I have a Pentair IC40 SWG (8400 gallon pool) and the SWG is 8 years old (only 40% of cell used per diagnostic). The salt reading on easytouch is 7500 PPM. but I did my own test (3,100 ppm) and 3 tests from Leslie’s and all 3 were 3,000 PPM within a 5 day range. For good measure I replaced the flow switch, on SWG as the temperature reading was incorrect at 100% (or 100+ degrees) and the flow switch replacement fixed incorrect temp reading (now at 80% (80 degrees) which is accurate. Problem is that I’m not generating chlorine and the “high salt” (green flashing light) warning is present on SWG. The “cell” light is lit at all times as I dialed up generation to 100%. Flow light is good as well. I should be generating at least 6.7ppm of FC, but my FC level is currently at .60 and was 1.16 yesterday. (Not possible to be using 7.2ppm per day right?) All chemical levels are within range except FC and TC.
Intellichlor IC40 SWG Falsely Reporting 7500 ppm salt level (true level is 3,000ppm), not outputting Chlorine, and High Salt light is flashing.
- Thread starter jasondestiny11
- Start date
- May 3, 2014
- 58,862
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Welcome to the forum!
How are you testing your pool water chemistry.
If the Cell light is green on the IntelliChlor, the unit is producing chlorine.
I suggest you read through Pool Care Basics - Trouble Free Pool and even look at a few of our videos TFP-TV - Trouble Free Pool
How are you testing your pool water chemistry.
If the Cell light is green on the IntelliChlor, the unit is producing chlorine.
I suggest you read through Pool Care Basics - Trouble Free Pool and even look at a few of our videos TFP-TV - Trouble Free Pool
I measured salt level with a Taylor K kit (tested all chemistry with Taylor K kit as well), and 3 trips to Leslie’s store within a 5-day time period. My salt level test was at 3100ppm and Leslie’s was at 3000ppm (All other chemistry was plus or minus a little bit between Taylor K and Leslie’s).
pH: 7.3
FC: 0.68ppm (was 1.16 yesterday)
TC: 0.89ppm (was 1.36 yesterday)
Alk: 119ppm
Calc hard: 240ppm
Iron: 0ppm
Copper 0.02ppm
Salt: 3000ppm
Phosphates: 4,000ppb
- May 3, 2014
- 58,862
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Please post your test results from your kit. What Taylor kit do you have?
You likley have algae. Do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
You likley have algae. Do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
I’ll do an overnight chlorine loss test as recommended. If I do have an algae problem, what’s the best way to treat for that?
- May 3, 2014
- 58,862
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Also, I went ahead and purchased a new IC40 SWG which is on the way. How could my salt reading on easy touch be so high when salt level is clearly 4500ppm lower?
- May 3, 2014
- 58,862
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Normally the ET will show a 0 salt level even thought the IC is generating just fine. Seems to be a communication error between the IC and the ET. Odd that yours shows so high, except that the thermistor in the flow switch was bad, and you installed a new flow switch. I would power down the entire ET, disconnect the IC cable, power on the ET, then power it off after 10 minutes or so, reattach the IC power cord, and turn on the ET. See if that resets the reading.
FYI -- nothing uses that ET salt reading for anything. Again, if the IC CELL light is green, the IC is generating chlorine.
Yesterday, I did a normal power down, by flipping breakers, unplugged IC40 waited for 15 seconds. After, I plugged IC40 back in and flipped breakers back on. Was still at 7500ppm. Based on your recommendation, I need to do the same thing BUT wait 10 minutes to power ET back on (after plugging IC40 first of course so I don’t blow the SWG lol)…did I understand you correctly?
- May 3, 2014
- 58,862
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I would do a power up of the ET with the IC cord disconnected to see if that might clear the issue.
Again, that 7500 ppm number is not doing anything other than showing that number.
Again, that 7500 ppm number is not doing anything other than showing that number.
First off, thank you very much for the quick replies and for being a gentleman! I’ll give it a try. My first thought when all this started was “this is an 8-year old SWG so it’s probably a bad sensor or board...probably time to replace it”. The cell hasn’t been used a lot, meaning I purposely bought the IC40 way overpowered for my 8400 gallon pool, so that I didn’t have to work the SWG so hard. I’ve typically ran it at 20% chlorination all these years, did the muriatic cleanings about every 3-4 months, and all was fine until about 3 weeks ago. The ET had consistently reported a pretty accurate salt level up until then too. That’s when the SWG “Good” light started flashing too. It’s flashed ever since so I thought the ET reading and IC were actually synced (thanks for clarifying that isn’t the case). But I always manual test before adding any chemicals.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,862
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
At 8 years the electronics may be getting tired. Mine at 9 years started to act a bit funky so I replaced it. So you doing that may clear everything up.
I do warn on using the acid to clean the cell. We do not advise it unless there is no other way to clear out the scale. And if you properly manage your pool water chemistry, you never should need to 'clean' the cell.
Read SWG How It Works - Further Reading
I do warn on using the acid to clean the cell. We do not advise it unless there is no other way to clear out the scale. And if you properly manage your pool water chemistry, you never should need to 'clean' the cell.
Read SWG How It Works - Further Reading
I love the “electronics may be getting tired”, LOL! Couldn’t have thought of a better way to say that! I get some pretty good scaling on my cell, particularly as it gets warmer. I’m pretty OCD with the pool chemistry (if my wife was reading this she’d say that’s an understatement). I wonder what could be causing the scaling (maybe FLORIDA, LOL!) Only thing I don’t really pay too much attention to is phosphates because like you said, good chemistry typically negates that concern. I typically run salt level at 3400ppm, but with all this going on I didn’t want to overdo it, because I’m not trying to drain water to offset over-salting. That’s what really prompted all of this anyway. It was about that time to add salt, saw the reading (freaked out) and have been trying to resolve it before adding. Now that I know my salt is truly low, I’m going to add to get it right before this new SWG comes in. Thank you again.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,862
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
You have not told us what Taylor kit you use. I suspect you keep your TA too high, pH is thus high, and that creates scale in the SWCG.
Keep your TA at or just below 70 ppm (testing with your kit, not pool store). pH in the 7's.
Keep your TA at or just below 70 ppm (testing with your kit, not pool store). pH in the 7's.
It’s the K-2005 kit. I’ll dump some MA to bring the Alk down (picture me dumping a gallon straight into the pool like a madman…seriously though, I am a safety nerd with goggles, gloves a proper measurements). It’s weird though because pH is always in 7.2-7.5 range but i didn’t want to drop the pH too low and the Alk typically tracks with that with MA. Is there something else I can do to just bring Alk down?
- May 3, 2014
- 58,862
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
What is your TA? You will not have a pH that low unless your TA is near 50ppm.
If you properly keep your pH in the 7's the TA will come down.
You need a FAS-DPD kit for FC/CC testing.
If you properly keep your pH in the 7's the TA will come down.
You need a FAS-DPD kit for FC/CC testing.
My TA hovers around 100-110 typically. Looks like I’ll be grabbing another test kit. These test kits also have a “shelf life”, so I’m a little skeptical about them, but rely on them over pool store (I do pool store testing as a comparison) TBH, MY pool store tests are pretty accurate (most of the time), and my store does regular calibrations…and I don’t think all pool stores do this often enough….and I go on slower days when they aren’t splashing samples all over the place, LOL. I can tell when they haven’t calibrated (which isn’t often), and call them out…they grin, and next test it’s magically pretty accurate again.
Jason,
I "check" my cell every six months, as that is when I clean my filter. I clean with weak MA, if dirty, but most of the time it is not necessary.
If you have been using MA to clean the cell every 3 months, then at 8 years your cell is done. There is no coating left on the plates.
I keep my TA between 50 and 60 so that I have a slightly negative CSI reading.. This keeps the cell from scaling and from generating a bunch of white calcium bits into the pool.
I suggest that you re-think how you are balancing your pool water. The TFP pool care process is not at all like what the Pool Store uses..
You should check out our Pool School.
Pool Care Basics
Thanks,
Jim R.
I "check" my cell every six months, as that is when I clean my filter. I clean with weak MA, if dirty, but most of the time it is not necessary.
If you have been using MA to clean the cell every 3 months, then at 8 years your cell is done. There is no coating left on the plates.
I keep my TA between 50 and 60 so that I have a slightly negative CSI reading.. This keeps the cell from scaling and from generating a bunch of white calcium bits into the pool.
I suggest that you re-think how you are balancing your pool water. The TFP pool care process is not at all like what the Pool Store uses..
You should check out our Pool School.
Pool Care Basics
Thanks,
Jim R.