Now What?

[GCTroy]

So this morning I went out back to test the pool water. I noticed the chlorine was unusually low. So I walked over to the pump to see if anything was wrong. Turns out, something was. This...

[attachment=0:2b83ky0b]Evernote Camera Roll 20131109 183725[1].jpg[/attachment:2b83ky0b]

I didn't take a second photo, but the middle of three contacts is completely corroded off.

Now what? I know I've got to replace the cable, but is there a way to replace only the contacts? It looks like it may be a part that's removable from the unit.

Does anyone have any ideas of what may have caused this? I replaced the sensor unit and cable at the bottom of the unit back in June. It's been operating everyday troublefree since.

 

[linen]

Welcome to tfp, GCTroy

What is your salt level (as indicated by something other than the swg)?

 

[GCTroy]

Thanks for the welcome! I've been a lurker here for a while. I love this site.

I only have the TF-100 test kit. I've always relied on the SWG for salt level, which has been accurate compared to pool store test. I haven't added salt in a long time, since last winter/spring and my pool doesn't get used often, maybe 2-3 times a month. It should be somewhere around 3.0 - 3.5. I get a warning beep when it's below 2.8.

 

[Poolsean]

You will have to make a determination to see if its salvagable, after you get the cord off the cell terminals. Sometimes you can remove it, clean it off and it may look good, but putting a new cord on it will leave it with a loose fit. this will end up in damage again due to a loose fit between the contact points.

 

[GCTroy]

The cord is removed. The middle of terminal of the cell terminals is completely corroded. It definately needs to be replaced. I'm just curious if I can replace the cell terminals themselves or if the entire cell needs to be replaced?

What would cause something like this to happen?

 

[GCTroy]

So here's what I've found. The aquapure SWG cell needs to be replaced. They have rebuild kits for the o-ring terminals and other parts, http://www.poolplaza.com/P-JDY-R0452200-4549.html, but the terminals themselves are connected to the blades within the cell. So now I'll be set back $400ish for an entire cell unit. I'm wondering if I should move to a different product altogether. This seems very strange that the SWG cell terminals would arc like that. I have no idea what caused it, and therefore no idea how to prevent it from happening again.

Does anyone have experience with this in the past?

 

[danjaymor]

About the only thing I can think of causing that is a small leak past the connection lead seal to the blades.....wouldn't take much saline water to get into that to cause the corrosion and short.......

Probably not "field fixable"......sorry that this happened!

I have very little long term experience with SWGs, but my pool is outfitted with a Hayward T-Cell-15 unit. The wire penetration assembly appears to be a bit more well built than the unit that I see in your photo......