Aquarite malfunctioning... it's good that it's winter :)

[Username]

I noticed my mom's pool lady putting a chlorine tablet into her salt pool. When I asked why the pool lady said, "Oh, yeah, it hasn't been generating chlorine for months," not that she bothered to tell mom. My mom is broke (yet somehow not broke enough to take care of her own pool) and I offered to attempt to fix it before she has to call someone.

So, I'm trying to diagnose the problem myself. The only LED that is ever on now is the one for Power, no others are on or flash even at power-up. This is what I get from diagnostics:

without pushing the diagnostic button: 9900
1 push: 64
2 pushes: 32.5
3 pushes: 0.00
4 pushes: 100P
5 pushes: 0
6 pushes: AL-5
7 pushes: r 1.40

There is no unit remotely controlling the chlorinator so that 6th push should read AL-0. I have tried to change this (when "AL-5" is displayed switch from auto to super repeatedly until it reads correctly) but it won't budge. I think that's too simple though, as the unit used to work like a champ.

Please respond with any ideas on how to fix this problem.

Thanks in advance,
-H

 

[Bama Rambler]

Hopefully one of the Aquarite folks will see this and help.
Lets start with a couple of questions.
Which model unit is it?
How old is the unit?
Has the cell been cleaned lately?
Does the cell have any buildup on the blades?

Yeah, I know that was more than a couple but what's a guy to do? Once I start typing I think of more!

 

[Username]

It is the Aqua Rite Electronic Chlorine Generator (XL - not that it matters with r1.40 board.
6+ years old
Cell is only about 1 yr old
I inspected it a few days ago and it is clean as a whistle

I noticed today that, upon start-up, before the Power LED comes on the Check Cell flashes once.

I have already replaced the transistor/varistor/thingy (that everyone sites as the problem when the Power LED is off) twice because I was unsure that I got a good solder joint the first time. There was some discoloring around that component, I am now 100% sure it's correctly soldered now - did not fix the problem.

I have checked:
20-24 VAC between yellow wires, 1 on rectifier, 1 on board - good
18-33 VDC between black & red on board - good
Check transformer: measured resistance between blue & white wires and violet & gray wires they were between 2.0-2.9 Ohms which is supposed to mean that the transformer is good

WTF, over?

Thanks in advance.

Your pal,
-H