Looking for advice - new salt system or replacement electrode

Hi all,
I just bought a house in November that had a pool. I am new to the pool world but learning tonnes.

I have a Zodiac Duoclear 60 salt system that seems to have died. I have all the symptoms of a dead electrode. Replacement of the electrode is $400 but i also have a small leak in the system that needs to be repaired. It looks like the previous homeowner tried to fix it but didn’t do a great job.

I am faced with a few options.
1) Replace the electrode and re-repair the base unit. The system has a nature2 cartridge. The dealer recommended this heavily but i see reviews on this forum are mixed.
2) Replace the salt system with another without Nature 2. There are some systems locally that i can pick up for 700.
3) replace the Duoclear with the latest model including the Nature2. My current cartridge can be used to finish out the season and the included one will get me through the next. 1260 was the quote for this unit.

Any advice would he greatly appreciated.

I have a 16x32 kidney pool
Approx 17000 gallons/65000 liters
Jandy cs250 cartridge filter
Jandy VS FloPro 1.65hp pump

The DuoClear system is a combo of a not particularly reliable salt water chlorine generator, with the Nature2 passive copper and silver ionizer. Neither are recommended, though some people have used them successfully.

The DuoClear units are popular with pool dealers because they lock you into purchasing high-margin proprietary Nature2 cartridges on a regular basis, assuring a long term profit stream.

We no longer recommend saltwater chlorination units for most people. IF you have a fully salt-compatible pool -- salt-rated heater, no metal coping, no aluminum ladder or rail anchors, no diving board OR stainless steel base and anchors, all stainless light fixture AND you travel or otherwise have to leave your pool untended for a week or more at a time, THEN a salt system may have value.

But typically:

• Salt system electrodes last 2 - 3 years max. Replacement runs 60+% of the cost of the entire unit.
• The salt water damages heaters, some natural stone, mesh in concrete fountains and the like, ladder, rail & diving board anchors, light fixture, etc.
• Salt system confuses users because they are not told they STILL have to do EVERYTHING except add daily chlorine. "Shocking" a pool with an SWCG wears them out FAST!
• Salt system operating and purchase cost EXCEEDS BBB method chemistry costs by a considerable margin.
• And so on. . . .

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