What is free chlorine and how can I raise it? I have salt water system?

Question

What is free chlorine and how can I raise it? I have salt water system?

Answer 1

There are three chlorine parameters test kits test for. Free Chlorine, Combined Chlorine, and Total Chlorine. Total Chlorine is simply free + combined. Free chlorine is the amount of chlorine that is "free" to disinfect. Combined Chlorine is a byproduct of chlorine sanitizing. This byproduct is called cloramines. While cloramines do sanitize to a small degree they are very irritating. Cloramines are what gives the pool a chlorine smell and burns your eyes underwater.  A properly chlorinated pool should have no cloramines and should not smell.

To raise your Free Chlorine simply increase the dial setting on your salt chlorine generator. Also make sure you other chemical parameters are at a good level (especially your CYA which should be 60-80ppm and your pH at 7.2-7.6.

Answer 2

It is the chlorine present after disinfection.