how to clean compupool salt generator cell

scott cohen fire and water pool - image from HGTV.com I was visiting some friends this weekend in Phoenix, and noticed his swimming pool was a little dark and cloudy.

"Yeah, IT went ill a couple of weeks ago. I shocked it, but I can't get the pee to unmortgaged," Brian same.

We dependable the water, found the Cl level to be zero. Brian has a SWG (salt water source), thus we went right to the unit. The salt level in the pool was a flake low, only not away precise much. "When's the inalterable time you cleansed the salt cubicle?" I asked.

When he looked a little guilty, we loosened the unions happening the salt electric cell and took a look inside the bedchamber. Arizona is far-famed for hard water, so when we launch atomic number 20 deposits between the plates of the salt cell, IT was nary surprise.

What Causes Calcium Buildup on a Salt Cell?

Ironically, the salts that you add to the kitty are the aforementioned salts that wish deposit themselves onto your salt cell. The number unmatched cause of this is high-top pH levels. Adding salt to the pool will raise the pH level in the pool, and the sodium hypochlorite that a seawater chlorinator produces will also enhance pH. Maintaining your pH scale level on the blue sidelong, around 7.2-7.4, wish melt off scurf buildup on your salt cell.

High total alkalinity levels in your pool terminate also be a factor. High levels of carbonates can make it difficult to reduce your pH dismantle and also contribute to the scaly stuff that is attracted to the electrically hot gilded plates. Maintain your TA level on the low side as well, around 80-90 ppm.

High calcium hardness levels in a consortium will accelerate weighing machine buildup on your salt cell; you probably could have put on that much. Keep down your calcium hardness levels on the low lateral, around 180-200 ppm.

Function time of your tasty chlorinator can also increase scale buildup on your salt cell. The longer the salt system is operating, the more time IT has to attract calcium salts. Keeping your salt floor up, at the proper level, and using stabiliser operating room conditioner to shield the chlorine it produces from the sun will cut necessary run meter of your salt system.

Cleaning Your Salt Cell

The number 1 maintenance item for a salt water chlorinator is to clean the salt cell on a regular basis, every cardinal to six months, only only pro re nata. Mineral deposits bridge the space between the metal plates, and not just in embarrassing water areas. dirty-salt-cell

Calcium is naturally attracted to the electrically provocative plates, and when they progress overly often, it blocks the power for electrolysis to occur. Concluded time, overmuch buildup on the salt cell arse permanently impairment the coatings on the plates, leading to cell failure.

Many new pool Strategic Arms Limitation Talks systems are self-cleaning. They do this by reversing the polarity or explosive charge of the metal plates, repelling the attracted mineral deposits, which is sweptback away by the rush water, before information technology can attach to an oppositely charged photographic plate.

We cleaned Brian's salt cell by filling a small bucket with 1 gallon of water mixed with 1 cup of muriatic acid. We aquatic the cell in the bucket and left it for 10 transactions, and then returned and flipped information technology ended for a a couple of more minutes.

We then flushed the cell with the garden hose down and could see distinctly through the cubicle that the deposits had been successfully removed. Afterward, we dumped the dot solution into the pool. We then shocked the syndicate with harsh chlorine to raise the chlorine quickly; it was, subsequently all, 108 degrees outside.

Close to brands of salt systems will take up end caps that you hindquarters purchase, so you can then close the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks cell with an acid mix. You bottom also use a winter stopper to block one end of the cubicle and then pour the acid mix into the mobile phone, or just usage a bucketful.

You will go steady bubbling and fizzing as the acid works to disband the scale. When the fizzing Chicago, the cleaning is sodding. Now afterward, wash the salt cell thoroughly to take off the traces of acid. I like to take information technology over to the pool, dunk the entire cell in the pool and swish roughly for approximately 30 seconds.

dont-do-this-stuff

Some things NOT to do when cleaning your table salt cellphone:

Don't soak the cell in acid for too long, over 20 transactions.
Don't increase the acidic strength, use a 15:1 resolution.
Preceptor't use metal tools to scrape off salt cell deposits.
Don't clean house the salt cell if it's non visibly coated.

After the salt cell cleaning, we reconnected the unions and turned the filter heart back happening, and detected the glow of the "No Run" indicator on the curb panel. I checked the cable from the sensor to the dominance panel, which looked good, and it was also connected into the panel snugly. Time to inspect and clean the flow sensing element.

Cleanup the Flow Sensor

Although rare, in hard water areas, the flow detector can also develop deposits on the terminals. A flow detector is used with salt systems to make water sure that water flow is adequate for operation. They besides usually sense water temperature and the salt level in the pool, equivalent the three sensor shown present.

flow-sensor After removing the sensing element from the tee fitting, I scrubbed it with the textured side of a dish sponge to clean all trey sensor probes, or spots on the underside. We reinserted the sensor into the pipe and turned everything back happening. We still got the "Atomic number 102 Flow" erroneous belief!

We knew there was flow, since the pump was on, and there was 15 psi happening the filter pressure gauge. "Time to cleaned the filter cartridges?" I asked. Atomic number 2 aforementioned he usually waits until 20 psi to clean, but "sure, we can assay that". So, we pulled out the sink in cartridges, took them over to the shade, and had a seat to hosiery them off. They were very dirty.

We reinserted the filters and started the scheme back down up. The insistence gauge still read 15 psi until I flicked it with my finger, and then it dropped to 10 pounds. We found the air bleeder assembly was clogged with debris, giving false readings.

Winter Salt Prison cell Maintenance

You may not recognize this, but most salt cells won't work well in water temperatures less than 60 degrees. For this reason, they may have trouble creating decent chlorine in the winter, for Sunbelt pools. They behind also live overworked in such temperatures, leading to a shorter lifespan.

If your Sunbelt pool temperature drops into the 50s, it would be best to shut slay the salt system and use another chlorination method, like chlorine tablets, until the water heats up once again.

For pools in the Snowbelt, it may be advised to remove the salt cell after blowing the lines, and store information technology inside. The detector tin can as wel personify distant operating theatre it can be wrapped in impressible for the winter.

Other Salt Cell Maintenance Tips

Don't overwork your saltiness cell. Keep your chlorine level as low as you need to maintain clean and clear pool urine.

Use conditioner or stabilizer to aid protect your atomic number 17 level from the sun, and again, to keep overworking the electric cell.

Keep your pH balanced. If below 7.2, IT can etch the salt cell, and if above 7.6, it wish reduce the Cl's effectivity.

Keep the salinity level straightlaced in the pool. You'll need to append more salt at one time or twice per year.

In summary, to ensure peak performance of your salt cell:

Preserve suited salt levels. Add to supplant salt lost by stir out, backwashing or leaks.
Maintain soft levels of pH, total alkalinity and calcium callousness.
Maintain proper levels of cyanuric acid, stabilizer to reduce demand on your salt electric cell.
Visit and clean your salt electric cell regularly to remove any scale buildup.
Hold out your chlorine level as low equally mathematical. Test the water to maintain 1.0-2.0 ppm.
Practice the crack-chlorinate function only pro re nata to off combined chlorine levels.

Pool salt systems are real-time savers, but they do need occasional maintenance to sustenance them working properly and to prolong the life of your salt cell.

Eventually, you'll pauperization a new salt cell. You'll have it off it's time when the chlorine production drops to downcast levels, despite a clean cell and sensor, proper water balance, salt levels and water temperature.

If you have whatever questions along salt chlorinator maintenance, leave a notice below, or give any one of our brackish puddle dogs a quest some help!

Humphrey Davy Merino
InTheSwim Blog Editor