I think my IC-40 is finally giving up the ghost ... now IC-60 Installed

[JoyfulNoise]

Well, I think we've reached the "hospice care" stage of SWG ownership. After 8 years of trouble-free use (generating chlorine from early March until mid-December every year), I think my IC-40 is on the way out. About 1-1/2 months ago I got a CLEAN CELL warning on my ET panel with a flashing green CELL light on the unit. My IC had been "spitting snowflakes" for the past season and when I pulled the cell, it was completely plugged up with scale. I cleaned it out using a combination of high pressure hose water, cleaning vinegar and then a long thin plastic scrapping tool to get between the blades. I got it mostly cleaned out, reinstalled and it went right to work but I will say the blades did not look healthy. I think the catalyst coating is mostly gone and the titanium plates are more exposed. Well, fast forward to yesterday and the CELL light was blinking again. I'm sure I'll see it plugged again. My water chemistry is always slightly negative in CSI but I think my high calcium levels and known sulfate issues have finally caught up to my cell. My pool will need a good, hard drain and refill to correct the calcium and sulfate imbalance.

So, until I can get to cleaning it, I'm currently a "jug-dumper" now manually chlorinating really sucks ...

I guess my biggest question is this - buy a new cell immediately and DIY install (probably an IC60) to get back to good life of not having to scouring the lands for liquid chlorine supplies OR try to find an installer to get a new IC in place so I can get the full 12 month warranty out of Pentair?? Tough call because this is literally the easiest component on my pool pad to replace BUT I'd hate to have a failure at 6 months and then have Pentair say, "Sorry, it wasn't installed by a Pro so no dice".

Current IC60 prices are approximately in the range of $1,100 online ...

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

From Pentair:
Ecommerce (EC) products: Products purchased from an Authorized Pentair Online Reseller (products beginning with EC-) receive a one (1) year (parts only) warranty from the date of purchase. The exceptions are: IntelliChlor cells and IntelliFlo SVRS pumps which receive a two (2) year warranty. EC products are not eligible for the bundled three (3) year extended warranty.

 

[JamesW]

Pool and Spa Equipment Dealer Locator

Pentair offers smart, sustainable water solutions. Find a local Pentair dealer for your home or business water equipment, from pools to pumps to water treatment.

www.pentair.com

 

[Flying Tivo]

Since IC are hard to get on this days, i would highly suggest you get a stenner pump to feed your chlorine. This will buy you time to get the cell at a good price and also to exchange water. After all that you can use your stenner for Muriatic acid additions, as i have.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

It's funny - the Pentair Dealer locator still lists a Patio Pools store down the road from me that closed over 4 years ago Time for Pentair to update their dealer listings

 

[mknauss]

DIY installs of just the cell have a 2 year warranty. Regardless of where you buy it from.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Since IC are hard to get on this days, i would highly suggest you get a stenner pump to feed your chlorine. This will buy you time to get the cell at a good price and also to exchange water. After all that you can use your stenner for Muriatic acid additions, as i have.

Certainly a good idea in principal but my equipment pad is located in the worst possible location - full sun and hot all day long. It would take quite a bit of finagling to figure how to keep the LC from boiling off when it's 115F out in a few weeks. But I will consider it.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Good to know that Pentair has reconsidered their warranty practices. Of course now the question is where to get it from .... I'd prefer to source it locally but I'll have to see what premium in blood they will want to extract. I have never gotten good pricing on pool equipment from any vendor around Tucson ... one pool store wanted $200 for a replacement IC flow switch ?!?!

 

[ajw22]

Try Polytec Pools.

 

[mknauss]

Pentair IntelliChlor Salt Replacement Cell | IC60 | EC-521105

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Thank you Gentlemen, much obliged ...

 

[Jimrahbe]

Matt,

If your original IC40 lasted you 8 years, I don't see a real advantage with going with an IC60 for $250 more..

In theory it will last longer, but there is a lot that can go bad that has nothing to do with the actual amount of chlorine production..

I too recommend PolyTec. I bought my last IC40 from them.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[JamesW]

Thank you Gentlemen, much obliged ...

With your upcoming special, we were told to be extra deferential and to treat you with kid gloves.

I went out and bought some children’s gloves, but I don’t really understand how that’s supposed to do anything?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

With your upcoming special, we were told to be extra deferential and to treat you with kid gloves.

I went out and bought some children’s gloves, but I don’t really understand how that’s supposed to do anything?

Kid - young goat.

The gloves need to be made from young goat skins. That’s what confused you …

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Matt,

If your original IC40 lasted you 8 years, I don't see a real advantage with going with an IC60 for $250 more..

In theory it will last longer, but there is a lot that can go bad that has nothing to do with the actual amount of chlorine production..

I too recommend PolyTec. I bought my last IC40 from them.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Good point. Will ponder. I tend to take the Tim Taylor approach to life ….

 

[JamesW]

Kid - young goat.

The gloves need to be made from young goat skins. That’s what confused you …

So, the goat will also have to give up the ghost.

Perhaps the ghost can be transplanted into the cell.

No reason to waste a perfectly good ghost.

Seems like ancient ritual thinking.

Your salt cell dies so you sacrifice a goat?

Is this to appease Salacia or perhaps Huixtocihuatl?

 

[sbcpool]

Pentair IntelliChlor Salt Replacement Cell | IC60 | EC-521105

Something to keep in mind is that Polytec does not do returns or exchanges on defective merchandise.

Shipping & Returns

All merchandise sold by Polytec Pools comes with a manufactures warranty. For defective products please refer to the warranty information included in your packing material. Polytec Pools will assist if needed on defective items within 30 days of purchase.

Returns for any product non-defective (unused and uninstalled) excluding software, electronic parts and special order items can be done so within 30 days from original purchase date. A restocking fee of 15% will be applied and customer will be responsible for original shipping charges and cost of returning the product.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Something to keep in mind is that Polytec does not do returns or exchanges on defective merchandise.

Shipping & Returns

Thanks for posting that. I fully understand the risks.

I’m going to order the new IC abs get it installed as soon as I can correct my water chemistry (calcium hardness) a bit.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Well looky at what just arrived …



I decided to go the Texan way - Go Big or Go Home

In preparation for its arrival, I exchange-drained 11,000 gallons of heavily calcium laden pool water for a lot of not-so-heavily laden municipal water. I’m giving my pool 48 hours to mix with lots of robot runs and brushing. I’ll measure my salt, calcium and CYA levels to see what all my draining got me. After that, the filter gets torn down and cleaned which is the perfect time to pull off the old IC-40 and and install the new IC60.

Fun times….

 

[DeanP66]

At almost 4 times your pool gallons, you'll be running that thing at 5%. Hope you have automation, or I guess you could run your pump less.