CPSC48 meltdown

[x2rider]

Came home tonight and something smelled something like isopropyl alcohol to burning electronics. Saw some water dripping off of the electrical wire going to my cell... And behold.

[attachment=2:32ppjmbk]ImageUploadedByTapatalk1372036445.559812.jpg[/attachment:32ppjmbk][attachment=1:32ppjmbk]ImageUploadedByTapatalk1372036454.103851.jpg[/attachment:32ppjmbk][attachment=0:32ppjmbk]ImageUploadedByTapatalk1372036465.490111.jpg[/attachment:32ppjmbk]

 

[zea3]

Well, that's not good! I wish I could tell you what happened, from your signature its not that old.

 

[x2rider]

Salt is above 3000 minimum, power was only at 50%

 

[Bama Rambler]

Have you contacted Compupool yet?

 

[x2rider]

I'll contact them first thing in the morning. I hope this is just a freak thing as a friend of mine, and my sister have installed this same unit on their pools. We've had enough bad luck this year, didn't need this on top of everything else, good thing we were not out of town this weekend or we might not have had a house to come back to.

I guess it's back to bleach bottles for a while. I turned the unit off, but the cell is leaking a little so hopefully we can get a new one in soon.

 

[x2rider]

I called compupool first thing this morning and he emailed me the warranty forms immediately so I filled them in and sent it right back, so we will see how this goes!

 

[blakeusa]

I had the same thing happen and they were little or no help.

 

[blakeusa]

It happened TWICE, the second time it melted the cell at my friends pool I take care of. All was installed properly and the cords were nicely secured and not loose.



The first time I purchased a new cord from them for like $70 the second time it melted the cell.



I wrote, called, wrote and sent pictures and the best I got back was.... your warranty says you can get 30% off on a new system
SO I switched to Pentair IC40 as the cell and cord are integrated and not flimsy like these cells. At a mimimum they should have a twist lock.

I also told them how dangerous this was to have a HOT cord laying near a wet pool deck... Not a fan by any means.

 

[x2rider]

I sent them pics on June 24th.
Called them back on July 17th when I had not heard anything, they said they never got my email. Sent it again and verified while on the phone that they received the email.
Called back today, they say it was entered on Aug 1, and the cells are on backorder.

After seeing blakes post above, it looks like the new cord isn't any better. A friend at work and my sister have both bought these units after I've been running mine. One is exhibiting a dark red wire, my sister has not mentioned any issue with hers.

I'm thinking the compupool unit was a bad choice. On top of that, it's costing me $3 a day to treat my pool when it should be doing it for pennies a day with the SWG.

 

[x2rider]

A friend of mine just sent me this pic of her unit she bought last summer

[attachment=0:17cy1c9e]ImageUploadedByTapatalk1376572974.511939.jpg[/attachment:17cy1c9e]

 

[x2rider]

Still waiting, no stock of parts. Tim told me a few weeks ago the parts had either shipped, or was going to that day. Nothing ever came, so I called today, and he's saying no stock, and no time frame of parts coming in.

DO NOT BUY COMPUPOOL!!!! I am so fed up with their crrrap. I sent a nastygram directly to the aussie office telling them that I was going on an anti-compupool campaign.

 

[pooladdict]

Me thinks those are knock off Chinese models? I know some OEM's are replacing with cheap chinese parts and the results are the same as you witnessed.

 

[Poolsean]

Just sharing this article from within the Industry, 2012 Pool an Spa News Magazine...
http://www.poolspanews.com/chemicals/al ... flict.aspx

 

[bobodaclown]

Interesting reading Sean. Thanks for the link.

 

[JoshU]

Me thinks those are knock off Chinese models? I know some OEM's are replacing with cheap chinese parts and the results are the same as you witnessed.

I don't believe any manufacturers are making generic cells for CompuPool systems however CompuPool is making generic cells for other brands.

 

[pooladdict]

Dig into it further, I think you will find out different facts.

 

[x2rider]

My replacement came in last week. They were going to replace the cell and cord, but u asked him if he can guarantee that it won't burn up again, and he said no, so I asked him to change it out with the new model.

 

[bobodaclown]

Keep us updated.

 

[Vectrix150V]

Looks like a high current joint - personally, I would just solder the bugger (wires) to the contacts. Strip, clean, and fill the whole lot with solder. Makes the wires more brittle, but it isn't something that is subjected to movement. Add some neutral cure silastic if that makes you feel better too.

There is a surprising amount of current in those SWG's. All it would take is a bit of corrosion, or a poor contact to oxidise the contact = increased resistance, power supply (constant current supply) increases voltage to compensate, and you have a self-immolation as you saw there.

 

[RobbieH]

I have talked to Compupool in regards to the newer design with the three leads vs the disc with the leads built in. The new version is the separate leads, and something they don't tell you until you ask is that you should NOT attach the plastic cap to the cell. They discovered that if the cell leaks at all, it leaks into that cap and the captive water shorts out the cell and power supply. Is it possible this is what happened on your systems where your wires burned up?