SWG cell replacement

[northfork]

Hello everyone,

I have a 11,000 gallon pool with a Mineral Springs SWG. Its 5 years old. I have read that the cell lasts 3-5 years. When the cell fails, is it a gradual thing or does it happen all at once? Do you get a fault or warning message on the display? Also is there any way to test the cell to make sure that the cell is definately the problem? And finally! where is the best place to buy a replacemenmt cell. Thanks for the help!

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

You will start getting errors on the control unit when the cell is failing. Typically this will be a check cell light or a replace cell light or possibly a low salt light going on. Those lights can go on for other reasons, but when the cell is getting old as yours is, they usually mean the cell is going. The cell does not wear out all at once, but once it starts going it declines fairly rapidly.

Many pool stores have the equipment to test the cell. It isn't something you can reliably measure at home. Sometimes a failing cell will show significant cell plate wear when you examine the cell plates, but that doesn't always happen. That is, if you see significant wear on the corners of the cell plates then the cell is almost always failing, but you won't always see wear when the cell fails.

Best place to buy depending on your criteria. Pool stores have personal same day service and high prices. Internet purchases are much less expensive, but take longer and are quite impersonal.

 

[sonflower]

Hello everyone,

I have a 11,000 gallon pool with a Mineral Springs SWG. Its 5 years old. I have read that the cell lasts 3-5 years. When the cell fails, is it a gradual thing or does it happen all at once? Do you get a fault or warning message on the display? Also is there any way to test the cell to make sure that the cell is definately the problem? And finally! where is the best place to buy a replacemenmt cell. Thanks for the help!

Northfork

We are replacing our Aqua Rite turbo cell right now. I just ordered the replacement off the web for $300 cheaper than Leslie's wanted. I am maintaining chlorine using bleach.

The "fault or warning" message will be "low salt" when you have plenty of salt, or "inspect cell" when you've inspected & cleaned the cell & it's clean.

Testing cell: we must take ours to Leslie's PSS.

Troubleshooting to make sure it's the cell: I was told 1) put output % to high number & see if it gens chlorine; 2) re-calibrate Aqua Rite panel; 3) take cell to PSS to test. (Also my Aqua Rite needs something like 2700 ppm salt to gen chlorine so low salt could cause it to not gen chlorine)

Ours was gradual decline, but like Jason said, once it goes downhill, it's fast. I read that too much salt will kill the cell...I dumped enough salt to bring my salt to 10K ....therefore....

...without further ado, do yourself a favor and order the salt test kit from tftestkit.net (http://tftestkits.net/K-1766-Taylor-Salt-Test-p31.html). I trusted the reading on my Aqua Rite display and it said 200. I freaked out & dumped a bunch of salt. Purchased AquaCheck strips to get me by until the better test kit arrived. Salt tested 10K, which is something like 28% the salt % of ocean water. Took 2 nights of getting pool water out & replacing it to bring it to 2750. Found out I killed my Aqua Rite cell which was on yr 7 anyway so it was already dying. Now awaiting replacement cell in mail. So I preach: do not trust the display & use always always a salt test kit. Who needs the drama of dumping & replacing water? I live in boonies & am on a well (therefore we don't have a water bill), so not quite as huge a deal to me, but others have to have water shipped in or pay for city water to replace water.