Salt Cell Is Not Producing Chlorine
Before replacing a cell, confirm it is actually the cell. Salt generators stop producing for several reasons and most of them are cheaper than a new cell.
Likely Causes
Salt level out of range
Below the generator's minimum, production drops or stops. After heavy rain or a partial drain, salt is diluted.
Scale on the plates
Hard water plus high pH builds calcium between the plates and blocks production.
Cell at end of life
Plates wear out. Beyond roughly five to seven years, declining output is expected.
Flow switch fault
The system will not produce without confirmed flow; a failed switch reports none even when flow is fine.
Cold water
Most generators reduce or suspend output below a threshold water temperature.
Insufficient run time or output setting
The system may be working perfectly but simply not running long enough for the pool's demand.
What You Can Safely Check
- Check the controller display for salt level and error indicators
- Look through the cell for visible white scale between plates
- Confirm the pump is running when the generator is scheduled to produce
- Note the cell's age
When to Call a Professional
We inspect and test before recommending a cell, because unnecessary cell replacement is one of the most common overcharges in this industry. If scale is the issue we clean it appropriately and fix the chemistry causing it.