Salt Cell Plates - Reusable?

[Stogiemann]

Long time Pool Owner - First time to TFP site!!

Tandy Ei Aquapure cell just started flashing NO FLOW on the board. I saw this youtube video (Zodiac Jandy Ei Aquapure salt system quick fix on the cell - YouTube) that shows where the guy swapped out an old piece of plate and "revamped" it to fit. Then the NO FLOW indicator turned off. I have replaced my cell once due to a couple of burnt plates but several are still usable. I have it in my dead but not thrown out pool supplies. I'd LOVE to be able to use it so demonstrate to my lovely other half - "See....see...that's EXACTLY why I don't throw this "stuff" away!!"...but ...I digress. Can I take the old plates, cut them, and reinstall into the unit without electrocuting my 7 rambunctious grandchildren? Did this really fix the problem or just create others?

I stumbled on this site because this time of year, you can't find a pool guy even if you could afford one. So I started surfing. I read the thread on looking at the mother board and the daughter board to make the indicator go off. The pool is clean, filters clean, cell is clean and clearly shows water running through it. How does my single cell set up actually check the flow to see if it is low? My set up is just like the one in the video.

I haven't tried looking at the mother board or daughter board. Figured I'd leave the main unit un-opened for now. I tend to have extra parts laying around when I perform an electron surgery or normally the resulting autopsy.

May very well be time for a new cell or even a whole unit as this one is 8 years old and the cell replaced 4 years ago.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated....THANKS

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The plates are not “steel”. They are titanium plates with a special transition metal oxide coating on them (kind of like how a catalytic converter in a car has expensive metals in it). So you can certainly try to cut the plates that you have to see if it works or not. The only plates that are “energized” are the ones connected to the wire lugs, the other plates develop a charge and voltage on them during the chlorine generation process in a similar manner to how a capacitor works. I would expect any plate you cut to erode faster than a new plate. Chlorine generation efficiency might also take a hit if some plates are more worn out than others.

Not sure how Jandy measures flow in those cells as most SWG manufactures typically use a mechanical flow switch.

 

[JamesW]

The ei model uses a gas trap design. It's an electrode at the top of the cell that picks up residual voltage from the plates when the cell is full of water.

If gas builds up, the electrode does not make contact with the water and can't pick up the voltage from the cell.

If the cell plates go bad and can't carry voltage, it will also create a no flow error.

 

[Stogiemann]

THANKS. I'll take a look and wel'll get back with what I did and what happened

 

[Stogiemann]

The current cell is showing green lights for an hour or so, then flashes NO FLOW for a couple of hours then reverts to showing green. I went back and found that I had purchased it in August 2013 - so five years. I'll just replace and keep these extra two for parts. Was able to find it on Amazon for $219.