Hayward AquaRite salt level
Peak performance from your AquaRite comes at 3,200 ppm (parts per million, the number a salt test shows). You're aiming anywhere between 2,700 and 3,400 ppm. According to Hayward's manual, people start noticing a salty taste near 3,500 to 4,000 ppm. Target 3,200 ppm without ever going past 3,400 ppm. Going beneath 2,700 ppm makes the Check Salt light start to flash.
Should I expect my salt level to decrease?
Only a little. Since the salt recycles itself, only a small amount disappears across a season. Splashing, backwashing and draining after rain are where most of it ends up. Salt level too high? Draining off some pool water and topping up with fresh is the single remedy.
Hold free chlorine between 1.0 and 3.0 ppm, with pH from 7.2 to 7.8. Your alkalinity should sit at 80 to 120 ppm. Which stabilizer level you need varies by the box you own. An outdoor AquaRite 900 calls for 30 to 50 ppm. Running an older model? Its manual gives 60 to 80 ppm, with 80 being ideal.
Reading the AquaRite indicator lights
When the Check Salt light blinks, your level sits under 2,700 ppm and the cell runs at reduced efficiency. A steady glow there means salt has fallen too far and the box turned itself off. Excess salt triggers the High Salt light, which powers the unit down too.
If the Inspect Cell light blinks, either a routine look is due or the cell's efficiency is slipping. A solid light there means chlorine production has stopped.
During a normal cycle, the Generating light glows without blinking. Expect it to blink if the water gets overly warm or sinks under 50 °F.
| Light or code | What it means |
|---|---|
| Check Salt (flashing) | Salt has fallen under 2,700 ppm. Chlorine output continues, though at reduced efficiency. |
| Check Salt (steady) | Salt too low. The AquaRite has shut down. |
| High Salt | Salt too high. The AquaRite has shut down. |
| Inspect Cell (flashing) | Either the cell's efficiency has dropped or a scheduled inspection is needed. Check it and clean it. |
| Inspect Cell (steady) | The cell's efficiency is way down and chlorine production has stopped. |
| Generating (flashing) | The water is too hot or too cold for chlorine production. |
The light names and meanings are taken from the Hayward AquaRite manual.
How to add salt to an AquaRite pool?
Putting in a big amount of salt? Get a professional to test your salt level before you start. With freshly plastered pools, hold off 10 to 14 days while the plaster hardens. Choose sodium chloride salt only, and make sure it's over 99% pure.
Leave out rock salt, iodized salt and any bag that lists yellow prussiate of soda or additives against caking. Empty the bags in and sweep the salt around so it won't settle into piles on the floor.
Let the filter pump run 24 hours while drawing from the main drain. A full 24 hours may pass before the display refreshes.
How to set your cell type and shock mode?
The box needs to be configured for the cell model you have. Out of the factory, it ships on t 15. Have a t 15 cell? Nothing to do then, unless somebody altered the setting.
With any other cell, keep tapping the diagnostic button until the screen shows t 15, t 9, t 5 or t 3. Time to shock the pool? The unit is able to super chlorinate for 24 hours. Leave the filter pump running the entire period.
Questions people bring to the counter
What salt level should a Hayward salt cell have?
Optimal salt sits at 3,200 ppm, with the ideal band running 2,700 to 3,400 ppm. Once you fall under 2,700 ppm, the Check Salt light blinks and efficiency drops.
Does 4,000 ppm of salt count as too much for a pool?
Yes, at 4,000 ppm you're past the recommended 2,700 to 3,400 ppm range. Most swimmers begin noticing the salty taste somewhere between 3,500 and 4,000 ppm. When the High Salt light turns on, you must drain part of the pool and top it off with fresh water.
What's the right way to inspect a Hayward salt cell?
Check inside the cell any time the Inspect Cell light blinks. For cleaning, stir up a 4:1 mix of 1 gallon of water plus 1 quart of muriatic acid. Per Hayward's cleaning guide, the job takes 15 minutes.
What's making my AquaRite salt reading wrong?
After adding fresh salt, the display may need 24 hours to catch up. Let a whole day pass so the reading can catch up. Make sure the box is programmed for the cell too, using t 15, t 9, t 5 or t 3.