Saltmate Chlorinator Review (RP20, RP30 & RP40) + Prices

Saltmate Chlorinator Review (RP20, RP30 & RP40)

The Saltmate range of chlorinators are mid-priced, Australian-made machines that claim to offer simple operation and extended warranty periods. Although this product can appear very appealing to consumers on paper, is it worth buying?

In this Saltmate chlorinator review, we will discuss the design, chlorination performance, build quality, price, and warranty of this machine.

We will also give an overview of its pros and cons while answering some frequently asked questions about this chlorinator so that you can make an informed purchase decision.

Pros & Cons

Design

The Saltmate chlorinator consists of a moderately bulky metal control board and a salt cell with semi-transparent housing. This chlorinator is available in three sizes; the RP20 can handle a maximum pool volume of 120,000 litres, the RP30 handles a maximum of 180,000 litres, and the RP40 can work with a maximum volume of 220,000 litres.

Ideal pool volumes per each size of chlorinator may vary depending on your climate, so be sure to consult your product’s manual for the most accurate information.

The touchpad on the control board of the Saltmate chlorinator allows users to fully adjust the chlorine output of their machine with five main levels of chlorine production.

This machine is safe to use with saltwater pools as well as mineral pools, and the salt cell of this chlorinator is also equipped with standard self-cleaning features to reduce the frequency of manual cleanings.

Chlorination Performance

The Saltmate RP series of chlorinators is compatible with pools with a large volume of water, making 220,000 litres the maximum pool volume among all variations of this product.

This maximum volume means that most residential pool owners will be able to find a size from this chlorinator series that adequately suits their needs.

Each size of the Saltmate chlorinator has a different standard chlorine production rate. For the RP20, this rate is 33 grams per hour. The RP30 increases this rate to 45g/hour, while the RP40 has the highest production rate of 55g/hour.

Ideal pool salinity levels for the Saltmate chlorinator range from 4,000-6,000 ppm (parts per million), with the ideal salinity level being 5,000 ppm. If the salt in your pool drops below 4,000 ppm, your chlorinator will fail to produce chlorine efficiently.

This chlorinator model is protected from high salt levels; even though the ideal maximum salinity is 6,000 ppm, this chlorinator can operate at salinity levels as concentrated as seawater without causing harm to itself.

Build Quality & Warranty

Saltmate Chlorinator Problems

Timer Failure

The Saltmate chlorinator has quite a few issues with build quality. By far, the most widely reported problem with this machine is that the timer function on the control box fails.

An abundance of customer reviews report this timer moving too quickly, losing time, or failing to work altogether. The timer typically needs to be replaced due to these issues.

Early Salt Cell & PCB Failure

Another problem with the build quality of the Saltmate chlorinator is that the salt cell tends to fail at or before the three-year mark. This is not as widely reported as the timer issues but still occurs fairly often.

Many users who experience salt cell failure also report that the salt cell is only awarded two years of coverage under the machine’s limited 5-year warranty.

In addition to these issues, the PCB or printed circuit board of the machine is also prone to failures. These are reported by many consumers.

It can be difficult to tell when this part fails specifically, but one of the first ways users notice this issue is when the machine starts producing chlorine inconsistently. This issue may also cause LED lights on the display to fail.

Rusting

One smaller concern with the build quality of this machine is that the control cabinet box is prone to rusting. Rusting is typically reported around 12 months of use and is most common among users who do not keep their control board sheltered from the elements.

Lack Of Notification

One final complaint about the Saltmate chlorinator is that it tends to fail silently. While other models are equipped with warning features that can tell users what issues their machine is experiencing, with the Saltmate chlorinator, you are more likely to play the guessing game.

Saltmate Chlorinator Warranty

The warranty for Saltmate chlorinators is 2 years, with an additional 3 years for the salt cell (5 years in total).

Despite this, many users report that the provided warranty is insufficient for the issues that they experience. Upon reaching out to the warranty claims department, some customers have been asked to provide proof that they did not damage the machine through any fault of their own.

Other customers report that not all servicing is covered under warranty. For example, one user brought his chlorinator in for diagnostic purposes after it began experiencing performance issues.

He was then told by the recommended service provider that the inspection for the machine would incur a significant charge, despite the machine still being covered by warranty.

This charge was only for the diagnostics test and did not include the price of repairs or any parts that needed to be replaced.

Saltmate Chlorinator Price

The Saltmate series of chlorinators is not expensive, but it is not exactly budget-friendly. The smallest of these machines, the RP20, carries a price tag of a little over $1,200.

This price increases for the larger sizes of the chlorinator, with the RP30 and the RP40 costing approximately $1,300 and $1,440 respectively.

Saltmate Chlorinator - FAQ

Why Are My Saltmate Chlorinator Lights Not Working?

One widely reported problem with the Saltmate chlorinator series is that the lights on the control board fail occasionally. This is most often due to a blown fuse from a system overload, but it could also indicate problems with the machine’s printed circuit board.

What Should The Chlorine Output Level Be For Saltmate?

The user manual for the RP series of Saltmate chlorinators advises users to set the chlorine output level to somewhere between 80-100% capacity.

You should then set up the daily timer feature to indicate how many hours your chlorinator should be producing chlorine. Most chlorinators should be run for around 8 hours per day in summer, with shorter operating periods in winter.

Final Thoughts - Saltmate Chlorinator Review

This chlorinator tends to work fine other than when it encounters build-quality issues, but we don’t feel confident recommending a machine that is so likely to experience failures.

Although the warranty of this machine should balance out these issues, the coverage provided by it is typically insufficient.

Although many pool owners are eager to invest in a chlorinator that is Australian-made, this chlorinator misses the mark.

The Saltmate chlorinator series is available at a reasonable price point, but unfortunately, this machine has far too many widely-reported problems for us to recommend it.

Price Comparison - Saltmate RP20

Let's compare the top suppliers out there in Australia for the Saltmate RP20.