How to Clean a Salt Water Cell

Most manufacturers now make plugs and stands to easily clean a salt water pool cell. These items are readily available from most swimming pool services companies in your area.

How to Clean a Salt Water Cell

Always use proper protection, gloves & eye wear is a minimum.

1. Turn off the power to your pump and the salt water pool cell.
2. Remove the cell and inspect the plates.
   1. If you see flaky deposits on the plates then you are due for a cleaning. Look closely as you might have some very small ones that can’t be seen easily without holding a flashlight through the other end.
3. Make a diluted muriatic acid solution of roughly 4:1. 4 parts water & 1 part muriatic acid.  Always add acid to the water NOT the other way around.The recommended solution will be different for every manufacturer so make sure to read up on exactly what they want.
4. Plug the end of the cell with an expandable rubber plug or the manufacturers cleaning kit.
5. Put the cell in a 5 gallon bucket and fill the unit to the top of the blades with the acid mixture, making sure the wiring harness and compartment are still dry.
6. You will see bubbling, that is the solution eating away at the calcium deposits.
   1. When the foaming stops, rinse the unit with water.
   2. If deposits are still present, repeat the process until no more foaming happens.
7. Re-install the unit and start the equipment back up.

This process is rather simple, however if you don’t have the correct tools or chemicals simply call a someone who does swimming pool services.

Cleaning Frequency of a Salt Water Pool Cell?

You should inspect your salt water cell once a year at minimum, however if you don’t have good pool chemistry it should be done every 3 months.  It is typically a better thought to keep your pool chemistry in balance so that you don’t have to continually check your salt water pool cell.

Take your time, make sure you have the correct parts and supplies; if not simply call a pool contractor that does swimming pool services to do it for you. Shouldn’t cost much and will keep your salt water pool cell running good.