How to clean In.Clear salt system for hot tub
Those informations comes directly from the manufacturer Gecko. They suggest to clean the salt system cell at least once a year. A good time to clean it is when we close the spa or just before the winter time.
The In.clear™ includes a self-cleaning feature to prevent scale deposits on the graphite electrodes of the in.clear™ system. However, deposits may still form due to unbalanced water conditions. If that happens the cell should be cleaned in an acidic solution.
To clean the in.clear™ cell, follow these steps:
All power must be disconnected before any service procedure is performed. Disconnect the communication cable and power cable of the in.clear™ unit. Wear eye protection and rubber gloves during these operations. Splashing or spilling acid can cause severe personal injuries and/or property damage. Always work in a well-ventilated area. Always add acid to the water, never add water to the acid. Do not pour acid outside of the unit where the connectors are located. Never use Acetic acid to clean the cell, as this will cause permanent damage to cell components and void the warranty.
• To remove scales from the cell, we recommend to use Phosphoric acid (non-diluted) as the preferred cleaning product. Muriatic acid can be used as a second choice.
• If you use Muriatic acid, mix 900mL (1 quart) of muriatic acid with 3,78 liters (1 U.S. gallon) of tap water.
• Close the spa Flow Shut Off Valves. Unscrew both unions from the unit and remove the cell from the spa equipment compartment.
• Install the rubber washer and the plastic nut on the threaded end of the cell. Tighten plastic nut firmly.
• Place the cell vertically with the cap end down into a plastic 19 liters (5 U.S. gallon) bucket and carefully pour the acid solution into the cell until the 4 plates are covered (careful not to overflow). The acid solution will begin to produce bubbles to clean the electrodes. A foaming action will follow, which is caused by the scale deposits being dissolved from the plates. If rigorous foaming action does not begin, the cell does not need to be cleaned. Rinse and reinstall the cell.
• Allow the electrodes to remain in the solution until the foaming has stopped. However, DO NOT leave in acid for more than fifteen minutes. Excessive acid cleaning will damage the electrolytic cell.
• Pour the acid solution back into the bucket and rinse the cell thoroughly with clean tap water. If deposits are still visible, repeat operation for fifteen minutes maximum (some acid may need to be added to the solution).
• Remove the plastic nut and washer from the cell and keep them for future cell cleaning.
• Rinse the in.clear™ with fresh water.
• Re-install the in.clear™ unit into spa system plumbing, tighten all connections by hand. Open the spa flow Shut Off Valves.
• Reconnect the communication cable and power cable to the in.clear™ unit.
• Turn power on and start up the pump. Check the keypad to see thatthe bromine generation LED is on and resume normal operation