Intellichlor IC40 showing 0 PPM salt reading

[ffournier]

I hope someone can help me with this. I purchased and installed a new flow switch because all of a sudden my Intellichlor IC40 went from very accurately reading the salt levels to showing 0 PPM. Per Pentair's recommendation I clean Intellichlor every two months and had cleaned it about three weeks prior to it reading 0 PPM. According to Pentair the reading of salt concentrations is a secondary function of the flow switch. And even though the flow light may be green, the salt reading function can fail. This was, and unfortunately still is my problem. Although I installed a new switch my Intellichlor is still showing 0 PPM with the flow light green. A water test shows my actual level is 3200. While waiting for the new switch to arrive, the salt readings came back but only for a few days. However during this time the chlorinator did produce chlorine as well as ever. When the reading went back to zero I installed the new switch but it still is showing zero with the flow light green. Does anyone have any idea what else may be the problem? Thanks in advance for any information you may have.

Fred.

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

That means there is a loose connection somewhere between the salt sensor and the circuitry in the cell. I recommend double and triple checking that the salt sensor is correctly connected and none of the wires are sharply pinched or cut. However it is possible that problem is on the circuit board, which would mean replacing the entire cell.

 

[ffournier]

Thanks Jason, that's what I was afraid of. I built this pool in late 2008 and if I have to replace this chlorinator it will be the third one. Needless to say I am not very happy with Pentair right now. Would you happen to know if there's a way to get the top off of this thing? When I changed the flow switch I was told my only option was to splice into the wires coming out of the body of the chlorinator to the flow switch. That taking off the top was not an option. However it looks like it should come off somehow.

 

[JasonLion]

The main case for the cell is glued together, certainly not designed to be opened.