Circupool SJ-40 Salt Water Pool Chlorine Generator

Installed with the help of my dad (certified electrician). Initially it didn't work. The attention light was on steadily, and the power light was not flashing, which is not a combination covered in the manual. I called the customer support number provided, and I was given another number for "better information," which worried me I was getting the run around. The guy at the second number asked a few questions and decided to send me a new control unit. It took a week to get it. I switched it out pretty easily, and the system still didn't work. I called the second number back, and he asked a few questions again and decided to send me a new cell. Again, it took a week to get here, but when I switched that out, it worked perfectly. I was impressed with the lack of hassle with the customer service. I was not on the phone more than 5 minutes either time I called, and the new parts came with paid return shipping for the items I was to return. Also, for the 2 and 1/2 weeks I was trying to get it to work, I had to add a gallon of chlorine every other day (it was 90 and sunny every day), as well as other chemicals to keep the water balanced. Now that my chlorinator works, I haven't had to add one chemical for 3 weeks (and it's still 90 and sunny every day). So worth it!!!

I bought one of these in Oct 2017. In 2018 the cell went down, and the cell housing was cracked and leaking. I reported problem and received prompt service (I have no problem with their customer service other than the guy I talked to said do you have an in floor system. When I said yes he said that is why the housing is cracking. I told him I never had that problem with my Zodiac. He spoke to me like it was my fault. You guys have a workmanship problem with your plastic. They lost me after this comment.) I received a new unit under a different name "Wave" refurbished even though I bought brand new (allegedly). I have been through 4 cell housings. All cracked. I went to this from a Zodiac. I had two Zodiac's over a twenty year period. Just normal wear and tear prior to this. The housing I have on there now is their new and improved version. There are bubbles creeping into the housing from where it is connected to the flow. Hence the cell housing is crack. Never had this problem with Zodiac. This is a defect in the way they manufacture the plastic. Will never buy one again for this reason.

I made a quick comparison spreadsheet for SWCGs. Columns were $/lb of chlorine, warranty, price etc. The SJ-40 came in second for output per dollar. I previously owned different brand that had all the bells and whistles, but decided what I really needed is a reliable source of chlorine. I have a test kit to tell me everything else.The SJ-40 has been perfect. I have a 17,000 gallon pool with the pump running on 50% duty cycle. I had to turn the Circupool down to 25% to keep the chlorine down to 6 ppm.Not a hint of green all summer.My only negative was I had to call in to learn how rewire for 110v, but it was a 5 minute call and an easy fix. I'm sure they have their reasons for not documenting the re-wire. No deduction.

Was pretty easy to install if you're handy. The provided wiring was a bit short for my needs, but your installation needs will vary. The instuctions weren't clear about it's ability to withstand weather, either of the walls where I was going to place the control unit had either direct exposure to the rising sun or constant exposure from the the southern overhead sun. Not wanting a faded blue control unit, I opted to build an enclosure. Like I said, the length of wires provided limit where you can place the control unit in relationship to the sanitizing tube. My options were either directly behind the pool plumbing/heater/filter, or off to the side. I made a trip to The Home Depot and picked up some appropriate 3-conductor wire and weather jacket for the power. I fully intend to keep the control unit for the long haul, and I'm sure I will need a new sanitizing unit before I need to replace the wires. Besides, it has a propietary connector, so I wasn't about to try and change that.I measured twice and cut one all the PVC fittings, giving the new fittings a light sanding and coat of PVC primer. I was sure to cut the PVC as squarely as possible, and sanded those tubes so that all paint and oxidation was removed. I dry fitted all the fittings, primed all pieces, and then cemented them all together.Using the supplies from the Depot, I removed the cover of the control unit and removed the provided power cable. Take a note (or a cell phone camera picture) to remember where each wire gets connected. The white wire to the power switch used a very small connector not available at The Home Depot; I cut wire with that connector, leaving an extra 2", so that I could make a pigtail.After wiring it all up (I connected to the load connectors on my Intermatic timer), I threw the breaker, crossed my fingers, and it came up like a charm. I will be running the water over to my local pool supply company for analysis this weekend to see how my levels are.Why do I give it 5 stars despite the short cables? I realize that each installation is unique, so there is no cookie-cutter solution that will fit every need, so why deduct a star if the product itself works as expected. I fully intend to report annually on this unit so that others can get a real-world review, rather than a brief description of my one week of use.

This is an initial review of the system; I will update it as I use it more. Photos included.Overall I'm very pleased with the SJ Salt Chlorine Generator. I got the -40 with a 22,000 gal pool, so I only have it set to 50% chlorination, in the hope that I can extend the life of the cell and generator system. Long-term reviews on the Circupools on the internet is why I made the purchase; they seem to be very reliable and lower cost than other companies. Time will tell for me, but so far, I'm quite happy with it. I also liked that I could remove the cell without taking out a chunk of the pool loop like some other systems, and the clear housing for the cell is a blessing to visually see the health of the cell and water flow. Excellent work with that!Installation took a while, but that was more to do with my electrical work than anything else. I had to get a couple 1 1/2 in PVC adapters for the cell housing, but that was not $3 at my local handyman store. Mine arrived without an O-ring for the cell tube, which isn't listed in the parts list, so I had to wait a couple days for one to be shipped to me while my pool was down. It was a quick shipment, and Circupool was very helpful on the phone. It would be good to have a more robust parts list for the instructions, however.Mounting the controller is done with a provided hole template, where four blind screws anchor the controller in place; If you're not lucky, this can take a long time, as one misaligned screw (from the paper moving, or the drill running off by even a small amount) means having to make four more holes! This method looks elegant when installed, but there are faster, more efficient ways to do this. I'll get to that with the quirks section...Operation is super straight forward, as it's basically a set it and forget it kind of thing. I have it wired to a GE Z-Wave outdoor appliance switch, which is controlled by Alexa and also manages the pump.There are a few quirks about the system that made me scratch my head a bit, however. For example, the power cable is terminated with a 1/2" compression fitting for a water-tight fit, but removing it to install a standard outdoor electrical cover is a massive pain, and required me to open the case, which is done with only four screws, and no hinge. This in itself is not difficult, but also revealed some other curiosities. Inside, there is a BEAUTIFUL toroidal transformer and a power regulation PCB mounted to a metal plate for heat, which is connected to the front IO and brains of the system. This case itself is probably twice as big as it needs to be. The bulky ABS plastic looks super 90's, but since it's mostly hidden, it's no big deal. I just can't for the life of me understand why pool companies don't design controllers that match other outdoor electrical boxes? It would cut down on manufacturing costs a lot, make opening for maintenance and repair easier, as well as make mounting faster, as an access door with holes to mark is far more preferable. None of this applies to daily operation, but are still important factors for the design.Idiosyncrasies aside, I would recommend this to anyone who wants a salt pool, and doesn't need an expensive pool company to do it!