Systems and methods for controlling chlorinators

A method for controlling a chlorinator, comprising the steps of:

• establishing a communications link between a chlorinator and a controller, the chlorinator including a body and a replaceable chlorinator cartridge removably positionable within said body, said chlorinator cartridge including a cartridge body, a cartridge cap having a connector, a plurality of electrolytic plates within the cartridge body, a memory, and a processor in electrical communication with the plurality of plates and the memory of the cartridge, wherein said cartridge houses said memory, said processor, and said plates;
• wherein said cartridge, said memory, said processor and said plates form a single unit removable from the chlorinator;
• retrieving an authentication key from the memory of the chlorinator cartridge removably positioned within said chlorinator;
• transmitting the authentication key from said chlorinator to said controller;
• processing the authentication key at the controller to determine whether the chlorinator cartridge is authenticated;
• and
• operating the chlorinator using the controller if the cartridge is authenticated by the controller.

A chlorinator comprising:

• a chlorinator body including a first flow port and a second flow port on opposite sides of the chlorinator body and being coaxially aligned such that the first flow port and the second flow port share a first axis extending through centers of the first flow port and the second flow port;
• and
• a replaceable chlorinator cartridge removably positionable within said chlorinator body along a second axis transverse to the first axis,
• said chlorinator cartridge including a plurality of electrolytic plates and at least one circuit element in electrical communication with said plurality of plates,
• said replaceable cartridge housing said plurality of plates and said at least one circuit element,
• said cartridge, said plurality of plates and said at least one circuit element forming a single unit removable from said chlorinator body, and
• said plurality of plates of said chlorinator cartridge positioned along said first axis such that water flows along said first axis extending through said first flow port, through said plurality of plates housed in said chlorinator cartridge, and out of the second flow port.