Aquarite, Power Light Only On

[Aloha]

Preface: We bought our home with an inground pool (27,000g) at the very end of last summer...we are very new to this. I feel like we got scammed by a pool guy last fall and we are trying to figure it out on our own before calling someone. Also...when we had our home inspected the inspector blew the aquarite motherboard, which the old owner replaced right before we moved in. It was at the very end of the warranty and I'm wondering if we got a refurbished one? He also told us we'd have another summer on the cell.


When we opened up our pool, our Aquarite had the no flow/inspect cell lights on, we googled, you tubed, read here, went to our pool store for salt testing, there was none, we added salt and figured the cell was done, got a new one, installed it, it would be fine for the first few minutes and then bam, the same no flow/inspect cell lights. Tested, added more salt, wait 24 hours, and we're at the same spot. Husband was out of town for a few days so have just been maintaining to keep it algae free while he's gone. Now we went to go open the thing up and see whats up, but now none of the lights are on except the power light. When I hold the diagnostic button to reset it, the power light goes into a low flicker for a bit and then maintains. If I move it from Auto to Superchlorinate, same thing and the screen doesn't display.

Once we open it up and if it looks like everything is ok, fuses and no burnt looking pieces, does it sound like we need a new motherboard? (Back to my, is this refurbished? thought). Is there something else I'm missing? Do I need to suck it up and call a tech (albeit a different one) again?

My readings:
9.9
26
30.1
0.00
74P
-0.00
al-5
r 1.40

Thanks for any input.

 

[robdac]

9.9 is the salt level. Mine is 3100 or 3.1 metric. Voltage is good but it's not sending any current to the SWCG 0.00. Firmware version (1.40) is an older one.

Did you replace the salt cell with an identical one or is it a different size? T-3, T-9, T-15 etc. On older firmware versions, like yours, you don't have an option to change the cell size so the new one might not be compatible if it's a different size.

Lastly, do you have some salt test strips or a salt test kit? If not pick one up and determine the salinity of the water independent of the SWG and the pool store and see what you get. If you really do have 9.9 grams/liter of salt in the pool that's about triple the recommended amount and the SWG will not operate. Also, it may be above that amount (9.9 g/l) and not able to display any higher than 9.9.

 

[Aloha]

Thank you! It had a T-15 and we got a T-15W, from which I read that didn't make a difference?

I will get some test strips and come back with an answer. Thank you!

 

[robdac]

The T-15W ought to work fine. Let's see where the salt level is when you get a test kit. How much salt have you added?

 

[Aloha]

We have added 40kg of salt.

Brought a sample in to the pool store, thought we'd get them to test again while going to pick up strips. They again said our salt was low, but we didn't need to add any. I said it's strange because our SWG is reading 9.9. They then used their calibrator thing and said theirs is almost par. (Sample water was 3000 and reading at 2900). They said to add a cup of super clarifier.

The test kit we got (last in the store), says to get the reading after 20 seconds and discard test after 30 seconds, after 20 seconds it read 2000-2500 and after 30 seconds 3000. If you let it sit there it goes completely pale (5000+) but it says to discard after 30 seconds. The brand is Instatest by LaMotte.

 

[robdac]

Forget about the clarifier.

So it sounds like you have the appropriate level of salt in the pool based on the store and your own testing. Maybe not perfect but at least close. Can the store test your new salt cell? If so, I'd have them test it just to rule out as a possible problem as well. If the salt level is good and the salt cell is good then it has to be in the controller. The only other, unlikely, possibility is that the T-15W isn't compatible with your controller for some reason. But, everything that I'm reading indicates it should work fine.

 

[Aloha]

And the controller would be the motherboard?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[robdac]

I'm not sure. It's likely the motherboard but it could be another component inside the unit. I just don't want to steer you in the wrong direction.

Youtube has some great videos if it comes down to the motherboard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPL_YnvWumk

 

[ned8377]

Unless you are using Jandy automation, you need to change the AL to 0. You do this by going to AL and switching it to super chlorinate and back.

AL-0 AquaRite
AL-1 NatureSoft
AL-2 MineralSprings
AL-3 SmartPure
AL-4 This changes the default display from average salt to percent output.
AL-5 This is used with Jandy automation.