Curious how they finally die. Thinking about a SWG, but the replacement cost seems out of line wrt what is essentially a $20 part IMHO.
Any pictures of a failed SWG grid?
- Thread starter mhoy
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The blades are coated with very rare highly specialized materials and they wear off over time and that's usually what causes the failures. The coating process and specialized materials are what turn it from a $50 part into a $500 part. 
Yeah, but if we learn how to replace them, the cost would be significantly less. Here is some grid of Rhodium/Gold/Titanium at $14/inch. How much is needed? Of course the connection is the tricky part, TIG welding thin Titanium ... but heck, someone could make a business on refurbs.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-X-06-Plat...703?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c60d88d47
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-X-06-Plat...703?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c60d88d47
If you're talking about the cell housing, I don't know what the plastic is but if you could find out you may be able to weld it. Yes, I said weld it.dirtfrmr said:
I recently picked up some "Plast-aid Repair" from Amazon. I used this to close a crack in my overflow and I believe it worked on the white ABS.
There are two parts to it, one is powered plastic along with a solvent. I think the solvent is MEK, so use it outside. (You could also just buy some MEK at a plastic shop and grind up some plastic but the kit is probably easier).
BTW: MEK == MethalEthalKetone nasty stuff, but so is most of our pool chemicals...
There are two parts to it, one is powered plastic along with a solvent. I think the solvent is MEK, so use it outside. (You could also just buy some MEK at a plastic shop and grind up some plastic but the kit is probably easier).
BTW: MEK == MethalEthalKetone nasty stuff, but so is most of our pool chemicals...
It's not a grid like you posted...as least not in mine 
They are approx. 2" x 8" plates.
They are approx. 2" x 8" plates.Remember I've not got an SWG nor have I inspected one. Aprox how thick is each plate and how many plates are there in your Aqua Rite SWG?
The control and GUI stuff isn't rocket science (in the age of Arduino, Raspberry Pi). However DIY and electrolysis level currents in a conductive salt water solution does lead to expensive testing requirements as failure isn't good.
The control and GUI stuff isn't rocket science (in the age of Arduino, Raspberry Pi). However DIY and electrolysis level currents in a conductive salt water solution does lead to expensive testing requirements as failure isn't good.
Plates are thin...maybe 1/32 or 1/64? There are about 10.
I agree that the materials probably aren't all that expensive, and I'm very interested to see if you can indeed make one. It's all the R&D they did that makes them $500 now.
I agree that the materials probably aren't all that expensive, and I'm very interested to see if you can indeed make one. It's all the R&D they did that makes them $500 now.
Melt In The Sun said:
I have no particular plans to make one, but every now and again one comes up on craigslist with an unknown life left on the plates (or dead power, etc). So I was kinda wondering what part of the plates die and if it was a true cost of replacement or more of a "it's for a pool of course it costs 5x" kinda thing.
The hacker space community could easily build a simple pool controller that used a web interface and GUI to a cellphone. Kind of a time vs money trade off. It's certainly easy for a couple of pumps, timers, valves. water proofed pool control system is kinda solved by some of the current water proof cellphone cases plus a year or two old phone. (Heck I guess a brand new phone is cheaper than some of the control systems). Anyway, kind of off my topic. :lol:
you can buy the materials if you want to and make one but it will end up cheaper to buy one
the cost for the replacement cells vary greatly between the manufacturers
as far as what the faulty one looks like, usually the plates will turn grey when the coating came off (so you see bare titanium) or it will be unchanged in color if it's just the catalyst that got used up.
the plates are coated with ruthenium oxide, or sometimes iridium for the non-reverse polarity applications
the cost for the replacement cells vary greatly between the manufacturers
as far as what the faulty one looks like, usually the plates will turn grey when the coating came off (so you see bare titanium) or it will be unchanged in color if it's just the catalyst that got used up.
the plates are coated with ruthenium oxide, or sometimes iridium for the non-reverse polarity applications
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