Intex SWG 26668 - dead?

[Sturmenstrudel]

Hi all,

Greetings from Belgium.
After winterization, I restarted to run for 3-4 hrs/day the filter pump and the SWG to keep water decently clean, with temperatures rising. Everything got back up with no problem, I could see (and smell) the SWG doing its work. After some days, I heard it beeping and went checking. Display was odd and I could not switch it off. So I pulled the plug off and since then I can't reactivate it. No error codes, LCD 8 segments have some of those light up but they blink erratically. Warranty just expired (Dang!!!) so I opened it but could not see anything loose or wrong. I think humidity might have been the root cause, probably either the main PCB or the display board are damaged? I have seen there are some tutorials on how to bypass the controls and run the cell without. The power transformer seems to be OK, when I check voltage. Anyone has any advice?
I am looking to buy a 2nd hand replacement, but maybe I can do something with mine... cell is very good and last 2 seasons I was very satisfied with performances!
Regards
Guido

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

As you have read that is a typical failure for the Intex SWG. They don't have a long life.

 

[Sturmenstrudel]

At least I can still produce chlorine when I connect the cell to the 12VDC after the rectifier.
I am thinking to buy one of those cheap Sonoff programmable relays to invert polarity and automate cell cleaning.
I have seen a thread about using an Arduino The Arduino - Intex SWG but probably I can stay with something very basic such as on/off and polarity inversion.

 

[Sturmenstrudel]

It took me some time, as I could not find a project to copy straight away and I had to find my way, taking inspiration from many sources.

So what I did:
- stripped out completely the existing control board and display.
- replaced by a Nodemcu development board, a double relay board, an ac/dc converter.
- the nodemcu runs on esphome and it is integrated in my home assistant server (on raspberry pi) that I use for general home automation. I can share the program, if needed.

I connected the available 10VAC coming from the intex transformer to the ac/dc converter and deliver 5VDC to the nodemcu and the relay coils. The cell is powered by the original intex rectifier with 8VDC, passing through the two relays for polarity inversion. I use these 8VDC also to supply the cooling fan.

On the software side I can activate "chlorine start-stop" which energizes the cell through relay 1. If the water flow sensor is closed, then the relay1 is activated and a counter starts. If water flow is not detected at any time, the relay is de-energized and so is the cell.
When the counter reaches 180 minutes, it activates the "cell cleaning" routine, which is doing exactly the same thing but with +8V supplied though relay2. Here also a counter is started, switching over to "chlorine start-stop" mode after 60 minutes. I understood there is no reason to call "generator" one cycle and "cleaning" the other, and they can be the same in duration... I can change it at any time.

It is very basic but it does the work! And I can control it from remote the way I want.

Regards
Guido