Hayward Aqua Rite Not Generating Chlorine: System On But No Output

What "Not Generating" Actually Means

When the Aqua Rite panel shows normal operation—Power LED on, no fault lights, pump running—but your water tests show zero or very low free chlorine, the system is either not producing chlorine at all, or it is producing chlorine that is immediately consumed or destroyed before you can measure it.

The most overlooked culprit: missing or low cyanuric acid (CYA, also called stabilizer or conditioner). Outdoor pools need 30-50 ppm CYA to shield chlorine from sunlight. Without it, chlorine generated by the cell can burn off in hours, making it appear the system is not working.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

Owner-Level Checks

Test cyanuric acid (stabilizer) level

• Use a CYA test kit (not test strips; a turbidity tube test is most accurate).
• Target range for salt pools: 30-50 ppm. Lower than 20 ppm and chlorine loss will be severe.
• If CYA is low or zero, add stabilizer (cyanuric acid) according to pool volume and retest after 24 hours of circulation.
• Recheck free chlorine after stabilizer has been added; you should see it hold steady instead of vanishing.

Check pH and total alkalinity

• High pH (above 7.8) reduces chlorine effectiveness and can also interfere with salt reading accuracy.
• Bring pH down to 7.4-7.6 using muriatic acid or dry acid.
• Retest free chlorine after correcting pH.

Verify salt level is correct

• Use an independent salt test to confirm 2700-3400 ppm.
• Low salt reduces output; very low salt stops generation entirely and triggers a "Check Salt" warning.

Check the chlorine output setting

• Make sure the dial or digital output setting is not at zero or very low.
• Default is usually 50%; try increasing to 70-80% and monitor over 24 hours.

Rule out heavy chlorine demand

• Algae blooms, heavy bather load, or organic contamination can consume chlorine faster than the system generates it.
• Manually shock the pool with liquid or granular chlorine to clear the demand, then see if the Aqua Rite can maintain residual after that.

Tech-Level Checks

Verify the system is actually generating

• Use the diagnostic button to scroll to "Instant Salinity" and "% of Life Remaining" on the cell.
• Check for voltage output across the cell terminals with a multimeter while the pump is running and flow is confirmed.
• A working system should show low-voltage DC power (around 8-30 V depending on model and output setting) flowing to the cell.
• No voltage at the cell means the control board is not sending power; suspect board or cell cable issues.

Inspect and clean the cell

• Remove the cell and inspect plates for heavy scale, erosion, or damage.
• Clean if needed using the procedure in the "Inspect Cell" guide.
• A heavily scaled cell can pass current but produce very little usable chlorine.

Check water temperature

• Use the diagnostic scroll to see current water temperature reading.
• If the pool is below 60°F, many Aqua Rite models reduce output or shut down completely to protect the cell.
• Wait for warmer weather or consider a pool heater if you need year-round chlorination.

Test cell polarity reversal

• The Aqua Rite reverses cell polarity every few hours to self-clean. Listen or watch for a brief pause and click.
• If polarity reversal is not working, scale builds up faster and efficiency drops; suspect control board issues.

Common Parts That Fix This Problem

Cyanuric Acid (Stabilizer)

Not a hardware part, but the most common fix. Add granular or liquid stabilizer to bring CYA up to 30-50 ppm.

Replacement Turbo Cell

If the cell is heavily scaled, old (3+ years of heavy use), or shows eroded plates, replacement restores full output.

Control PCB

If the board is not sending power to the cell despite normal display and no fault lights, PCB replacement may be needed.

Model-Specific Notes

• Aqua Rite output is proportional to run time and salt level. If you only run the pump 4 hours a day, the system may not generate enough chlorine even at 100% output.
• T-CELL-3 is sized for small pools; using it on a larger pool means inadequate chlorine production. Match cell type to pool volume.

How To Prevent "Not Generating" Problems

• Maintain stabilizer at 30-50 ppm year-round and retest monthly.
• Keep pH in range (7.4-7.6) to maximize chlorine effectiveness and protect the cell.
• Run the pump long enough each day to allow the chlorinator to produce sufficient chlorine (typically 8-12 hours in peak season).
• Inspect and clean the cell every 3-6 months or when the "Inspect Cell" light comes on.
• Test free chlorine regularly and adjust output setting as needed; do not assume one setting works year-round.

← Back to Hayward Aqua Rite Troubleshooting Guide