I know from reading the forums that everyone's experience with the IntelliChlor durability and life span varies considerably. But 10,000 hours (from Pentair) and 5-7 years for use ~12 hours a day appears to be the referenced average.
Today I came to realize that my IC-40 was installed on my ~28,000 gl. pool in July 2009. I've seen at least one postings from someone who said theirs is also still going at ~10 years but the comment appeared to be met with a sense of disbelief.
This unit has been my primary, and with the exception of very occasional superchlorination, the only source of chlorine in my pool during this time period. For years I have repeatedly inspected the cell and found no need to clean it, despite my area (Northern NJ) having particularly harder water. (It builds up on every fixture in my house.) Running over the years on average a 10 to 12 hour filter cycle per day from late May to early Sept. These days I regularly keep my chlorine ~6ppm as related to the "TFP way" (using higher CYA levels).
It doesn't function perfectly, as for as long as I can remember, it hasn't done a good job of reading the current salt level. If my standards calibrated electronic salt meter says 2.8 (2800), the IntelliChlor is saying above 3500. (Being fickle to factors like water temp is expected but it's always outright incorrect.) And generally I don't raise the salt to the recommended 3400 (by electronic meter) because that causes the IC-40 to suggest the salt is then too high (although my understanding is the cell will continue to run anyway?).
Upon realizing this today I did a bit of research and discovered you can hold the "More" button on the unit to get a % of the 10,000 hour life expectancy. It came back 60%! (!!!) I can't help but think that clearly doesn't "add up" but in a sense, why do I care?
I'm not here to brag (or jinx myself!) but I feel like I've won some kind of pool equipment lottery with this unit? Or have more folks experienced this kind of longevity with the IntelliChlor than I realize? Obviously most people post when they have problems so that's not an accurate point of reference. And to the most experienced pool/SWG/water chemistry experts here, is this the crazy anomaly I think it is? Do any of the parameters I've shared potentially explain how this unit has lasted so much longer than the average (expected)?
Part of what led me to looking up the age of the unit is that I saw one come up for sale and I thought, "Maybe I should replace it soon? Or at least buy a backup? I know it has been working for "awhile" (LOL) and replacing it would finally address the salt reading problem." But now, I feel like I wouldn't dare replace this unit before it fails. It could be on track to outlast the 30 year old pool it's serving!
Brian
Today I came to realize that my IC-40 was installed on my ~28,000 gl. pool in July 2009. I've seen at least one postings from someone who said theirs is also still going at ~10 years but the comment appeared to be met with a sense of disbelief.
This unit has been my primary, and with the exception of very occasional superchlorination, the only source of chlorine in my pool during this time period. For years I have repeatedly inspected the cell and found no need to clean it, despite my area (Northern NJ) having particularly harder water. (It builds up on every fixture in my house.) Running over the years on average a 10 to 12 hour filter cycle per day from late May to early Sept. These days I regularly keep my chlorine ~6ppm as related to the "TFP way" (using higher CYA levels).
It doesn't function perfectly, as for as long as I can remember, it hasn't done a good job of reading the current salt level. If my standards calibrated electronic salt meter says 2.8 (2800), the IntelliChlor is saying above 3500. (Being fickle to factors like water temp is expected but it's always outright incorrect.) And generally I don't raise the salt to the recommended 3400 (by electronic meter) because that causes the IC-40 to suggest the salt is then too high (although my understanding is the cell will continue to run anyway?).
Upon realizing this today I did a bit of research and discovered you can hold the "More" button on the unit to get a % of the 10,000 hour life expectancy. It came back 60%! (!!!) I can't help but think that clearly doesn't "add up" but in a sense, why do I care?
I'm not here to brag (or jinx myself!) but I feel like I've won some kind of pool equipment lottery with this unit? Or have more folks experienced this kind of longevity with the IntelliChlor than I realize? Obviously most people post when they have problems so that's not an accurate point of reference. And to the most experienced pool/SWG/water chemistry experts here, is this the crazy anomaly I think it is? Do any of the parameters I've shared potentially explain how this unit has lasted so much longer than the average (expected)?
Part of what led me to looking up the age of the unit is that I saw one come up for sale and I thought, "Maybe I should replace it soon? Or at least buy a backup? I know it has been working for "awhile" (LOL) and replacing it would finally address the salt reading problem." But now, I feel like I wouldn't dare replace this unit before it fails. It could be on track to outlast the 30 year old pool it's serving!
Brian
