How to Install a Salt Cell
A salt cell goes in the return line as the last piece of equipment, after the pump, filter and any heater or solar, so only filtered water reaches the plates. To install a salt cell, you cut it and its flow switch into that last run of pipe, tighten the unions by hand and mount the control box 5 to 10 ft from the pool, depending on the brand. An electrician connects the power and the 8 AWG bonding wire, and you balance the water and add salt before switching it on.
Where the salt cell goes
Last, on the way back to the pool. Hayward’s Aqua Rite manual puts it simply: “The preferred installation is after (downstream) all the pool equipment (filter, heater, solar, etc.)”, and Pentair’s IntelliChlor guide says “Always install the SCG AFTER the filter and heater”, at least 3 ft from the heater outlet.
On Hayward and Jandy systems the flow switch for a salt cell is a separate part in the same run, and Jandy allows “no valves or diverters between the Flow/Temp/Salinity Sensor and Cell”. Still choosing equipment? Salt water pool systems covers sizing and what comes with each setup.
Installation steps
Seven steps. Where your manual’s measurements differ, follow the manual.
- Shut off the breaker. Hayward: "Power must be shut off at the circuit breaker before performing any wiring."
- Measure the gap. Pick straight return pipe after the last piece of equipment. Jandy's AquaPure needs a section approximately 21 inches (533 mm) long; measure yours with its unions on.
- Fit the flow switch. Point the arrow on top of the gray hex with the water flow and leave at least 12 in of straight pipe before it (Hayward).
- Set the cell with its o-rings. Each union has one; Pentair's guide says to "Ensure the O-rings are seated properly."
- Tighten the unions by hand. Hayward: "Tighten unions BY HAND for a watertight seal." Jandy: "Hand Tighten Only." The plug-in Hayward Salt & Swim 3C is the exception: hand tight, then a 1/4 turn with the included strap wrench.
- Mount the control box. At the distance your manual sets (next section).
- Have it wired and bonded. A licensed electrician connects the supply and the 8 AWG bonding wire.
Control box distance and power
The control box mounts 5 to 10 ft from the pool edge depending on the manual, or farther if local code requires it.
The cell cord sets the maximum: Pentair’s 15 ft DC power cord has to reach it. Hayward’s Salt & Swim 3C needs all four sides clear because the enclosure also acts as a heat sink, and as a plug-in unit it must sit within 3 ft of a GFCI outlet.
Hard-wired units need their own protection: Pentair specifies a “Two-pole 20 AMP device at the electrical panel.” On a timer, Hayward wires the Aqua Rite to the load side of the pump timer, because “It is very important that the Aqua Rite is powered only when the pump is running.”
Bonding and wiring
The chlorinator’s bonding lug connects to the pool bonding grid with 8 AWG solid copper. The 2020 NEC (NFPA 70), section 680.26(B), requires bonded parts be joined with “solid copper conductors, insulated covered, or bare, not smaller than 8 AWG”, and Hayward’s manual says the unit “must be bonded with an 8 AWG copper wire (6 AWG Canada) to the pool bonding system.”
Hire the electrician for this part. The breaker, GFCI protection and bonding connection are covered by the NEC and inspected locally, and a mistake here is a shock risk in the water, not a leak.
Start-up order
Balance the water first, add salt second, and switch the cell on last. Hayward: “The pool’s chemistry must be balanced BEFORE activating the Aqua Rite®.” Its targets are below; balancing is covered on salt water pool chemicals.
Salt
2,700 to 3,400 ppm
3,200 ppm is Hayward's optimum.
pH
7.2 to 7.8
Hayward's maintenance range.
Alkalinity
80 to 120 ppm
Calcium 200 to 400 ppm.
Stabilizer
60 to 80 ppm
Free chlorine 1.0 to 3.0 ppm.
Add salt to the pool with the pump running, then run it 24 hours with the suction from the main drain, as Hayward says. On new plaster, Hayward says to wait 10 to 14 days before adding salt.
Salt (lb) = gallons × ppm rise ÷ 120,000
Example. A new 15,000 gallon fill with almost no salt, raised to 3,200 ppm, needs 15,000 × 3,200 ÷ 120,000 = 400 lb. Use the pool salt calculator for your numbers, pool volume for your gallons and salt levels for testing.
Replacing an old salt cell
A replacement goes in the old cell’s spot: take the old one out, then repeat the steps above.
- Confirm it is worn, not dirty. Salt cell replacement covers the tests, and how to clean a salt cell covers the fix if it is only scaled.
- Remove the old cell. See removing the old salt cell.
- Fit and start the new one. Steps 4 to 7 above, then the start-up order.
See also: salt cell for pool, how long a salt cell lasts, how to winterize a salt water pool and the salt cell hub.
Frequently asked questions
Can a salt cell go before the heater?
No. Hayward, Pentair and Jandy all put the cell after the heater, and Pentair asks for at least 3 ft between the heater outlet and its IntelliChlor cell.
Can I install a salt cell myself?
The plumbing, yes. Leave the supply circuit and bonding to a licensed electrician, since both fall under NEC inspection.
Should I use a wrench on the unions?
Not on a Hayward Aqua Rite or Jandy AquaPure: both say hand tight only. Hayward’s Salt & Swim 3C adds a 1/4 turn with its strap wrench.
Why is my new salt cell not making chlorine in spring?
Cold water. The Aqua Rite stops below 50°F, Jandy’s AquaPure below 51°F and Pentair’s IntelliChlor below about 52°F. Output falls off well before that line; the salt cell cold water cutoff guide explains why.
How soon can I turn the salt cell on after adding salt?
After balancing and a 24 hour circulation. The salt display can take 24 hours to respond on the Aqua Rite.
Last updated