Mineral Springs MS-11 & Salt Cell Problems

[MomX5]

Hi everyone! We bought a house with an in-ground salt water pool in 2018. An hour north of Charlotte, NC for climate reference. I have successfully taken care of it every year, until this year. At the end of the season last year our system quit generating chlorine. I balanced the pool, prepared it for winter (shock & algaecide) and closed it. Over the winter visiting dogs kept running over the cover, resulting in a few holes. (Not great, I know, I then limited to one big dog outside at a time, to discouraged running over the pool cover.) During the off season my husband researched possible problems and found info that the thermistor goes out on these systems frequently. (I normally do all of the research, but let him this time.) A couple of months ago I ordered a thermistor and he soldered it onto the board.

Uncovered the pool this past Sunday to find that there was a lot of floating algae in the pool (looked like loose dog poop) which has never happened in the past. I cleaned the salt cell in muriatic acid even though there wasn't any visible scale. I put all of the equipment back together and started it up. The salt level was reading 2500, but then proceeded to drop to 1500. I knew it probably wasn't accurate and did some quick calculations in my head and added 160# of salt. By Tuesday morning it was reading 0 when I got a water sample to take to the local family owned pool store. I explained that my Mineral Springs system was probably not working and the T-15 may or may not be working, but I knew I would have to get the Mineral Springs controller working before I will know if the salt cell is working or not. When the water was tested the salt level was at 3500.

My problem is this, I need to know which exact circuit board to order, but it needs to be an off brand, if anyone knows which ones are trustworthy. (Husband's company laid a bunch of people off and then cut his hours by 20%.) I think I need the GLX-PCB-RITE based on reading through other posts, but I need to be sure. I found a sale on one on a pool site (Idk if I'm allowed to name the site) and would like to order asap. I just need to make sure I'm ordering the right thing and any other tips anyone can offer. I am not very knowledgeable when it comes to circuit boards, etc. but I can follow directions well.

Thank you for your anticipated help and please lmk if there is any other information you need.

 

[JamesW]

Hayward Aquarite SWG - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

This is the basic information we need to know in diagnosing a problem:

• Report all readings when you..
  • Move the switch from auto to off and check all of the readings.
  • Move the switch back to auto and recheck the readings.
  • Move the switch to off for a minute and then back to auto and recheck the readings.
• What are the first seven characters of the cell and box serial numbers?

Pressing the diagnostic button sequentially will display:

• Default salt display
• Pool temp
• Cell Voltage - When not generating, the voltage is about 30 to 32 volts dc. When generating, the voltage drops about 1 volt per amp of current.
• Cell current
• Desired output (% of the knob)
• Instant salinity
• Product name
• Software revision (r.XX)
• Cell type

 

[MomX5]

• What are the first seven characters of the cell and box serial numbers? 3E15021 cell and 5A0608-1 on the box (do those look like the right numbers?)

• Default salt display 0 | 0 | 0
• Pool temp 77 | 77| 77
• Cell Voltage - When not generating, the voltage is about 30 to 32 volts dc. When generating, the voltage drops about 1 volt per amp of current. 31.4 |31.3 | 31.3
• Cell current 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00
• Desired output (% of the knob) 35P | 35P | 35P
• Instant salinity -0 | -0 | -0
• Product name AL-2 | AL-2 | AL-2
• Software revision (r.XX) r 1.40 | r 1.40 | r 1.40
• Cell type Hayward Turbo Cell T-Cell-15-SWP

 

[MomX5]

Hayward Aquarite SWG - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

This is the basic information we need to know in diagnosing a problem:

• Report all readings when you..
  • Move the switch from auto to off and check all of the readings.
  • Move the switch back to auto and recheck the readings.
  • Move the switch to off for a minute and then back to auto and recheck the readings.
• What are the first seven characters of the cell and box serial numbers?

Pressing the diagnostic button sequentially will display:

• Default salt display
• Pool temp
• Cell Voltage - When not generating, the voltage is about 30 to 32 volts dc. When generating, the voltage drops about 1 volt per amp of current.
• Cell current
• Desired output (% of the knob)
• Instant salinity
• Product name
• Software revision (r.XX)
• Cell type

• What are the first seven characters of the cell and box serial numbers? 3E15021 cell and 5A0608-1 on the box (do those look like the right numbers?)

• Default salt display 0 | 0 | 0
• Pool temp 77 | 77| 77
• Cell Voltage - When not generating, the voltage is about 30 to 32 volts dc. When generating, the voltage drops about 1 volt per amp of current. 31.4 |31.3 | 31.3
• Cell current 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00
• Desired output (% of the knob) 35P | 35P | 35P
• Instant salinity -0 | -0 | -0
• Product name AL-2 | AL-2 | AL-2
• Software revision (r.XX) r 1.40 | r 1.40 | r 1.40
• Cell type Hayward Turbo Cell T-Cell-15-SWP

 

[JamesW]

The cell is from 2015, so about 7 years old.

The box is from 2006 (16 years), so the cell has been replaced at least once and likely twice or maybe even 3 times.

Most likely it is a bad cell and the box is probably good.

Are you checking the readings right away before the box turns off?

 

[MomX5]

The cell is from 2015, so about 7 years old.

The box is from 2006 (16 years), so the cell has been replaced at least once and likely twice or maybe even 3 times.

Most likely it is a bad cell and the box is probably good.

Are you checking the readings right away before the box turns off?

The box clearly has a problem because it doesn't read the salt level, regardless of whether the cell is bad or not. Right? We bought this house summer of 2018 and we have never replaced it.

I printed a list per your direction and went out and followed your directions and wrote down each reading immediately. The box doesn't turn off on it's own.

 

[JamesW]

The box clearly has a problem because it doesn't read the salt level, regardless of whether the cell is bad or not. Right?

The box needs a good cell to get a correct salinity test.

I suspect that the cell is probably bad.

The box is probably ok, but it is hard to tell without a good cell.

There are shops that can test the cell.

 

[JamesW]

wrote down each reading immediately.

It takes a few seconds to turn on (maybe 10 to 30 seconds), so you have to wait until you hear a click.

However, it only runs for about 30 seconds before it shuts off with an error, so you have to catch it in the brief window while it is trying to operate.

 

[MomX5]

It takes a few seconds to turn on (maybe 10 to 30 seconds), so you have to wait until you hear a click.

However, it only runs for about 30 seconds before it shuts off with an error, so you have to catch it in the brief window while it is trying to operate.

I'm not sure if I understand, but it is not shutting off. Once I switched it, I gave it a few seconds, then recorded the readings.

 

[MomX5]

The box needs a good cell to get a correct salinity test.

I suspect that the cell is probably bad.

The box is probably ok, but it is hard to tell without a good cell.

There are shops that can test the cell.

Can you tell me how I would find out if any shops in my area can test the cell? Calling each one, or would there be some online reference I can look up? Thank you again, btw.

 

[JamesW]

It's hard to tell for sure.

It might be the box or the cell.

Maybe have the cell tested at a store.

 

[JamesW]

Dealer Locator

Locate a dealer near you for all your needs: building or servicing your pool, buying a product, or warranty support.

www.hayward-pool.com

 

[MomX5]

Based on your advice that the cell is most likely bad, (I am sure it is since it is 7 years old) I ordered and just received a CaliMar Clear Replacement Salt Cell. I tried to look for info on TFP for the proper steps to take while replacing the salt cell, but I can't find that.

 

[JamesW]

The cell has unions, which make it easy to remove and reinstall.

The plug just plugs in.

 

[MomX5]

I should have made my question more clear, I apologize. I understand how to put it on and take it off, I just wasn't certain how to recalibrate it. The video you provided said it will autocalibrate after a few hours and I had not seen that info anywhere. Do they all calibrate automatically?

 

[JamesW]

 

[jedigrover]

There is no actual calibration going on, but the procedure in the video will blank out the average salt readings and save the instant salt reading as the first in a new average calculation. That's good to do after replacing a cell, as the average reading won't be affected by the old cell's erroneous readings.

Something to note:
You need to get a real salt test (like the Taylor K-1766). Don't depend on the SWG's reading. As you have learned, it is not correct when the cell degrades. There are some systems that have independent salinity probes, but not the Hayward system (which yours is just a private label version of). Hayward computes the salt value from the volts, amps, and temperature. If the cell gets scaled or starts to degrade, it throws those readings off, so you cannot trust it. Best to test with a proper salt test kit.