's not much else in the box so the transformer's probably the only thing worth salvaging.

Greg
Edited by paceman 2013-10-02

domwild
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Joined: 16/12/2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 873

Posted: 01:29pm 01 Oct 2013

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Thanks for that, paceman. 32V or less does not seem to be too interesting, so I will rip it apart.

The voltage on the sensor is 12V, will just link it as you are suggesting and see what comes out of it.

$400 or $200, that is expensive! Would have to sell my wife into white slavery to pay for that!

Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up.

Winston Churchill

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