Winterizing Your Chlorine Generator

Your Chlorine Generator is a big investment. That's why you need to treat it with care, and properly winterize it. Doing this will prolong the life of the cell and give you many years of use. There are many Chlorine Generators on the market today. Consult your owners manual for exact instructions on how to care for and winterize your model. We will use the instructions for the Pentair IntelliChlor Generator.

Note: Before acid washing, remove the calcium buildup in cell: Use a garden hose on the jet setting and spray directly into both ends of the cell. Most of this calcium buildup has a slushy consistency and will be blown out of the cell. Once the majority of the calcium has been removed, continue with acid washing which will now be more effective since most of the calcium has been removed.

Use "Poolife Salt Cell Cleaner" to thoroughly clean the cell of your salt chlorine generator. Available at Chemex Pool and Spa Supplies.


1) Acid Wash Cleaning: If the Generator blades show a tendency to scale, it is recommended that every two (2) months the Generator be removed and inspected for scale formation and/or debris on the Generator blades. Some filters allow debris to pass through to the Generator, possibly lodging between the blades in the Generator. A small amount of scale formation is normal. If by looking through the Generator it is observed that there is excessive scale formation between the blades or debris is present, the Generator must be cleaned as follows:

a. Use a high-pressure jet of water from a garden hose. If the blades cannot be reasonably cleaned in this manner, acid cleaning is necessary.
b. To acid clean the Generator blades: Disconnect the AC power from the Power Center. Disconnect the Generator cell communication cable from the Power Center.
c. Mix one (1) quart of muriatic acid with one (1) gallon of tap water in a plastic bucket.
d. Screw the cap with washer and o-ring onto the threaded end of the IntelliChlor cell (the cap, o-ring and washer are provided with the cleaning kit). Place the Generator vertically in a five (5) gallon bucket. Pour the acid solution (as described in step c) into the Generator until the cell blades are just covered. Allow the acid solution to bubble, and to clean the blades. Note: The acid should only be contained inside the Generator covering the blades. Try not to spill the acid on the outside of the Generator. If acid does spill on the outside of the Generator, wash it off with water. A foaming action will begin, which is caused by scale (calcium carbonate) being dissolved from the blades. If rigorous foaming action does not begin, the blades do not need to be cleaned (STOP THE CLEANING PROCESS - go on to step “e). Otherwise, allow the blades to remain immersed in the solution until the foaming has stopped. However, do not leave acid in the Generator for more
than thirty (30) minutes. Excessive acid washing will damage the blades.
e. Remove the Generator from the bucket and place in an empty five (5) gallon bucket. Rinse the inside and outside of the Generator thoroughly with clean tap water and inspect. If deposits are still visible, repeat the acid cleaning process.
f. Rinse the Generator again with clean tap water and inspect.
g. Store the Generator in a clean location for the winter.

Remember to always clean the generator and keep you pool water balanced by bringing it to Chemex Pool and Spa Supplies.