Recommendations for a generic replacement for the Aquarite T-CELL-15 cell

[nickinpalmsprings]

Looking to see if anyone has found a generic version of a t-15 cell that's delivers good bang for the buck. My experience with SWG cells is that they last about two years and if you are persistent, you can get them replaced on warranty but it's a PITA. My current Calimar CMARCHA40-2Y was installed in August 2019 but that was a warranty replacement for an original purchase in 2017 so it's out of contract. Price is important to me, and the idea of going with a Hayward OEM cell at about $1,000 isn't very attractive. Besides, in my experience the OEM and generic versions last about the same amount of time. See history below:
Feb. 2009: Installed new Aquarite 40,000 gal. system.
May 2011: Low readings despite correct salt levels and clean plates inside the cell. Leslie's tested cell and determined it had died. Hayward replaced with new cell under warranty.
Aug. 2013: Low readings despite correct salt levels and clean plates inside the cell. Leslie's tested cell and determined it had died. Purchased new Hayward cell since original install was in Feb. 2009.
Nov. 2017: Low readings despite correct salt levels and clean plates inside the cell. Not tested but clearly had died. Purchased much less expensive new Calimar CMARCHA40-3Y generic replacement as Hayward cell was out of warranty.
Aug. 2019: Low readings despite correct salt levels and clean plates inside the cell. Sent cell back to Calimar at my expense and after testing, they determined that it had died. Received Calimar CMARCHA40-3Y generic replacement (shipping at my expense).
Feb. 2022: Low readings despite correct salt levels and clean plates inside the cell. Need to buy new one as 11/2017 warranty has expired.

I keep my pool chems pretty close to spec though I will admit it strays into high pH territory more than I like. My default cell cleaning approach when I'm in the low 2,000s is to scrape off any deposits blocking the ends of the vanes with a wooden stick but not go any further into the innards, followed by garden hose spray. If the deposits are heavy and either can't be removed at the ends, or I can see deposits on the plates in the middle, or the scrape and spray approach doesn't work, I give it a 30 minute soak in a 900ml water\200ml muriatic acid mix. This is hardly abuse (at least I don't think it is) but of the five cells I've had, four of them failed in two years. We can launch astronauts on Mars missions but we can't come up with a metal plate that can survive a mildly saline water bath for three or more years?

Thanks for any recommendations.

Nick in Palm Springs

 

[ajw22]

The diluted acid soak is shortening the life of your cells.

If the scale is stubborn try using cleaning vinegar (6% acetic acid … available in Home Depot). It’s milder than Muriatic Acid and won’t damage the ruthenium surface.

What is your water chemistry CSI?

Members have had good experience with Salt Solutions T-15 cells and the Chlorinator Pro CP-15 cell

Hayward Aquarite SWG - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[nickinpalmsprings]

Thanks for the two leads for replacements. I'll check them out more closely tomorrow, though from a quick look at their websites I can't figure out if Salt Solutions ($585) has a warranty (though they offer a repair service that's only $100 than the new price) and Chlorinator ($499, 2 year warranty) says they have no supply right now and doesn't know when the cells will be back in stock.

I'll also give the cleaning vinegar a try. The diluted muriatic acid bath is something I probably use no more than three times a year because most of the build up inside the cell is pretty soft, but I can see the downside. Interestingly, my original instructions for the Aquarite back in 2009 recommended "a 4:1 solution of water to muriatic acid (one gallon of water to one quart of muriatic acid)" for a "Mild Acid Washing" when "flushing and scraping will not remove the majority of deposits" in the cell. But for a little over two bucks for 64 ounces at Home Depot, the vinegar approach seems safer and cost effective.

As for the CSI, the last time I calculated it was 0.29, but that was a while ago.

Cheers,

Nick in Palm Springs

 

[4xWTub]

I can't figure out if Salt Solutions ($585) has a warranty

From their "About Us" page:

Each salt cell and circuit board we service is returned to you with the same factory warranty you received with your new unit – one full year parts and labor.

About Us – Salt Solutions Inc.

Salt Solutions provides a proven repair option for customers with broken salt chlorinator equipment.

saltsolutionsinc.com

 

[jark87]

My experience with SWG cells is that they last about two years and if you are persistent, you can get them replaced on warranty but it's a PITA.

That’s an incredibly short lifespan. My Aquapures last around 5 years. I had 1 fail while under warranty and had no problem with getting it replaced. I rarely have scale issues, so I don’t ever clean the cell. From what I understand, there’s a coating on the blades and acid can dissolve that coating, which will cause the cell the fail.

Keep a close eye on pH. That’s the 1 thing I have to address frequently - usually weekly in the summer, less in the winter. Based on recommendations from other TFP members, I now keep TA in the 50-60 range and that helps stabilize my pH, but I also have to keep an eye on CSI, but not so closely that it is a pain.

If you can address the scale issue, I’m sure you can double the life of your salt cells, regardless of brand. Good luck!

 

[ajw22]

As for the CSI, the last time I calculated it was 0.29, but that was a while ago.

A positive 0.29 CSI can be causing your SWG scaling problems. Keeping the CSI negative between 0 and -0.3 may help a lot.

 

[Reebee]

I haven't replaced my original Hayward T-15 cell yet and we've used it for 12 summers now. I thought it had kicked the bucket a couple of years ago, but it came back to life after we did the acid soak thing. That was only the second time we had ever cleaned it with acid and we haven't done it since, so I would also assume that soaking it in acid 3x/year is the reason your cells aren't lasting as long as they should.