Why do salt cells stop producing chlorine when they're receiving the correct amount of volts, there's sufficient flow, the cell is clean, and the water temperature is fine? Do the blades just wear out? How does the salt cell communicate salt water levels to the board/display?
Why do salt cells go bad before the circuit board?
- Thread starter Veryexpensivepools
- Start date
V,
Salt cells are like the gas tank of your car, except they can't be refilled. Once they are out of "gas" they can no longer produce any chlorine.
Obviously, there is no actual gas in the cell, but the coating on the plates wears away as the chlorine is produced.
Most cells last 5 to 7 years.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Salt cells are like the gas tank of your car, except they can't be refilled. Once they are out of "gas" they can no longer produce any chlorine.
Obviously, there is no actual gas in the cell, but the coating on the plates wears away as the chlorine is produced.
Most cells last 5 to 7 years.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Thanks for the response. Isn’t that similar logic or understanding to any part or component at the pad? Eventually it just runs out of life? I’m trying to understand if a board is reading an incorrect level, is it because of the cell or the board or if the service light is on what to focus on after power distribution. I haven’t met a single homeowner that legitimately meets poolmen and says they want to fix it. It’s always minimum contacts or because they just feel bad that this is our life.
Kinda sorta except the cells can produce a finite/known amount of chlorone due to an exact amount of coating on the SWG cell plates. (Poor water chemistry or cell abuse lowers this further) Any other electronic or piece of equipment just dies from use or corrosion without an expected death date. The cells we know are expected to produce FC for 10k hours for the name brands. It can more or less be calculated like a gas tank.
The cell will still turn on and do everything except produce FC, once 'empty'. If protected from the elements and lucky in avoiding power surges, a control unit on the other hand, could last 25 years while you depleted 5 or more cells.
Exactly that.
With an electrical continuity reading. The higher the salinity, the more metal is in the water (sodium), the better it conducts.
Last edited:
- Jun 1, 2018
- 16,027
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
It depends on the system- they all have a little different ways- here’s the big 3
Hayward Aquarite SWG - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
Pentair Intellichlor ICXX SWG - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
Jandy AquaPure SWG - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
So this electrical continuity reading is dependent on the board interpreting the electricity correctly? Or is it the cell having a closed continuity circuit at the cell that didn’t give way to corrosion?
I believe so. The board translates the continuity readings into salinity level. The downside is it's not the most accurate and will fluctuate even further with water temperature differences.
The flow switch which doubles as the continuity tester is a common failure for a lot of models, failing for either flow or salinity.