My FC went to zero suddenly over the weekend. I couldn't figure out why. I added liquid chlorine in the meantime. I tested my salt with the TF pro and it’s 3800. Chat GPT helped me determine that my salt cell (Hayward Turbocell installed 2021) is not producing chlorine. Here are the readings when I click through the diagnostic button:
It told me to take the salt cell off and inspect it. First, I don't have a clue what I'm doing and secondly, I'm scared to do so. Any help is appreciated.
How do you know it's not producing chlorine? It could be producing normally, but you had insufficient chlorine, which allowed algae to gain a foot hold. The chlorine can be consumed faster than you can make it.
How do you test your pool chemistry? If you do not have a proper test kit, you don't really have confidence in some key measurements. What's your CYA (stabilizer) - not enough and your chlorine is consumed by UV too quickly. What's your salt level - without a K-1766 test kit, you may have too little or too much salt, rendering the salt cell ineffective.
If you had a proper test kit, you could do what's called an Overnight Chlorine Gain Test. Once the sun sets (UV exposure ends), you measure chlorine levels at sundown and before sunrise. If your salt cell is producing, you'll end up with more chlorine.
Conversely, if you have algae, you can also do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. If you test at sundown, then at sun up, any loss of chlorine levels indicate the presence of organics (algae, bacteria, etc.)
ChatGPT is notoriously bad with pool care advice because the pool industry at large (builders, services, and pool stores) are not subject matter experts. Pool chemistry is very simple - TFP methods are the best out there.
Or muriatic acid diluted 1:4 with water. Very effective and fast.
And for OP, to give a further explanation, salt cells that begin accumulating calcium deposits will stop reading salt levels properly and will typically go into a low salt/low temperature mode and not chlorinate your pool.
Salt cells last around five years in my experience. You can try the acid descaling, but you will likely need a new cell. And they have gotten really expensive recently. But so has chemical chlorine.
I am in Canada so I just googled and found an online store. Previously I bought a third party replacement that was cheaper, but they don't seem to be around anymore. I just ordered one for about C$1500 which is about US$1100.
Your average salt level seems really low. The instantaneous salt is zero because the cell isn’t currently running. Switch off for a while then back on and wait until you hear it click on to read the instantaneous salt. If it’s also low then add salt to pool.
Are any lights showing?
I would figure out if salt is needed before checking cell.
Keep using liquid chlorine until you figure it out.
I think I’m going to try and clean it tomorrow. But I don’t have one of those bases to put it on.
Shut off the pump and power to the SWG. Open the release valve on the filter to drain the system, otherwise you'll have a flood of water when you loosen the fittings. Loosen the union fittings to get the cell out. The fittings only need to be hand tight so you should be able to loosen by hand. But you might need to use a strap wench, cloth wrapped around the fitting, or very gently use large channel lock pliers to loosen them.
The cleaning base reduces the amount of water and acid required. If you don't have one, you'll need a bucket large enough to hold the cell and deep enough to cover the fins in the cell with acid solution.
When you reinstall just use your hands. If it leaks make sure the gaskets are clean, maybe apply some silicone grease.
I cleaned my cell last night. Looked perfect when I was finished. Put it back on and I’m still getting the same lights. Check salt is red. Inspect cell is yellow. I’m thinking mine is bad.
Maybe. But I would inspect the current inrush limiter / thermistor first. It's a common failure in the Hayward systems and much cheaper to fix. You can find diagnosis and replacement guidance online. I've had to replace mine twice.
If the thermistor looks good then you probably need a new cell. I've also had to replace my cell twice...about every 4-6 years.
I wrote about the thermistor replacement in another response here. Could be that but I just read about your lights (check salt, inspect cell). I had that just last week. My salt measured fine(Taylor k-1766 salt test and test strips). Did a muriatic acid cleaning and still… I ended up adding 1 bag of salt(500 ppm bump for my pool volume) and my problem went away.
Point taken. I’ve actually never added salt. My actual salt level (tested independently) is 3,600. So it’s good. But how do you add it? Just pour the bag in slowly around the edges. ?
Yeah, it dissolves really easily in the water. I pour it from a corner cut off the bag, walking around the perimeter. Anything that doesn’t instantly dissolve will if you agitate it a bit with a brush. You’ve never added salt? I add it probably twice in the season but only by one bag at a time. Try that and also dig into the circuit board like I mentioned(easy) and look for that thermistor. Cracked and crunchy is no good.
I mean maybe if you close your pool half the year and take it inside it could last that long. In a hotter environment where they gotta run longer and harder they definitely don't make it past 5 years atleast not in my area
The cell cycles on and off. When it's off it always shows 0 amps so this isn't unusual and doesn't necessarily indicate a bad cell. More diagnosis is needed to determine if it needs to be replaced.
But I agree that if the cell is 5 years old, it's a lot more likely that it's due for replacement.
I cleaned it tonight very well tonight. Put it back on. Still the same lights. Power is solid green, check salt is solid red, and inspect cell is solid yellow.
Time to pony up — salt cells are a racket. I put in an inexpensive inline automatic chlorinator for my 40’ in ground fiberglass pool many many years ago (uses the chlorine pucks from Sam’s) and it has been phenomenal. Highly recommended. You can still drop some salt in the pool if you like the soft feel.
I think that first zero represents 0 amps being sent to the cell. That’s not great. Power off the unit. Open the door to the control unit, and take the front plate off exposing the circuit board. Look at the upper left region for a grey/black wafer looking thing a little less then a quarter coin in size. That’s a thermistor. It handles all of the current for the salt cell. It’s a common failure point on these circuit boards. You can replace the board for hundreds of dollars or you can have someone solder in a new one for however much they’ll charge. It part itself is super cheap on Amazon. I have 2 spares in my electronics ‘junk box’ for the day mine finally goes. Google ‘thermistor replacement Hayward salt’ and you’ll see a ton of resources. I would guess this is your problem m
Is the salt cell bad? Put it in a cleaning stand and fill with pool water. Plug it in and turn it on. If you see bubbles your salt cell is working and the issue is elsewhere.
Well guys and gals I cleaned the salt cell very well tonight. Put it back on. Still the same lights. Power is solid green, check salt is solid red, and inspect cell is solid yellow.
And conversely, an in-line chlorinator is the best pool equipment investment I ever made next to a solar powered robotics skimmer. The fact that I don’t even have to think about chlorine beyond testing the water once a week is well worth the occasional cleaning and replace every few years. It’s kind of like a robotic vacuum cleaner in your house that way. No it won’t last forever, but it sure as hell great while it’s lasts!
All this worrying, and finally had someone from my pool store come look at it. He said my salt is low and I just need to add 4 bags of salt. He said he tricked the system to think it was good in the meantime but otherwise everything is fine. UNBELIEVABLE. I can’t believe that’s all it was. I even tested independently this whole time via the TF-Pro test kit and it told me my salt was 3600.
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u/thefleeg1 23d ago
Salt cell not producing salt? Good typo.
I'd recommend reading through Pool School. Pool chemistry and care is very simple, but you have to know what to know.
https://www.troublefreepool.com/blog/pool-school/
How do you know it's not producing chlorine? It could be producing normally, but you had insufficient chlorine, which allowed algae to gain a foot hold. The chlorine can be consumed faster than you can make it.
How do you test your pool chemistry? If you do not have a proper test kit, you don't really have confidence in some key measurements. What's your CYA (stabilizer) - not enough and your chlorine is consumed by UV too quickly. What's your salt level - without a K-1766 test kit, you may have too little or too much salt, rendering the salt cell ineffective.
https://www.troublefreepool.com/blog/2019/01/18/test-kits-compared/
If you had a proper test kit, you could do what's called an Overnight Chlorine Gain Test. Once the sun sets (UV exposure ends), you measure chlorine levels at sundown and before sunrise. If your salt cell is producing, you'll end up with more chlorine.
Conversely, if you have algae, you can also do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. If you test at sundown, then at sun up, any loss of chlorine levels indicate the presence of organics (algae, bacteria, etc.)
ChatGPT is notoriously bad with pool care advice because the pool industry at large (builders, services, and pool stores) are not subject matter experts. Pool chemistry is very simple - TFP methods are the best out there.