Wrong salt reading on a Hayward salt system: cell or board? (Check Salt, Inspect Cell)

When the salt shown is far from the real level, about 95% of the time the cell is at the end of its life. Do these checks in order: they take about fifteen minutes and can save you a needless repair.

Applies to: Aqua Rite / AquaRite, Aqua Trol / AquaTrol, Swim Pure, Aqua Nature and the Jacuzzi, Carvin and SaniClear copies. For the Pro Logic, Aqua Logic, Aqua Rite PRO and Omni, see below.

Why the salt shown can be wrong

The system has no salt sensor. It calculates the salt from the cell: voltage, current and temperature. A cell at the end of its life has worn plates and no longer lets the same current through, so the system thinks salt is missing. The machine isn’t lying: it measures what the cell gives it.

1. Have your water tested at a pool store

Without a real water test from a pool store, there is nothing to compare. If the result surprises you, or if the gap is large with a recent cell, have the water tested at a second store: we have seen store tests off by 1000 ppm.

System	Operating range	Target when adding salt
Regular	2700 to 3500 ppm	3200 ppm
Low salt	1200 to 3500 ppm	1700 ppm

• Outside the range, the system doesn’t work: fix the salt first.
• A gap of a few hundred ppm (up to 500) between the store and the system is normal.
• To add salt: system on OFF (or 0%), pump running, salt spread in the pool (not in the skimmer), then wait 24 hours.
• Too much salt: the only fix is to replace part of the water.

2. Check that the system is set for your cell

The model is on the cell sticker (T-CELL-3, 5, 9 or 15). If the system is set for another cell, it always shows a wrong salt level. With no readable sticker, assume a T-5.

System	Cells accepted	How to check
Aqua Trol (above-ground)	T-5 only	Another cell requires a board swap
Aqua Rite r1.50 to r1.62	All	8th Diagnostic value (t-15, t-5…). While t- is shown, slide AUTO → SUPER CHLORINATE → AUTO until it matches
Low-salt Aqua Rite (1.60 to 1.62)	T-9 or T-15	t- value or jumper
Aqua Rite r1.10 and r1.11	T-15 only	–
Older Aqua Rite, Jacuzzi, Carvin, SaniClear	T-5, and T-15 if the board has the J4 pins	Power off, under the display: J4 jumper in place = T-15, removed = T-5

If your board doesn’t support the cell you bought, nothing else will fix it: we can swap the board for a compatible version.

3. Do the instant salt test (twice)

Read all the steps before you start, and be quick: as soon as a red light turns on, the system stops producing and you have to start over.

1. Pump running, No Flow light off (if it flashes, wait until it turns off).
2. Slide the switch to OFF, wait a few seconds, back to AUTO, then wait 5 seconds.
3. Quickly press Diagnostic 5 times, writing down each value. The 5^th starts with a minus sign (for example, -3200).
4. The instant salt starts higher, drops, then settles within a few seconds: write down the stable number. If it’s -0, start again at step 2.

4. Read the result

• Instant salt close to the store test: the cell and the board measure correctly. The average shown is just lagging: reset it (step 5).
• Close, but under the minimum: add a little salt.
• Still far from the store test: it’s almost always the cell. To be sure, send us a photo of both sides of the main board (the one with all the wires), power off at the breaker. If we see a problem on the board, we’ll send you a quote.

5. Reset the salt average

1. Pump running, slide the switch to OFF, wait 5 seconds, back to AUTO.
2. Right away, press Diagnostic 5 times until the instant salt (with the minus sign). Wait until it’s stable.
3. While this number is shown, slide the switch to SUPER CHLORINATE and right back to AUTO: the average takes the instant value.
4. When the display goes back to its normal message, check the salt shown. If it didn’t work, do it again, faster.

Watch the average reset video (Facebook).

“But my cell is new!”

• A cell lasts about 10,000 hours of operation. Don’t go by the purchase date: check the serial number on the sticker. On an original Hayward cell, it starts with 1E or 3E followed by the year (3E21 = 2021). It’s often older than you think.
• The percentage dial, in the middle, controls the life of your cell… and of your liner. Most people set it far too high: the liner fades and the cell doesn’t last.
• Generic cells vary a lot in lifespan from one supplier to another, and their temperature sensor fails more often.
• A worn cell still makes bubbles, just fewer than when new, and that’s very hard to see. You can’t judge a cell by putting it in a bucket of water.

How much chlorine does your setting make? Try our chlorine production calculator.

Check the cell connector too

The cell connector on the board must be in perfect condition. If you see corrosion or signs of overheating, contact us.

Pro Logic, Aqua Logic, Aqua Rite PRO, OmniLogic and OmniPL

On these systems, first check the cell type in the configuration menu. If it’s right, the salt reading can sometimes be wrong because of the board: the simple way to find out is to send us a photo of both sides of the main board and photos of the diagnostic values.

Cell at the end of its life?

We don’t test, repair or sell cells. For a worn cell, contact Pool Cell Repair (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec): they replace the plates for a fraction of the price of a new cell.

See also

• No lights on, but the display works
• Nothing lights up (no display, no lights)
• “PCB” shown on the display
• “No Cell Power” shown
• “COMMUNICATION ERROR” shown
• All frequent issues
• The online troubleshooting guide