Saltwater Pool Repair in Broward County: Cell, Chlorinator, and System Issues
Saltwater pools in Broward County operate through electrolytic chlorination systems that generate chlorine on-site from dissolved sodium chloride — and when those systems fail, water chemistry collapses quickly in South Florida's year-round pool climate. This page covers the primary failure categories affecting salt chlorinator cells, control boards, flow sensors, and supporting plumbing, with reference to the qualification standards and regulatory structure that governs repair work in the county. It addresses how these systems function, the conditions that cause degradation, and the decision boundaries that separate routine maintenance from permitted electrical or structural work.
Definition and scope
A saltwater pool system is not a chlorine-free system — it is a salt-to-chlorine conversion system using electrolysis. The core component is the salt cell (also called the electrolytic cell or chlorinator cell), a chamber containing titanium plates coated with ruthenium or iridium oxide. As pool water flows across those plates and low-voltage DC current is applied, sodium hypochlorite (liquid chlorine equivalent) is produced in-line. The supporting system includes a control board, flow sensor, water temperature sensor, and plumbing unions that allow cell removal.
In Broward County, saltwater pool systems fall under the jurisdiction of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) for contractor licensing, and the Florida Building Code for any work that involves electrical modifications, equipment pad alterations, or bonding system changes. Pool electrical bonding — required under NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code) Article 680 — applies directly to saltwater systems because the cell and control transformer are part of the pool's low-voltage electrical circuit.
Scope of this page: Coverage applies to residential and commercial pool saltwater systems within Broward County, Florida, including the 31 municipalities that fall under Broward County jurisdiction. Work performed in Palm Beach County, Miami-Dade County, or Monroe County is not covered here. Regulations, permit thresholds, and inspection requirements differ by jurisdiction and are not interchangeable across county lines.
How it works
A functioning saltwater chlorination system operates through a continuous cycle:
- Salt dissolution — Sodium chloride (NaCl) is dissolved in pool water to a target concentration, typically 2,700–3,400 parts per million (ppm), as specified in most manufacturer documentation.
- Flow detection — A flow sensor confirms water is moving through the cell before the control board activates current. Activation without flow causes rapid cell failure.
- Electrolysis — DC current applied to titanium plates splits sodium chloride into sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen gas. The hypochlorite sanitizes the water; the hydrogen dissipates.
- pH management — The electrolysis process raises pH as a byproduct, requiring active carbonate alkalinity management and periodic acid additions to maintain the 7.4–7.6 pH range recommended by the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP).
- Feedback loop — Most modern control boards include ORP (oxidation-reduction potential) and salinity sensors that adjust output percentage automatically.
The control board governs output percentage (typically adjustable from 0–100%), tracks operating hours, and displays diagnostic codes when sensors read out of range. Cells carry a finite lifespan measured in operating hours — commonly cited in manufacturer documentation at 8,000 to 12,000 hours before plate degradation reduces output capacity below functional thresholds.
Common scenarios
Salt cell scaling and reduced output
Calcium carbonate deposits on cell plates are the most frequent failure presentation in Broward County, where source water hardness levels from municipal supplies (Broward uses primarily treated Biscayne Aquifer water) accelerate scale buildup. A cell showing 30–40% lower chlorine output than its rated capacity, with visible white deposits on plates, typically requires acid wash cleaning (a dilute muriatic acid soak) or replacement if plates show physical pitting or delamination.
Control board failure
Control boards fail from voltage transients, moisture intrusion at outdoor equipment pads, and age-related capacitor degradation. Symptoms include no display output, error codes that persist after sensor checks, or a board that powers on but does not activate the cell. Board replacement is an electrical component swap at the equipment pad — pool-equipment-pad-repair-browardcounty addresses equipment pad conditions that contribute to board degradation.
Flow sensor faults
A failed flow sensor causes the system to shut down chlorine production as a protective measure. This is commonly misread as a control board failure. The sensor is a low-cost component (typically a simple paddlewheel or magnetic reed switch) but requires correct plumbing orientation and flow rate to function. If the underlying cause is reduced pump output rather than a failed sensor, the diagnosis extends to pool-circulation-problems-browardcounty.
Salt level instability
Heavy rain events — a consistent factor in Broward County's June–November wet season — dilute pool water and drop salinity below the 2,700 ppm minimum, triggering low-salt alarms and reduced output. Conversely, water loss from evaporation followed by top-off without rain can push salinity above 4,000 ppm, which the control board will flag and which can accelerate corrosion on metal fixtures.
Bonding continuity failures
The equipotential bonding grid required under NEC Article 680 must connect the salt cell housing, pump motor, and all water features. A corroded or broken bonding conductor creates a stray-current environment that accelerates galvanic corrosion across the entire pool system and constitutes a shock hazard. This class of problem falls under permitted electrical work in Florida.
Decision boundaries
Maintenance vs. repair distinction:
Saltwater system work separates into two distinct regulatory categories under Florida Statute 489 (Florida Statutes Chapter 489, Part II):
| Work Type | License Required | Permit Required |
|---|---|---|
| Salt cell cleaning (acid wash) | CPC (Certified Pool Contractor) or Specialty Pool license | No |
| Salt cell replacement (same type) | CPC or Specialty Pool license | Generally no |
| Control board replacement | CPC or licensed electrical contractor | Varies by municipality |
| Bonding grid repair or modification | Licensed electrical contractor | Yes |
| Plumbing union and cell housing replacement | CPC | Generally no |
| Equipment pad electrical conduit work | Licensed electrical contractor | Yes |
The Florida DBPR Pool and Spa Licensing division distinguishes between a Pool Contractor (CPC) license and a Pool Servicing Contractor (PSC) license — a PSC license covers cleaning and minor equipment servicing but does not authorize structural or electrical modifications.
For work that involves licensed-pool-contractors-browardcounty, the contractor's license class determines the legal scope of work they can perform on a saltwater system. Homeowners verifying contractor credentials can search the DBPR license verification portal directly.
Permit requirements in Broward County are administered at the municipal level for incorporated cities (Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, and 28 additional municipalities) and at the county level for unincorporated areas through Broward County Development & Environmental Regulation Division (DERD). Equipment replacement that does not alter load calculations or bonding topology typically does not trigger a permit; any new circuit, transformer upgrade, or bonding modification does.
Cell replacement vs. system replacement:
A cell rated for a 20,000-gallon pool installed in a 35,000-gallon pool will chronically underperform regardless of its condition. Undersized systems are a structural mismatch problem, not a repair problem. If the existing equipment pad lacks adequate space, conduit capacity, or bonding connections for a correctly sized replacement cell and transformer, a full system evaluation — rather than a cell swap — reflects the actual scope of work required.
References
- Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) — Pool and Spa Contractor Licensing
- Florida Statutes Chapter 489, Part II — Pool and Spa Contractors
- Florida Building Code — Online Edition
- NFPA 70 — National Electrical Code, Article 680 (Swimming Pools, Fountains, and Similar Installations)
- Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) — formerly APSP, industry standards body
- Broward County Development & Environmental Regulation Division (DERD) — Permitting