Salt Pool Maintenance Must-Do
For salt pool owners, scale build-up is one of the most common challenges. This is because scale typically forms in hard-to-see places first, including the cell plates. The plates inside the electrolytic chlorine generator (ECG), use electricity and dissolved salt (sodium chloride) to produce chlorine for the pool. If left undetected, the scale build-up will lower the effectiveness and shorten the lifespan of the cell.
What causes scale build up in a salt cell?
The salt cell’s ECG can offer an ideal breeding ground for two reasons – heat and high pH production.
- Heat – The warmer the water, the more calcium tends to drop out of pool chemical solutions and mineralize into a deposit. Calcium often forms around pool heaters because of the hotter temperatures.
- High pH – pH is a by=product of the generator converting salt into chlorine (NaOH). If the pH level is not maintained, scaling may develop around the pool surface and equipment.
How to prevent scale build-up?
There are many scale control solutions that you can add directly to circulating water. Depending on the product, you should add such a solution into the water every month. You can also work to keep your water pH balanced and clean build-up as and when it happens.
How to clean the salt cell and remove scale build-up?
To clean the salt cell and remove scale build-up, you will first need to get muriatic acid, a plastic bucket or salt cell stand, and a garden hose.
- Turn off the filtration system
- Carefully remove the salt cell from the union connections
- Rinse the cell plates with a garden hose
- If the stubborn build-up is still present, use a mild acid wash. Put on rubber gloves before mixing a 4:1 solution of water and muriatic acid in a bucket. Always add acid to the water, not the other way around.
- Connect the salt cell to the cell stand and pour the muriatic acid solution into the unit. Let it soak for 15-20 minutes. Make sure you do not cover the cell electrical connections.
- After the soak, rinse the cell again with a garden hose.
- The acid mixture should be stored for later use or disposed of in a safe manner.
- Reinstall the cell.
Talk to your pool cleaning specialist for assistance in removing scale build-up! At Sparkling Clear Pool Service, we understand what it takes to keep a pool clean, sanitary, and well-maintained. Be sure to contact us at 214-361-0255 for all of your pool maintenance needs in McKinney, Allen, Frisco, and beyond!
