Frustrated Newbie!

[mdlcal28]

Hi pool people. I have a 14000g 14'x28' Saltwater pool in Alabama.
Installed in July 2009. Jandy Aquapure 1400 SWG.
Have had no problems until 2 weeks ago.
Got a 170 code. Called pool installer. Came out, said it was a generic code. Replaced the Flow Sensor.
I think he must have accidently silenced the audible alarm.
Because this past Saturday I took my usual water sample in. Tech said there was no chlorine in pool.
Told her I had no codes (because I hadn't heard the audible alarm).
Came home, added Stabilizer and 2 bags of shock.
Sunday morning, AP said it was producing chlorine, strips said everything was ok.
Then I got 125 and 194 codes.....the tech had checked my salt cell the week before and said it was good and clean.
Today, they came out, checked the cell - one end looked good and clean, but when he took it out and looked at the other end he said he had never seen one "do this"....I wasn't here - my DH who is a stroke survivor was - and he didn't think to ask him "do this means?"

I am really frustrated that my pool is only 4 years old, and I am spending $800 this fast on replacement parts. I have been reading where people have had problems with Aquapure and I am just curious as to whether these are defective products? I know they only have a 3 year warranty, but come on!
Any help or guidance would be appreciated!

 

[Rossko]

170 code is "possible front board service condition or unit not correctly wired to 120 VAC". - sounds bad.
125 code says cell needs to be cleaned
194 code "Cell Current is 85% lower than desired and cell voltage above 19V (Generates 125 code – Cell dirty or needs replacement)"

Source: http://www.poolsupplyworld.com/blog/jan ... ror-codes/

I think you need to talk to the tech and find out what he had never seen these cells do before as those codes suggest something is wrong with your cell. I wonder if something bad happened to your plates since it checked out good just before you did all this; judging by the 170 code hope it wasn't an electrical event. When adding chemicals (salt or shocking) remember to turn cell off. Did you add anything straight to the strainer (salt, shock or stabilizer)?

These flow sensors have had alot of problems - the newer ones have the sensors embedded in a black colored base and the older ones had a white porcelain base. The newer ones also come with a little 1" by 1" circuit board that attaches to the 8 pin "back board" in your control center - SO far since I have the newer one all my problems have disappeared. I don't think the entire system is defective but there have been alot of "flow sensor" issues. I think this daughter board is Jandy's quick fix.

Can you look at the cell yourself and describe what you see? One thing I learned from my saga was service people don't seem to know much other than to look up the codes and tell you to clean cell, replace cell/sensor, or replace circuit boards - and yeah - all those are expensive.

For what it's worth - my audible alarm has never functioned. THe manual says you can silence audible alarm by press and hodling "salinity" button for 5 seconds. The audible alarm can be "permanently" disabled by removing the blue jumper from J10 on the control center front cover PCB.

 

[mdlcal28]

I added stabilizer to the skimmer directly. That's what they told me to do.

 

[Rossko]

Not saying that caused anything to happen - but I've always seen people saying just turn off the salt cell if you are doing that - the stabilizer should have hit your filter first, anyway and dissolved though it.

I've done this before too and had a hard time getting the cyanuric acid to dissolve - a trick I learned from this site seems to work well (for crystalized cyanuric acid) - pour the crystals in a sock or pantyhose leg and dangle it in the flow at the skimmer return - they dissolve out of the hose/sock before going to the pump - I can get about 2 cups to dissolve in 12 hours. Again, not sure this has anything to do with your cell.