How to clean a salt cell
You'll want 4 parts water for every 1 part acid, with the cell soaking 15 minutes. Hayward's blog gives that as 1 gallon of water combined with 1 quart of muriatic acid.
What's the right way to clean the cell?
Shut the pool pump down. Pull the power cord out and twist the cell free of the plumbing. Check the metal plates inside for any crusty white scale buildup.
Wear safety glasses along with rubber gloves. Start by adding water to the bucket, and only then pour in the acid.
Either dunk the plates in the solution or close off 1 end of the cell and fill it with the mix. Give it 15 minutes to soak. Afterward, wash it down using a hose.
How frequently does it need cleaning?
According to the Pentair user guide, the cell should get an acid cleaning every 3 months. Jandy AquaPure systems flip polarity every 3 hours so the plates clean themselves.
It can also get flagged by a Hayward box. With a Hayward AquaRite, a blinking Inspect Cell indicator signals that efficiency has dropped or a checkup is due. When that indicator glows without blinking, chlorine production has stopped.
Calcium hardness should stay between 200 and 400 ppm (parts per million, the unit on your test strip), a figure you'll find in the Hayward manual plus guidance from Pentair and CircuPool. The pH should sit between 7.2 and 7.8.
What solution strength and soak length should I go with?
A 4:1 blend of water and muriatic acid is what Hayward recommends. In practice, that's 4 parts water for every 1 part acid.
Swim University's guide goes with a 5:1 ratio, which equals 5 cups of water for every 1 cup of muriatic acid.
Leave the cell soaking for 15 minutes. Rinse it off after that.
Questions people bring to the counter
What amount of muriatic acid should I use on my salt cell?
A typical Hayward wash takes 4 measures of water for every 1 measure of muriatic acid. Put another way, 1 gallon of water goes with 1 quart of acid. Swim University instead suggests 5 cups of water for each 1 cup of acid.
What's the right cleaning schedule for a salt cell?
An acid wash every 3 months is what the Pentair manual recommends. With a Hayward AquaRite, a blinking Inspect Cell indicator tells you to inspect and wash it.
How can I tell my salt cell is due for a cleaning?
A blinking Inspect Cell indicator on a Hayward AquaRite tells you the cell should be checked. When it glows without blinking, chlorine production has stopped.
What can I clean a salt cell with?
Mix water with muriatic acid at either a 4:1 or 5:1 ratio. Per Hayward, let the cell sit in the mix for 15 minutes.