Suggestions on installing salt cell on pipes covered in connectors?

[cmschlatt]

My pool currently has a saltwater cell that hasn't worked in years. I bought a Circupool RJ60 to replace it, but as I look at my pipe situation, I can't figure out how to install the cell without having to replace a significant amount of plumbing and valves. It seems like the entire pipe is covered in couplers and there isn't any pipe left to connect to, especially where the valve is. Any suggestions? I was wondering if I could cut the pipe just before the valve and put a larger coupler on top of the coupler connected to the valve?

 

[PoolStored]

Go vertical.

 

[1poolman1]

My pool currently has a saltwater cell that hasn't worked in years. I bought a Circupool RJ60 to replace it, but as I look at my pipe situation, I can't figure out how to install the cell without having to replace a significant amount of plumbing and valves. It seems like the entire pipe is covered in couplers and there isn't any pipe left to connect to, especially where the valve is. Any suggestions? I was wondering if I could cut the pipe just before the valve and put a larger coupler on top of the coupler connected to the valve?View attachment 597208View attachment 597209

Are you sure the CircuPool cell won't fit where the Hayward is now, using the same fittings? If it won't, cut the pipe right at the coupler that is over the valve. There is likely no pipe in the valve itself. A piece of 1.5" pipe could be inserted and a 1.5" - 2" bushing placed over that to bring it back up to 2." The short run of 1.5" pipe won't have much effect on waterflow. Or, insert a 2" pipe extender into the pipe in the coupler and build from there. A picture is below.

 

[cmschlatt]

Are you sure the CircuPool cell won't fit where the Hayward is now, using the same fittings? If it won't, cut the pipe right at the coupler that is over the valve. There is likely no pipe in the valve itself. A piece of 1.5" pipe could be inserted and a 1.5" - 2" bushing placed over that to bring it back up to 2." The short run of 1.5" pipe won't have much effect on waterflow. Or, insert a 2" pipe extender into the pipe in the coupler and build from there. A picture is below.
View attachment 597231

Bingo. I think the pipe extender is the answer. If all other piping is 2 inches, this won't cause restriction issues? Thank you!

 

[1poolman1]

Bingo. I think the pipe extender is the answer. If all other piping is 2 inches, this won't cause restriction issues? Thank you!

For the complete answer, Google "Bernoulli's principle". Or just trust that there will be no issue.

 

[pjt]

My pool currently has a saltwater cell that hasn't worked in years.

It's installed upside down. The hump should face the ground.

 

[TinFoilHat]

The CircuPool RJ cells fit where the Hayward cells fit and use the same proprietary Hayward threads, or so they say. That is one of the reasons I got mine though I can't install it until I change out my 900CH water. You don't need to re-plumb anything to make the new cell work, unless CircuPool lied, but I don't think anyone here believes that they do so I would go with that.

 

[proavia]

Before you cut anything, check if the cell will fit in the existing location.
The new flow switch should fit in place of the existing flow switch once you unscrew the existing one.

You can also ream out the fittings with a socket saver.
Google - pvc socket saver

 

[1poolman1]

It's installed upside down. The hump should face the ground.

Only if a VSP is in use, otherwise that is the correct orientation, or any other can be used.
The hump down ensures that the cell plates are covered on low speed waterflow as there can be enough to close the flow switch but not cover the plates when a low RPM is used. Other than than it doesn't matter.
When those cells first came out as Goldline, the reason for the "hump" was explained to cause a bit of turbulence in the cell to help wash away deposits when the polarity reverses. There were no VSP for residential pools available that long ago so they were mounted upright as it just looks better and you can read the label easier.

 

[pjt]

Only if a VSP is in use, otherwise that is the correct orientation, or any other can be used.

I would think the vast majority of pools now have VSPs or 2-speed pumps. Hayward specifies "hump down" as the desired orientation in their installation instructions.


In a horizontal installation, I see no reason to have anything other than "hump down".

 

[1poolman1]

I would think the vast majority of pools now have VSPs or 2-speed pumps. Hayward specifies "hump down" as the desired orientation in their installation instructions.

View attachment 597606
In a horizontal installation, I see no reason to have anything other than "hump down".

With the advent of variable-speed pumps, that is good information. And down works great in virtually every install.
Having installed about 100, maybe more, of them, in all kinds of situations, both before and after VSP came out, you find that it doesn't matter with a single-speed pump and that's how the original Goldline instructions presented the install and all I mentioned.
Hump down, up, sideways didn't matter and sometimes had to be done that way to avoid plumbing issues. Also saw vertical installations that had to be corrected because the cell fed from the top and not the bottom (as in the illustration) which could cause the plates to be partially uncovered as the water fell back the pool, especially when the filter got near time to clean.
Its not a blanket instruction that overrides experience. It is relatively new because of VSPs and all the complaints about damaged cells, and no chlorine production with low speed water, and the cell in the "conventional" position, that Hayward was getting.
Sometimes, with the very tight equipment pads builders would install the only option was a different orientation without a larger re-plumb that most customers really didn't want to pay for.