Davey salt chlorinators

Davey Ecosalt 2 salt chlorinators: the Australian bet with Lifeguard module

Davey Water Products is an Australian company founded in 1934, with almost a century of experience manufacturing swimming pool equipment, agricultural pumping and water treatment. In Oceania it is a reference brand: in many Australian residential pools, the filtration pump is Davey, the chlorinator is Davey and the safety module is Davey. In the Spanish market it has a more discreet presence, but the Ecosalt 2 line distributed by Quimipool offers a technically solid alternative to the more visible European and North American brands.

On this page you have the 4 Davey products distributed by Quimipool: the three Ecosalt 2 chlorinators in productions of 15, 25 and 35 g/h (with prices between 949 € and 1.249 €), and the Lifeguard module (999 €), a unique accessory in the Davey catalog that adds monitoring and safety functions. Here I explain for whom it makes sense to choose Davey instead of the better known European brands, and what exactly Lifeguard brings to the table.

Why Davey and for whom

Three traits put Davey in a specific proposition:

• 90 years of experience in pool and pumping equipment. Davey has been manufacturing since 1934 and is one of the oldest brands in the global hydraulic equipment industry. The Ecosalt 2 chlorinators incorporate that technical heritage: robust components, proven electronics for demanding climates (Australia is a year-round pool market) and design for easy after-sales service.
• Australian pool market = very demanding environment. Pools in Australia are used virtually year-round, with intense UV radiation, long seasons and high chlorine demand. Equipment that can withstand the Australian summer without stress has plenty of margin for a standard Spanish pool. This is the "demanding parent market" logic that also applies to other strong regional brands.
• Lifeguard module as a technical differential. Davey offers an accessory dedicated to pool monitoring and safety that has no direct equivalent in other brands in the catalog. For family pools with children, second homes or installations where reliability matters more than price, the Lifeguard adds a level of protection that is worth knowing before discarding it.

It is the natural choice for homeowners who value proven reliability and a brand with a history, customers with second homes or pools with little use (where robustness compensates for low supervision), and installers looking to differentiate their offer from conventional brands with an international quality alternative.

The Ecosalt 2 range: three models for residential pools

The Ecosalt 2 family is the evolution of Davey's original Ecosalt and constitutes the brand's entire current range of salt chlorinators at Quimipool. Available in three productions:

All three models share a consistent technical basis:

• Cell with titanium electrodes coated with noble metal oxides for prolonged electrolysis
• Self-cleaning by polarity reversal configurable according to water hardness
• LCD display with simple and clear interface
• Production adjustment between 0% and 100% with fine resolution
• Integratedcover sensor: if the pool has a louver or slatted cover, production is automatically reduced when the cover is closed
• Gas detectionsafety sensor to stop production if no water flow is circulating
• Compatibility with optionalLifeguard module (see dedicated section below)

The difference between models is only the nominal chlorine production: control electronics and sensors are common. This is the usual pattern in brands with concentrated catalog, similar to the philosophy of Teap or Innowater SALT.

Lifeguard module: the Davey differential

The Lifeguard Module (999 €) is the accessory that most differentiates the Davey proposal from the rest of the market. It is not simply a pH control or a Wi-Fi module (many brands have those); it is an integrated monitoring and safety system that attaches to the Ecosalt 2 and provides specific functions for family pools and residences with variable use.

Typical functions covered by Lifeguard:

• Advanced water quality monitoring with continuous reading of key parameters (salt concentration, cell status, production efficiency)
• Staggered alarm system that warns when parameters deviate from the optimum range, before the problem is visible in the water
• Automatic equipment protection against common faults (insufficient salt, clogged cell, low flow, abnormal polarity)
• Advanced diagnostics for service, making it easy to identify the source of faults without extensive testing

when does Lifeguard pay for itself? In three typical scenarios:

• Second homes or pools for sporadic use where no one monitors the equipment on a daily basis. Lifeguard warns of problems before the water turns green and shock treatment is required.
• Family pools with children where the reliability of the chlorination system is relevant to safety: a chlorinator that fails without warning can leave the pool with insufficient chlorine without anyone knowing.
• Installations managed by external services (maintainers who manage several pools) where remote diagnostics and monitoring facilitate field work.

It does not pay off if your pool is for daily use, you monitor the water yourself on a weekly basis and you are confident with salt electrolysis. In that case, the $999 Lifeguard is better spent on other components (automatic pH control, Pool Terre grounding, better photometer).

How salt electrolysis with a Davey works

The principle is identical to all other salt chlorinators on the market (the physics is the same for all brands):

1. You dissolve special salt for electrolysis in the pool water to a concentration of 4-6 g/l (approximately 5 kg per 1,000 liters). For a 50 m³ pool, initial dosage of 200-250 kg.
2. The saline water circulates through the treatment plant and passes through the Ecosalt 2 cell installed in the return line after the filter.
3. The controlled electric current passes through the titanium electrodes and breaks the salt molecule (NaCl), generating active chlorine (hypochlorous acid) which returns to the vessel dissolved in the water.
4. The chlorine disinfects and, as it acts, is reduced back to salt. The salt is not consumed: the cycle is closed.

Details to remember:

• The process raises the pH of the water. It must be regulated manually with acid if you do not install automatic dosing. In any case, a good pool photometer is indispensable to check parameters.
• Salt is gradually lost through filter washings, overflows and rain. Typical annual replenishment in a family pool: 5-15 kg.
• If you have a louvered or louvered cover, the Ecosalt 2 cover sensor detects when it is closed and automatically reduces production to avoid overchlorination (which degrades the louvers and creates irritation problems).

Configurations: beyond the basic chlorinator

The Davey range does not include a factory-integrated pH kit or ORP kit. If you want advanced automation, there are two routes:

• Add external automatic pH control: compatible dosing pump (Seko, Etatron, Astralpool, Hanna) with probe and acid reservoir. Works in parallel to Ecosalt 2 without interfering. See dosing pumps.
• Add Lifeguard Module for advanced monitoring. It does not replace the automatic pH control (which is something different), but it does provide continuous monitoring of the chlorinator and alarms.

For a well sized family pool, the recommended combination is usually Ecosalt 2 + external pH dosing pump. Lifeguard is added if there are specific variable usage or safety reasons. If after a couple of seasons the customer decides they need Wi-Fi connectivity, there is no Davey native module in the catalog Quimipool, so you would have to migrate to another brand or accept local control.

Davey vs. other salt chlorinator brands

The Spanish market has several serious options and each has its own profile:

• Davey is the Australian bet with 90 years of history and the Lifeguard module as technical differential. Useful for pools with variable use and customers who value proven reliability.
• Innowater is the consolidated Spanish option with long-life cells (14,000 h in SMC) and historical compatibility with NaturalChlor.
• BSV provides hardware modularity (upgrade Evo Basic → Evo Touch without works) and the Low Salt low salinity line.
• Idegis is committed to native Wi-Fi connectivity as standard and the Scalable line (expandable production without replacing equipment).
• Astralpool is the widest range on the market with the Fluidra Pool ecosystem and the CellWare 18,000 h cell.
• Aquark/QP offers inverter technology and all-in-one (pH + ORP + WiFi + low salinity as standard).
• Hayward is the American multinational with a shared platform with Sugar Valley.
• Sugar Valley differentiates itself with combined treatments (chlorinator + UV + ozone).
• Teap is the simple Valencian option and well sized per m³ of pool.
• Zodiac has a wide range with Ei, Gen and XA lines very well established in the domestic market.

If your priority is a brand with history and integrated safety module, Davey is difficult to beat. If what you value is long life cell and peninsular support, Innowater or Astralpool with CellWare come out ahead. For native Wi-Fi connectivity, Idegis or Astralpool Clear Connect. For simplicity of choice and price, Teap. If you go with Davey for the Ecosalt 2 but find the Lifeguard module expensive, you can perfectly well start without it and add it later if circumstances change.

For replacements and maintenance, in salt chlorinator spare parts you have the general catalog; for specific Davey parts, it is advisable to check availability with the technical service of Quimipool, because the distribution of spare parts of the brand is less dense in España than that of Astralpool or Hayward.

Maintenance and service life

Four practical tips:

• Cell lifetime: Ecosalt 2 cells are sized for continuous domestic use. In a family pool with a typical program of 8 hours per day of filtration for 6 months (about 1,500 hours per year), the indicative lifetime is 6-8 years. Actual life depends on water hardness, hours of operation and maintaining the correct salt concentration.
• Manual cell cleaning: once a year in soft water; twice a year in hard water. Self-cleaning by polarity reversal helps a lot but does not replace periodic inspection.
• Spare parts availability at Espa: being a brand with less market share than Astralpool or Hayward, the delivery time for some specific spare parts may be longer. This should be taken into account if the pool is for critical use (vacation rental, small hotel).
• In wintering, lower the production to 0% but do not switch off. The electronics keep the calibration better if it maintains active current even if it is not producing.

As with any salt chlorinator installation, Pool Terre grounding is recommended ($109 for 50 mm, $139 for 63 mm) to neutralize stray currents and protect submerged metal components.

Find your Davey Ecosalt 2 salt chlorinator in the listing above, together with the Lifeguard module. Filter by production according to the size of your pool. Free shipping on orders over 150 € and usual delivery in 24-48 h in peninsula. If you doubt between Davey and any European alternative, or want advice on whether the Lifeguard module makes sense in your installation, call 91 128 55 90 or write us from the contact form: our technical team attends from Monday to Friday during business hours.