This guide will show different ways to determine if your salt chlorine generator (SCG) cell is damaged and/or needs replacing. An SCG cell can be expected to last 5 or more years if the pool and equipment are maintained properly. This guide outlines the general steps that should work for most models, but you should also reference your owner’s manual for more model-specific troubleshooting instructions. Click Here to View Replacement Salt Cells
Things You’ll Need
Step 1
Balanced Water Chemistry - To maximize the life of your salt cell, you’ll need to maintain proper water chemistry. The critical components of healthy water chemistry are Chlorine, pH, Total Alkalinity (TA,) Cyanuric Acid (CYA or Stabilizer,) Calcium Hardness (CH,) and Salt. The image on this step provides the ideal ranges these categories should be maintained within.
For example, suppose your pool is high in calcium. In that case, the salt cell will become caked with scale (calcium buildup, which restricts flow over the plates and prevents the electrolysis chemical reaction from happening. Water with too high of pH or alkalinity will also lead to excess scale buildup and staining to the pool surface. And low CYA levels lead to rapid chlorine burn-off because there isn’t enough “stabilizer” to protect chlorine from UV rays hence why cyanuric acid is commonly referred to as sunblock for your pool.
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Step 2
Inspect Cell LED or Fault Code - The inspect cell alert is not always a sign your cell is dead, but it is a tip-off that you need to clean the cell, or the water chemistry requires attention.
On some salt chlorinator models, like the Hayward AquaRite, the Inspect Cell flashes after every 500 hundred run hours. This timed reminder is more of a fail-safe built-in by the manufacturer to ensure the cell is maintained at regular intervals, even if the cell doesn’t have build-up concerns.
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Step 3
Check that Output % is Set Correctly - Make sure the output percentage is set to its usual position. For Hayward salt systems, you’ll need to ensure the output toggle is set o to AUTO.
This step seems obvious, but there have been many hours wasted on troubleshooting, that could have been solved with a simple turn of a knob.
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Step 4
Adjust Output to Account for Bather Load and Water Temps - Warm water and high bather loads significantly increase your pool water’s chlorine demand. Try increasing the output by 20 to 30 percentage points to counteract the higher demand.
If you notice repeated cell/chlorine issues after rain, you may want to adjust your usual chlorine output to counteract. Remember, rainwater is untreated freshwater, and any runoff from your pool deck brings any dirt in with it. The increase in fresh water and dirt will drop your chlorine quickly.
Step 5
Check Salt Level - Most salt chlorine generators will shut down the cell's salt levels are outside the prescribed range. For example, the Pentair Intellchlor’s operational salinity range is 3000 - 4200 ppm (ideal 3400 ppm.). If the salt level is outside of this range, the CHECK SALT light will flash, and the cell will shut down until correct.
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Step 6
Check Pool Water Temps - Salt cells are temperature sensitive. Most are programmed to halt chlorine production and shut down if the temperature is lower than 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The actual shutdown temperature level varies based on the salt system model.
Chlorine demand is extremely low in temps below 50 degrees; algae cannot grow in water that cold. So, if you need to introduce chlorine to the water, manually shock the pool.
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Step 7
Check Water Flow Strength - A “NO FLOW” or “LOW FLOW” alert is usually caused by a dirty filter or skimmer baskets, but more serious causes can be a blockage in the plumbing line.
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- How To Correct Low Water Pressure in Your Pool System
- How To Clean Out the Pool Pump Strainer
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Step 8
Check Cable Connections - Check all wire connections from the control panel to the cell, flow switch, and power source. Ensure these connections are tight and secure.
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Step 9
Check Cell Plates for Scale or Corrosion - Your cell’s plates for the white metallic calcium buildup called scale. This build-up naturally occurs in the cell over time, even in well-balanced pools, but its growth rate increases in imbalanced water.
After cleaning the Cell, look for loose, broken, or displaced plates. The scale may obstruct your view, so take this time to inspect the plates. If the plates are damaged, the best solution is the replace the salt cell.
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Step 10
Check the Cell’s Polarities - Some salt systems can reverse the current polarity of the cell; it is sometimes called the “self-clean” feature. Reversing the cell’s polarity helps loosen h the scale has with the plates. The loosening of that bond, coupled with the flushing flow of water from your pool pump, clears the scale build-up.
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