I bought a Salt Solutions T-15 replacement in June, 2021. It lasted about 4 months of actual use. (Removed for winter.) They replaced it under warranty. Second one lasted about 6 months and appears to be failing again. I haven't called them yet to find out if it is still under warranty. Since the company has had a good reputation here I wanted to find out if anyone has experienced or heard about trouble with cells purchased in 2021-2022. I know they've had trouble getting materials post-pandemic, so it seems plausible they could have had trouble with material quality.
Anyone had trouble with Salt Solutions replacement cells lately?
- Thread starter JSlabotsky
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,843
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Some people here have had good experiences with their generic replacement cells and other people have had problems and returned them. You need to decide if the hassles with generic cells is worth the cost savings.
I recommend people get genuine Hayward cells.
I recommend people get genuine Hayward cells.
After spending hours digging through recent and older posts, I've come to the conclusion recent build Hayward cells are not worth the huge price premium. I see too many users getting only a couple of seasons out of them, which I have gotten from other generic cells prior to my recent experience with Salt Solutions.
Also, while I appreciate you taking the time to respond, I'm really looking for comments from people who've actually had recent experience with the Salt Solutions product. The reason for posting a question this way is not that I am too lazy to search, but rather to try and capture several users' experiences in one place, and with the specific request that it be experience with product received from 2021 onward.
Also, while I appreciate you taking the time to respond, I'm really looking for comments from people who've actually had recent experience with the Salt Solutions product. The reason for posting a question this way is not that I am too lazy to search, but rather to try and capture several users' experiences in one place, and with the specific request that it be experience with product received from 2021 onward.
Bob Jakob
In The Industry
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,843
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
This is the most useless and uninformative reply ever, and I've seen that you've posted it numerous times. Please stop. It is not helpful because it does not quantify what you mean by "generic", and it gives the impression you have no direct experience.
As a barometer of whether this is a common occurrence over this period of time, or whether I am just unlucky, or perhaps I need to dig deeper into the root cause of the short lifespan, in case it is something about my equipment or environment. If there is reason to think Salt Solutions has had quality issues with the material they receive, I might wish to look elsewhere instead of continuing to use them in hopes the cells will live up to the reputation they had among users here when I originally heard about them.
Last edited:
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,140
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Generic cells - as opposed to OEM - have historically shown a shorter life span.
This data is available via a forum search.
It is a fairly commom occurrence - but can also depend on how the pool water is maintained, how often the cell is cleaned and what it is cleaned with.
How are you testing your pool water?
Are you keeping it within TFP parameters?
Post a full set of current test results from one of the recommended test kits.
This data is available via a forum search.
It is a fairly commom occurrence - but can also depend on how the pool water is maintained, how often the cell is cleaned and what it is cleaned with.
How are you testing your pool water?
Are you keeping it within TFP parameters?
Post a full set of current test results from one of the recommended test kits.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,843
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
While you may bristle at the banter our chit chat with you keeps your thread at the top of the active list.
If I had not responded to you your thread would have dropped into oblivion with no replies.
Relax and be polite.
I don't feel I have been anything less than polite. The "banter" here generally leans toward a bunch of know-it-alls interrogating the person who posted about their water chemistry and giving lectures about things with which they lack direct experience and with no data to back it up. The more hostile members haven't chimed in yet, but it's only a matter of time. I shouldn't have bothered posting. The general TFP approach has worked well for me, but the attitude on the forums has always kept me from participating in discussion, especially if someone has the audacity to be ignorant of or differ with the conventional wisdom.
an1vrsy
Bronze Supporter
- Jul 10, 2018
- 1,147
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I have no experience with salt solutions products, I do have a question for your experience. How long did your OEM Hayward salt cell last? How many seasons?
It appears you’ve only gotten 10 months use with two different cells for this generic rebuilt cell. Cost of replacement is always a factor, however, longevity is as important. Don’t you feel genuine Hayward cell would last longer and be more cost effective?
It appears you’ve only gotten 10 months use with two different cells for this generic rebuilt cell. Cost of replacement is always a factor, however, longevity is as important. Don’t you feel genuine Hayward cell would last longer and be more cost effective?
I take issue with your first comment. In my original post I stated very clearly that, in my assessment, the "data" available here does not necessarily support the notion that Hayward cells are significantly longer lasting. I can think of one user off-hand who posted a timeline of his replacements. He had three genuine Hayward cells in a row last just two seasons. Granted, that exceeded the warranty period, but it does not live up to the mystique that has developed on this forum around brand-name cells. I've had generic cells last longer than that, and they cost 1/3 to 1/2 as much.
I have several years experience maintaining my pool by the TFP methods. I have a bodacious Taylor test kit and I do everything by TFP recommended practices. And, to the credit of the membership here, it has been very successful. For that I am grateful.
My parameters are right in line with the SWG recommendations published here. I appreciate you volunteering to provide analysis of my water chemistry, but it is not necessary. I didn't start this thread to engage in troubleshooting, I started it to find out if there is sufficient anecdotal evidence to support the notion that Salt Solutions product has been less reliable recently. That's all. We don't need to go down the "you must be an idiot who doesn't do things the TFP way" rabbit hole.
OEM lasted two seasons. After that I got 3 seasons out of a PureLine generic replacement. Hence I have not had experience that makes me believe in the mystique of OEM cells. I mean, give me a break. If I felt confident a $900 Hayward cell would last significantly longer I wouldn't even question it.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,765
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I can’t see your
PoolMath logs (if you keep those)
What’s your latest test results
& csi been over this time?
Do you clean your cell frequently with acid?
There are indeed many factors that affect how long a cell lasts aside from just the cell itself.
I recently purchased a pureline generic t15
& hope to get at least 3 seasons out of it.
an1vrsy
Bronze Supporter
- Jul 10, 2018
- 1,147
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I see you have Pentair pump and filter. Wouldn’t a Pentair IC40 SWG been a match for your other equipment? I have only been on this site for 5 years and have read good reports on longevity of OEM intellichlor cells. So, yes… I feel confident that when my IC60 goes out I’ll replace it with another IC60.
pcmacd
Well-known member
1st one lasted perhaps 5 or 6 months.
2d perhaps 4 or 5, a warrantee replacement. Gotta check the cell at Leslie's (not lots hope) and see if they will send a third. If not, I'm going for a Hayward.