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Salt Systems

How a Salt Chlorine Generator (Salt Cell) Works

What the cell actually does, why it stops making chlorine, and what to check before you replace it, in each manufacturer's own words.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The "Search Amazon" buttons and the "Worth a look" links on this page are Amazon affiliate links; we show no prices or ratings. Facts recorded Oct 25, 2026 from the official sources linked on each section. Manufacturer pages and rules change, so check the current version and your model's manual.

Difficulty: easy checks; acid cleaning only with the maker's steps and PPE

Safety first: chemicals and power

  • Power off the pump and the salt system before you remove a cell. Follow your model's manual.
  • Acid cleaning: wear chemical-resistant gloves and eye protection and work with good ventilation. Pentair says to mix a 4:1 water-to-acid solution, add acid to water, never use undiluted acid, and clean for no more than 30 minutes. Pentair IntelliChlor Plus/LT guide
  • Never mix chemicals. Pentair says not to use trichlor or dichlor with a salt chlorine generator ("may result in death or personal injury") and never to use dry acid (sodium bisulfate) to adjust pH. Pentair IntelliChlor Plus/LT guide
  • Electrical side of the cell and power center: licensed electrician. Hayward says proper installation includes proper grounding and bonding. Hayward: salt chlorination questions

The question

"What does the cell actually do, why does it stop making chlorine, and what can I check before replacing it?"

What the cell does (three manufacturers, three wordings)

The makers describe the chemistry differently. We quote each one as written instead of blending them.

  • Pentair: the generator uses "a process known as electrolysis to create Hypochlorite and Hypochlorous acid from salt added to the pool," which "kills bacteria and algae, oxidizes organic material, and then reverts back to dissolved salt."

Source: Pentair IntelliChlor Plus & LT Installation and User's Guide, p. 4

  • Hayward (AquaRite): power goes to the TurboCell when chlorine production is scheduled (a percentage of run time), and its "conductive plates produce a field" that causes a reaction between chloride ions and water, making hypochlorous acid.

Source: Hayward AquaRite Troubleshooting Guide

  • Jandy (AquaPure): salt under electrolysis "is transformed into sodium hypochlorite," and "a pool treated by salt water chlorination is a chlorinated pool." In other words, a salt pool isn't chlorine-free.

Source: Jandy AquaPure product page

Why a cell stops making chlorine: what to check first

1. Salt level

Pentair IntelliChlor Plus/LT: ideal salt is 3,600 ppm; below 3,000 ppm it warns "ADD SALT"; below 2,600 ppm the unit shuts off. Hayward says about 3,000 ppm for Hayward salt pools, and that "too much salt can be corrosive." Use your own model's number.

Source: Pentair IntelliChlor Plus/LT product page; Hayward: salt chlorination questions

Jandy says to use salt that is at least 99.8% pure sodium chloride (no calcium chloride or rock salt), and not to add salt through the skimmer, main drain or surge tank.

Source: Jandy AquaPure product page

2. Water temperature

Pentair's IntelliChlor shuts off at or below about 52 °F water. Hayward's AquaRite scales production back at 60 °F and stops at 50 °F. Cold water can look like a dead cell.

Source: Pentair product page; Hayward AquaRite Troubleshooting Guide

3. Flow

Pentair: the IntelliChlor flow switch needs at least 25 GPM; the maximum is 80 GPM, with a bypass above that. Pentair also says to install the cell at least 3 ft from the heater outlet.

Source: Pentair IntelliChlor Plus/LT product page

4. Scale on the plates

Pentair reverses polarity every 3 hours to limit scale, and Jandy's AquaPure uses polarity inversion to remove scale (Jandy says shortening that time is "reserved for the pool professional"). Hayward says scale reduces the cell's amperage and accuracy, and to inspect cells for calcium "every 500 hours of use." Pentair says to remove and inspect the blades "at least every two months."

Source: Pentair product page; Jandy AquaPure; Hayward AquaRite TSG; Hayward blog; Pentair guide, pp. 23–24

5. The cell-type setting (Hayward)

On AquaRite, the cell type must be set to match the installed TurboCell (t-15, t-9, t-5 or t-3), or "the salt level will be inaccurate and the system will likely suspend chlorination."

Source: Hayward AquaRite Troubleshooting Guide

Cleaning the cell: Pentair's steps

  1. Turn off power and remove the cell as your manual describes.
  2. Inspect the blades. Rinse with a garden-hose jet spray. No pressure washer or mechanical tool (screwdriver, brush) on the blades.
  3. Acid clean only if there's excessive scale. In a plastic bucket, make a 4:1 water-to-acid solution, adding acid to water. Never undiluted. No more than 30 minutes. (Hayward's AquaRite documents also use "4 parts water to 1 part muriatic acid.")
  4. Rinse, reinstall, restore power per the manual.

Source: Pentair IntelliChlor Plus/LT guide, pp. 23–24; Hayward AquaRite Troubleshooting Guide

When it's the cell, not the water

Pentair says a "Check Cell" message that persists after an acid clean "means the blades have worn out." Pentair's stated warranty: IntelliChlor Plus 3 years or 10,000 hours; LT 2 years or 6,000 hours. We don't estimate cell life beyond what the maker states.

Source: Pentair IntelliChlor Plus/LT product page

Water chemistry numbers (one manufacturer's table)

Pentair's IntelliChlor Plus/LT guide lists, among others: free chlorine 2.0–4.0 ppm, salinity 3,600 ppm, calcium hardness 200–400 ppm. Pentair also says that after super-chlorination you should wait until free chlorine falls to 2–4 ppm before running the generator. These are Pentair's numbers for its units; use your own manual's table.

Source: Pentair IntelliChlor Plus & LT guide

What we don't claim

  • That salt pools are "chlorine-free" (Jandy says a salt pool is a chlorinated pool).
  • A lifespan in years, or savings numbers. Hayward's "up to 50%" savings figure is marketing.

Should you DIY? / When to call a pro

Fine to DIY: testing salt, checking temperature and flow, reading error messages, a hose rinse, and acid cleaning only if you follow your manufacturer's steps with PPE.

Call a licensed electrician: the cell's power wiring, power center, bonding and grounding. Call a pool professional: if you aren't comfortable handling acid, or if changing polarity timing (Jandy reserves that for professionals).

See our full When to Call a Pro page. Follow your model's manual; this site isn't a substitute for it, and it isn't legal advice.

If your model isn't listed

The numbers on this page come from specific manufacturer documents and models. If your equipment isn't one of them, don't assume the same numbers apply: find the model number on the rating plate, open that model's manual on the manufacturer's site, or contact the manufacturer. You can also email us with the brand and model number.

Related guides: Replacing a salt cell · Replacing an old pool controller

Facts from the manufacturer (and where else they came from)

Where to look

Cell links are in the “Worth a look” box above; match the cell to your control box model. These buttons cover testing and safety gear. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.