error on EC series

A cracked or burst salt chlorinator cell housing is a problem that shocks many pool owners. The chlorinator appears to be running normally, but suddenly you hear a loud “pop,” followed by water leaking from the system. Many people assume the unit is low quality, but in most cases, the real cause is not the machine itself — it is when the salt chlorinator continues operating without actual water flow through the cell. Even when water is not flowing, salt water may still remain trapped inside the cell housing. If the chlorinator keeps producing chlorine from this trapped water, chlorine quickly turns into chlorine gas. The gas pressure builds up rapidly inside the housing, which can eventually crack or explode the clear plastic outer chamber. The most common situations include: (1) closing the inlet and outlet valves during pool vacuuming to prevent sediment from entering the cell, then forgetting to reopen them; and (2) running filter backwash in AUTO mode where the pump and chlorinator operate together, but the water flows directly to the waste line instead of passing through the cell. This issue is especially common in models that use electrode-type water sensing, which can be inaccurate when water is trapped but not flowing. The best solution is choosing a salt chlorinator with a real Flow Switch, such as the Laswim SR Series. A Flow Switch instantly stops operation when there is no real water flow, significantly reducing the risk of cracking, leakage, and costly repairs while extending the equipment lifespan.

A simple troubleshooting guide for checking an AstralPool Viron salt chlorinator when the system displays a NO FLOW warning.