Salt cell burned up?

[ckh1980]

Last year the board blew up on my Hayward Swim Pure Plus. The old board was superceded with a new model, so I replaced it with the latest revision. This morning I went to check on the pool and I have a 0 ppm reading, a power LED on the board and a flashing no flow light. The cell itself is about 6 or 7 years old and now has what looks like dark burn marks (pic attached). Bad cell? Why would there be burn marks like that on the outside casing? Its possible the electronics in the cell got smoked? Should I start troubleshooting at the board or the cell? Thanks for any help.

 

[ajw22]

There are no electronics in a Hayward cell.

It looks like those brown marks are also on your Polaris pump. Whatever it came from is external to the cell.

 

[ckh1980]

There are no electronics in a Hayward cell.

It looks like those brown marks are also on your Polaris pump. Whatever it came from is external to the cell.

I never considered that. Thanks. I wonder if it simply wipes off?

As for the symptoms I mentioned, is it likely the cell has gone bad?

 

[ajw22]

You have the NO FLOW light. That needs to be fixed for the cell to operate.

Check your filter PSI. You could have a dirty filter.

Check the flow switch using a multimeter.

Check the flow switch wire and its connection into the bottom of the panel.

 

[ckh1980]

You have the NO FLOW light. That needs to be fixed for the cell to operate.

Check your filter PSI. You could have a dirty filter.

Check the flow switch using a multimeter.

Check the flow switch wire and its connection into the bottom of the panel.

thank you will do

 

[ckh1980]

You have the NO FLOW light. That needs to be fixed for the cell to operate.

Check your filter PSI. You could have a dirty filter.

Check the flow switch using a multimeter.

Check the flow switch wire and its connection into the bottom of the panel.

I just got home and the pressure was high so I back washed it really well. The flow light is on now but I'm still reading 0 salt. Diagnostic readings are

0
84
31.6
0.00
87P
-0
Al-0
r 1.59
T15

Sounds like the cell?

 

[ajw22]

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

• Report all diagnostic 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?
• What is the actual salinity and how are you measuring it?

 

[ckh1980]

I got the settings this morning. the readings were almost all the same no matter the switch position:

switch off:
0
81
32.1
0.00
87p
-0
AL-0
r1.59
t15

back to auto:
0
81
32.1
.08
87P
-0
AL-0
r1.59
t15

off for a minute then back on:
0
81
31.7
0.00
86P
-0
AL-0
r1.59
t15

I inspected the cell and noticed some brown residue on the outlet side of the cell? what would cause that? I also took the panel off and did a visual. I didn't see anything obviously bad on the board itself

 

[ajw22]

Yup, that cell looks dead.

 

[ckh1980]

Yup, that cell looks dead.

Ok thank you. For future reference, what were you looking for to come to that determination. Also, any experience with the Circupool replacements?

 

[ajw22]

For future reference, what were you looking for to come to that determination.

The correlation of volts, amps and salinity against new cell performance.

Hayward Aquarite SWG - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Also, any experience with the Circupool replacements?

I think you get what you pay for. Third party cells are less expensive and tend to have shorter lives. Some folks win, and some lose.