Pool Pilot Digital calibration?

[gwar9999]

I recently replaced my Pool Pilot Digital cell (due to low amps). I cleaned the tri-sensors when I cleaned the old cell (before determining it needed replacement) and i've repeatedly tested the salt levels manually (which is just shy of 3000 ppm). The Pool Pilot continuously says that the salt is between 4500 - 5500 ppm and then says to add 150+ pounds of salt! Why would it demand more salt if it thinks there is an excessive amount?

First off, how can I calibrate the PPD reliably? I've gone into the maintenance menu and set it to reflect the test strip level, it does its thing and says it calibrated to that level.... then within an hour it claims the salt is much higher than the calibrated level.

Secondly, why does is claim it needs 150+ pounds of more salt? It's a 13k gallon pool at the salt levels yesterday was 2800 ppm (I added additional salt, but not 100 pounds because I know that is way too much). To raise from 2800 ppm to 3000 ppm I suspect 40 pounds would be more than enough, if not too much.

Currently, the red light is in a blinking state telling me to add more salt.

Thanks for any ideas.

 

[Poolsean]

Do you have it wired for 110 volts or 220 volts? If 110 volts, did you make the changes within the DIG to 110 volts also? Instructions and additional jumper are included in the installation kit.
If it's still factory wired for 220 volts and you are powering it with 110 volts, then the displays will be wrong.

 

[JasonLion]

That could also be a symptom of an intermittent connection on the trisensor cable. You might have bumped that connection when replacing the cell. I recommend checking the trisensor cable to make sure all connectors are firmly seated and there aren't any nicks or cuts in the cable.

 

[gwar9999]

Thanks for the replies guys. I was away for a bit and didn't immediately notice the replies. I'm certain the unit is wired correctly since it was installed many years ago and it's been running fine for the most part. It usually gets a bit strange when it needs a new cell but once the cell is replaced it starts to act normally.

That said... after a couple of weeks with the new cell it seems to be behaving a bit better. It's not demanding salt but the sensor still seems off. I've calibrated it a bunch of times but it's skewing higher than reality. I've used a complete set of salt test strips (10 pack) and slowly increased the salt levels from 2700 to 3200 but the Pool Pilot still likes to think the pool has 4500+. At the moment, it's not a major problem since it can produce chlorine and doesn't whine to me about low salt.

The tri sensor appears to be connected fine and the other data (ie. temperature) appears accurate.

I am still curious as to how the system knows it needs more salt (since at the time it was 2700 - 2900) if the tri sensor is saying there is an excessive amount? Does the tri sensor result not matter at all?

 

[gwar9999]

It's still behaving oddly. When the water isn't flowing (ie. pump turned off) it flashes the red light saying I need to add anywhere from 160 pounds of salt to over 300 pounds! However, when I start the pump the light turns off and running the Pool Pilot test it shows over 4000 ppm of salt. When the pump is off, why does that tri-sensor communicate such a disparate value compared to when the pump is running?

 

[Poolsean]

Do you have the unit wired for 110 volts or 220 volts? If it's 220 volts, it may be possible for one of the two breakers to be faulty.
Place the unit in Boost, let it run a minute, then run the TEST POOL PILOT, and report the readings.