Jandy AquaPure Salt Cell Not Producing Chlorine
- Scaled cell plates
- Cell near end of life
- Flow switch not sensing water
Problem Description
The Jandy AquaPure salt chlorine generator is running but pool chlorine levels remain low or zero. The AquaPure control panel may show low salt, check cell, or service warnings. Salt cells produce chlorine through electrolysis — passing electric current through salt water across titanium plates coated with ruthenium oxide. When the plates scale up with calcium or the coating wears out, chlorine production drops.
Why This Happens in Real Homes
A Jandy AquaPure that stops making chlorine is usually a scaled cell, a flow switch not sensing water, low salt, or a cell at end of life. In real pools calcium scale on the plates and short pump runtime are the common culprits.
Acid-wash a scaled cell, confirm the flow switch, and raise output or runtime before replacing the cell.
Symptoms
- No chlorine produced
- Low salt reading on the AquaPure
- Cell not generating
- Chlorine drops despite running
- Scaled cell plates
- Service or check warnings
- Water cloudy or algae forming
- Output high but chlorine low
Recognize these? Here's what usually causes it.
Common Causes
- Scaled cell plates
- Cell near end of life
- Flow switch not sensing water
- Output percentage or runtime too low
- Salt level too low
- No water flow through the cell
- Aged cell
- Cold water
Most fixes happen in the first 3 steps.
Step-by-Step Solution
Check the salt level reading on the AquaPure display
Press the Diagnostic button on the AquaPure control panel. The display cycles through readings: salt level (in ppm), cell voltage, cell current, and water temperature. The AquaPure requires 3000-3500 ppm salt. If the display shows below 2700 ppm, add pool salt. Calculate the amount needed: for a 15,000-gallon pool, each 40-pound bag of pool salt raises the level by about 300 ppm. Dissolve salt by spreading it across the deep end with the pump running — it takes 24 hours to fully dissolve and circulate. Recheck the reading the next day.
Verify chlorine production is actually happening
Remove the AquaPure cell from the plumbing (unscrew the union fittings on each end). Look through the cell while it is disconnected — the titanium plates inside should be visible. Reconnect the cell and turn on the pump and AquaPure. Hold a test strip or small container under the cell return port for 30 seconds and test the water coming directly from the cell. If the water coming out of the cell shows chlorine, the cell is producing but the pool is consuming chlorine faster than the cell generates it (high bather load, algae, or high UV). If no chlorine at the cell outlet, the cell plates are scaled or depleted.
Inspect and acid wash the cell plates
Disconnect the cell. Look inside — the titanium plates should be clean and slightly shiny. White or gray calcium scale on the plates blocks electrolysis and kills chlorine production. To clean, mix a 4:1 solution of water to muriatic acid in a plastic bucket (always add acid to water, never water to acid). Stand the cell vertically and pour the solution in until the plates are submerged. Let it soak for 5-10 minutes — you will see bubbling as the acid dissolves the calcium. Rinse thoroughly with a garden hose. Do not scrape the plates with metal tools — the ruthenium oxide coating is fragile.
Check cell life and plate coating condition
AquaPure cells last approximately 10,000 hours (3-5 years of normal use). After acid washing, if the plates look dark gray or black with no visible coating, the ruthenium oxide has worn off and the cell is at end of life — no amount of cleaning will restore production. Press Diagnostic on the control panel and check the cell current reading while the pump runs. A healthy cell draws 5-7 amps. If current is below 2 amps with a clean cell and correct salt level, the cell is depleted and needs replacement.
Verify the flow switch is working
The AquaPure has an internal flow switch that prevents the cell from operating without water flow. With the pump running, check the flow switch by pressing Diagnostic — if the display shows 'No Flow' while the pump is clearly running, the flow switch is stuck. The flow switch is inside the cell housing. Remove the cell and look for the small paddle or magnetic float inside the union adapter. Clean any debris around it and ensure it moves freely. If it is stuck, replace the flow switch assembly.
Increase the output percentage or pump runtime
If the cell is clean, salt is correct, and chlorine is being produced but the pool still tests low, the cell output or pump runtime may be too low for your pool's demand. On the AquaPure control panel, increase the output percentage in 10% increments. Also increase pump runtime — the cell only produces chlorine while the pump runs. During summer with heavy bather loads, you may need 80-100% output with 10-12 hours of pump runtime. In winter, 40-60% with 6-8 hours is typical.
Quick Solutions
Still having issues? This is usually the deeper cause below.
If this comes back after following these steps, check whether a recent app or firmware update reset a default setting — the fix works, but the setting gets reverted silently.
The Jandy AquaPure installation and operation manual is at https://www.jandy.com/en/support/manuals — search for AquaPure or your model number. Always add acid to water when mixing cleaning solution, never water to acid. The AquaPure Ei model has a self-cleaning reverse polarity cycle that reduces scale buildup — if your Ei is not self-cleaning, check that the reverse polarity setting is enabled in the configuration menu. Cell replacement part numbers: PLC700 for the 700, PLC1400 for the 1400.
This issue almost always looks more complex than it is — the majority of cases trace back to a single setting, a stale credential, or a default that shipped wrong.
- Scaled cell plates
- Cell near end of life
- Flow switch not sensing water
- Output percentage or runtime too low
- Salt level too low
Before you go — try one of these (they fix most cases).
Official Manufacturer Manual
Jandy provides official product documentation through their online manual rather than downloadable PDF. Access setup guides, troubleshooting steps, and product specifications for your Jandy AquaPure Salt Chlorine Generator.
Source: jandy.com
Need More Help? Jandy Support
Note: The contact information below connects you directly to Jandy's official customer support team, not Trunetto. They can help with warranty claims, device replacements, and advanced technical issues.