How to Clean a Salt Cell

It is important to maintain a clean salt cell so chlorine can be continuously produced. Salt cells that have a lot of scale or calcium build up cannot effectively produce sanitizer and often create flow issues within the pool system. You should check your salt cell weekly to ensure that there are no problems and rinse off the plates as soon as you start to see scale formation. Every salt cell should be chemically cleaned at least once per season, usually after the pool has been closed.

Cleaning Procedure

  1. Turn off the pool pump.
  2. Close valves or plug lines if the cell is below the pool water level.
  3. Remove the salt cell from the lines/unit.
  4. Rinse the plates with a garden hose.
  5. If you have a Zodiac LM Series salt cell, pour salt cell cleaner into the cell until the plates are covered.
    •  Let soak for 15 to 30 minutes.
  6. For Hayward salt cells you can use the cleaning stand and place the cell in a tall container. 
    • Add salt cell cleaner until the plates are covered.
    • Make sure only the plates are covered and do not cover the connections of the cell with the cleaner. 
    • Let soak for 15 to 30 minutes.
  7. After soaking time has elapsed, dump out cleaner and rinse salt cell out with the garden hose. 
  8. Spray down area where cleaner was dumped to ensure proper dilution.
  9. Replace the salt cell or store indoors if the pool is being closed.

***The cell will need to be rinsed off periodically throughout the season. It may also need to be chemically cleaned periodically if there are large amounts of scale build-up on the plates that are not easily removed by the garden hose.

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