Oh ok. I’m running salt in my water also without a chlorine generator yet. I don’t think salt should affect the stainless steel but who knows what grade they are made from especially aftermarket products. They are subject to a lot of thermal cycles and welds are only as good as the process. There is also planned obsolescence.
If I can ask what type of salt gen are you using? I love the feel of the salt in the water and thinking of buying a saltron-mini.
I hate to state the obvious but if you're not using a chlorine generator with the salt then you're not creating any chlorine and therefore just have salty water.
In order for the salt alone to have any effect (other than feel) you'd have to have VERY salty water (many, many times what is used with a salt generator) and even then it will only help so much. If you do that you will be subjecting your metals to corrosion so you really need to limit how much salt you add and in that case it won't be effective from a sanitizing standpoint though you may prefer the feel of it.
I first added salt as an experiment in the same concentration as if I had a salt gen. I wanted to make sure everyone that regularly used the tub was ok with the addition of salt. I added 7 pounds of salt for a 350 gallon tub. We all agreed it changed the feel of the water in a good way. I proceeded with my normal tub chemistry as if the salt wasn’t in the tub. Dichlor as a sanitizer switching to liquid bleach based around stabilizer level. I feel the chemistry was even more stable and predictable with the salt in the water along with the better feel. I have no scientific proof of the water being more stable but it seems that way.
I’m not doing any ocean levels of salt or anything like that and I still have plans of buying a Saltron unit in the future but just haven’t got around to it. My last water change lasted 6 months and seemed as clear and clean when I drained it.
So the bottom line is yes I’m doing it for feel. I bought one big bag of pool salt and it will last many year with a tub. less than 50 cents per fill.
