What size salt cell do I need?
Choose a salt cell whose rating runs 1.5 to 2 times the gallons in your pool. That guideline comes from CircuPool's guide. With a 20,000 gallon pool, look for a rating of 30,000 to 40,000 gallons.
What size salt cell do I need for my gallons
Knowing the gallon total in your pool comes first. Take your pool's gallons and multiply by 1.5 and by 2, and that gives the rating to aim for. Skip any cell that only just equals the amount of water you have.
Suppose the pool you're working with holds 20,000 gallons. A figure of 30,000 comes from 20,000 times 1.5, and 40,000 comes from 20,000 times 2. Your target is a cell sized at 30,000 or 40,000 gallons.
Picture an above ground pool containing 15,000 gallons. When you multiply 15,000 by 2, the result is a 30,000 gallon rating for the cell. A pool of 30,000 gallons calls for multiplying by 2, which lands on a 60,000 gallon rating.
What's a cell's working life?
According to Discount Salt Pool, a salt cell operates for 8,000 to 15,000 hours. Even so, stick with the 1.5 to 2 times sizing rule.
Care for it well and 3 to 7 years is how long it'll last, says River Pools and Spas. Expect to pay $700 to $1100 when a dead cell needs swapping out.
Which models work with my pool?
The T-CELL-3 from Hayward handles 15,000 gallons. With the T-CELL-9, coverage reaches 25,000. With the T-CELL-15, coverage reaches 40,000.
The LT15 from Pentair's lineup handles 15,000 gallons. Coverage for the IC20 reaches 20,000. Both the LT25 and Plus30 handle 30,000. Per Pentair's guide, the IC40 handles 40,000 while the IC60 handles 60,000.
With Jandy systems, the AquaPure 700 carries a rating of 12,000 gallons. Coverage on the Jandy TruClear runs 35,000 gallons, while the AquaPure 1400 manages 40,000 gallons.
| Cell | Rated gallons | Chlorine per day at 100% | List price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hayward T-CELL-3 (W3T-CELL-3) | 15,000 | Not published | $699.00 |
| Hayward T-CELL-9 (W3T-CELL-9) | 25,000 | Not published | $899.00 |
| Hayward T-CELL-15 (W3T-CELL-15) | 40,000 | 1.45 lb | $1,099.00 |
| Pentair IntelliChlor IC20 | 20,000 | 0.7 lb | $1,249.00 |
| Pentair IntelliChlor IC40 | 40,000 | 1.4 lb | $1,429.00 |
| Pentair IntelliChlor IC60 | 60,000 | 2 lb | $1,819.00 |
| Pentair IntelliChlor LT15 | 15,000 | 0.65 lb | $1,239.00 (complete system with power pack) |
| Pentair IntelliChlor LT25 | 30,000 | 0.9 lb | $1,149.00 |
| Pentair IntelliChlor Plus30 | 30,000 | 1.1 lb | $1,249.00 |
| Pentair IntelliChlor Plus40 (IC40 Plus) | 40,000 | 1.4 lb | $1,819.00 |
| Pentair IntelliChlor Plus60 | 60,000 | 2 lb | $2,579.95 |
| Jandy AquaPure 700 | 12,000 | 0.625 lb | $1,399.99 |
| Jandy AquaPure 1400 | 40,000 | 1.25 lb | $1,899.99 |
| Jandy TruClear | 35,000 | Not published | $1,099.99 (replacement cell) |
The prices are what Leslie's lists for replacement cells. Each manufacturer's manual supplies the ratings and output numbers.
Questions people bring to the counter
What size salt cell do I need when the pool holds 20,000 gallons?
Your cell needs a rating anywhere from 30,000 up to 40,000 gallons. With a 20,000 gallon pool, that works out to 1.5 to 2 times the water you're treating. Either the 35,000 gallon Jandy TruClear or the 40,000 gallon Pentair IC40 will do the job.
How big a chlorinator cell should I get?
Choose a cell with a rating 1.5 to 2 times your pool's gallon volume. A 15,000 gallon pool calls for a 30,000 gallon cell, while a 30,000 gallon pool calls for a 60,000 gallon cell.
How do you work out which chlorinator size your pool needs?
Take the gallons your pool holds and multiply by 1.5. The smallest cell you'd pick is that one. Then multiply by 2. That figure is the largest you'd need. After that, choose a model that lands somewhere between those two numbers.
Which salt system works for a 20,000 gallon pool?
A 20,000 gallon pool calls for a system rated somewhere between 30,000 and 40,000 gallons. The Pentair Plus30 is good for 30,000 gallons, while the Jandy TruClear handles 35,000 gallons. If you want the whole 40,000 gallon rating, go with the Hayward T-CELL-15 or the Pentair IC40.