Hayward Salt Cell Troubleshooting: Complete Homeowner’s Guide

by

Hayward salt chlorine generators—like the AquaRite, SwimPure Plus, and AquaPlus—are a favorite among pool owners for their ability to turn regular salt into chlorine automatically. The heart of the system is the salt cell, which uses electrolysis to sanitize your pool. When the salt cell is working properly, you get consistent chlorine levels and sparkling water with less maintenance. But if the cell gets dirty, wears out, or the system detects a problem, chlorine production can slow or stop entirely.

This guide covers the most common Hayward salt cell issues, what the warning lights mean, and how to fix or prevent problems before they turn into costly repairs.

How a Hayward Salt Cell Works

Water from your pool flows through the salt cell, where a series of coated titanium plates receive a low electrical current from the control box. This current splits the salt (sodium chloride) into chlorine, which sanitizes your pool. The control box also monitors salt level, temperature, and water flow to decide when and how long to run the cell.

Common Hayward Salt Cell Problems and Fixes

1. “Inspect Cell” Light On

What it means: This light comes on every 500 operational hours as a reminder to check the cell for scale or debris.

Possible causes:

  • Normal service reminder
  • Calcium or mineral scale buildup on plates
  • Worn or failing cell

What to do:

  1. Turn off pump and power to the control box.
  2. Disconnect the cell unions and remove the cell.
  3. Look for white crusty deposits or debris between plates.
  4. Clean with a 4:1 water-to-muriatic-acid solution for a few minutes—never scrape plates.
  5. Rinse thoroughly, reinstall, and reset the light by holding the “Diagnostic” button for 5 seconds.
  6. If the light comes back on quickly after cleaning, test the cell’s output or have it inspected.

2. “Check Salt” or “Low Salt” Light On

What it means: The system senses that salt levels have dropped below the recommended range (2,700–3,400 ppm).

Possible causes:

  • Not enough salt in pool water
  • Inaccurate reading due to dirty cell or cold water
  • Sensor issue in control box

What to do:

  1. Test water salt level with a reliable meter—don’t rely solely on the control box reading.
  2. Add pool-grade salt if level is low, spreading it evenly in the deep end with the pump running.
  3. If water temperature is below 60°F, the system may under-read and reduce output until water warms.
  4. Clean the cell to remove scale that could interfere with readings.

3. “High Salt” Light On

What it means: Salt level above the maximum safe range (typically 4,000 ppm), which can damage the cell.

Possible causes:

  • Too much salt added to pool
  • Misreading from dirty or failing sensor

What to do:

  1. Confirm level with a manual salt test.
  2. If level is high, drain and replace part of the pool water to dilute.
  3. Clean the cell if dirty and recheck reading.

4. No Chlorine Production

Symptoms: Pool chlorine test shows zero despite system running.

Possible causes:

  • Cell output setting too low
  • End-of-life cell (most last 3–7 years)
  • Scale or debris buildup
  • Water chemistry issues—low stabilizer (CYA) or high chlorine demand

What to do:

  1. Raise the output percentage on the control box.
  2. Shock the pool with liquid chlorine to kill any algae consuming chlorine.
  3. Maintain stabilizer at 70–80 ppm for salt systems.
  4. Clean the cell and retest output—if still low, test cell amperage and voltage per Hayward’s specs to confirm life.

5. Incorrect Display Readings

Symptoms: Salt, temperature, or voltage readings seem off compared to manual tests.

Possible causes:

  • Dirty cell plates
  • Cold water affecting sensor accuracy
  • Failing control board or sensor

What to do:

  1. Clean the cell to ensure accurate readings.
  2. Compare readings to manual test kit results.
  3. If readings remain inaccurate after cleaning, the control box or sensor may need service.

6. Cell Not Recognized by Control Box

Symptoms: Display shows “No Cell” or fails to power cell.

Possible causes:

  • Loose or corroded cell cable connections
  • Wrong cell type selected in settings
  • Defective cell or control board

What to do:

  1. Check for secure cable connection and clean contacts.
  2. Verify correct cell type is selected in control box menu.
  3. If still unrecognized, test with a known working cell or contact Hayward support.

Preventative Maintenance for Longer Cell Life

  • Test salt, pH, chlorine, and stabilizer weekly.
  • Keep calcium hardness balanced to prevent scale.
  • Clean the cell 1–3 times per season, more in hard water areas.
  • Run pump long enough each day to meet chlorine demand.
  • Remove and store cell indoors if closing the pool for winter in freezing climates.

When to Call a Professional

  • Persistent warning lights after cleaning and chemical balancing
  • No chlorine production despite high output setting and balanced water
  • Electrical burning smell or visible corrosion inside control box
  • Control board errors that don’t clear with reset

Quick Recap

  • Inspect Cell Light: Clean and reset, replace if worn.
  • Low Salt: Test, add salt, clean cell.
  • High Salt: Dilute water, clean cell.
  • No Chlorine: Raise output, shock pool, check CYA.
  • Wrong Readings: Clean cell, compare manual tests.
  • No Cell: Check cables, settings, test with another cell.

A Hayward salt cell can deliver years of easy chlorine production if it’s kept clean and your water chemistry stays balanced. By following these troubleshooting steps, you can fix most common issues yourself and keep your pool crystal clear.

Leave a Comment