Quote Originally Posted by Xei View Post
This invention doesn't work by electrolysing the salt (I don't think so, anyway), it works by electrolysing the water into hydrogen and oxygen... a process in which the water effectively conducts electricity. I don't see any reason other ions need to be included to allow this to happen...

Pure water actually has a small ionic component; there's an equilibrium between the water molecules and hydroxide and hydrogen ions.
You are correct that it elecrolyzes the water, not the salt. The salt ions, however, help to conduct the electricity. Think of an electric fence. The wire conducts the electricity, but anything that touches the wire is also affected.