Pentair IC40 Red Low Salt Light on... Salt Not Low. HELP

[Tprymek]

I know this is an old thread but what was the final fix? I have the exact same issue. My IC40 had a red salt low light, the easy touch says 0 ppm, salt level is 3860ppm, new flow sensor and temp is at 80 and the ic40 says the same. I bought an aftermarket Apex60 and it also says low salt. I tested the pool with both a digital restore that was calibrated and with the salinity test strips.

 

[Jimrahbe]

T,

When the Automation shows zero salt, it is usually a com issue between the cell and the automation.. It really has nothing to do with what the cell thinks the salt level is..

If the cell shows a green salt light, then the cell is working as it should.

There is no reason to fix anything, as long as the cell salt light is green. But, changing the flow switch assembly, will often 'fix' the problem, but not always.. The same goes for the Surge card, or the main card.

I believe that it is a simple timing issue between the automation and the cell.. The automation expects to see the salt level in a set period of time. If the salt level shows up a microsecond late, it will show zero.. Just shutting the cell off and rebooting will often correct the error.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Tprymek]

T,

When the Automation shows zero salt, it is usually a com issue between the cell and the automation.. It really has nothing to do with what the cell thinks the salt level is..

If the cell shows a green salt light, then the cell is working as it should.

There is no reason to fix anything, as long as the cell salt light is green. But, changing the flow switch assembly, will often 'fix' the problem, but not always.. The same goes for the Surge card, or the main card.

I believe that it is a simple timing issue between the automation and the cell.. The automation expects to see the salt level in a set period of time. If the salt level shows up a microsecond late, it will show zero.. Just shutting the cell off and rebooting will often correct the error.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Jim, thanks for the reply. My problem is that the IC40 does not have a green light. It has a red salt low light, the cell light is off, flow light is green. No chlorine is being generated. I was told the cell was bad so I bought an Apex-60. Connected it and it says low salt. I called Pentair and they said either my salt was low or my filters need to be cleaned or I have something causing the flow to be too low. None of that was correct. Filters are clean, I have plenty of flow. I asked if it could be a power issue and they said no as long as the cell comes on. I just checked the DC output from the easy touch panel and I have 27 VDC. Also I changed the flow sensor in the IC40 and the Apex 60 is brand new. Thoughts? Here is a pic of the IC after it times in. Also it takes over 5 min for it to time in

 

[Tprymek]

Jim, thanks for the reply. My problem is that the IC40 does not have a green light. It has a red salt low light, the cell light is off, flow light is green. No chlorine is being generated. I was told the cell was bad so I bought an Apex-60. Connected it and it says low salt. I called Pentair and they said either my salt was low or my filters need to be cleaned or I have something causing the flow to be too low. None of that was correct. Filters are clean, I have plenty of flow. I asked if it could be a power issue and they said no as long as the cell comes on. I just checked the DC output from the easy touch panel and I have 27 VDC. Also I changed the flow sensor in the IC40 and the Apex 60 is brand new. Thoughts? Here is a pic of the IC after it times in. Also it takes over 5 min for it to time in

Jim when I say the cell is off I mean the cell light is off. Also I could care less about the easy touch displaying the salinity level as I always test it manually. I previously added that just it case it was relevant. The new Apex 60 displays the salinity level on the unit itself, when it was installed it read 325 ppm but the actual water is 3800 ppm, which was verified by a pool store.

 

[ajw22]

How old is your IC40? What is the date on the label on it?

Cut the white wire on the IC40 flow switch assembly which connects to the thermistor. That forces the cell to assume 76F.

Be open to you having two problems. I am skeptical of the quality of all pool parts and especially aftermarket cells. Your Apex 60 could have problems although it is new.

Your voltages are good. Everything in the IntelliChlor SWG is contained in the cell.

Low salt is either a problem in the cell or a problem in the pool water.

 

[Tprymek]

How old is your IC40? What is the date on the label on it?

Cut the white wire on the IC40 flow switch assembly which connects to the thermistor. That forces the cell to assume 76F.

Be open to you having two problems. I am skeptical of the quality of all pool parts and especially aftermarket cells. Your Apex 60 could have problems although it is new.

Your voltages are good. Everything in the IntelliChlor SWG is contained in the cell.

Low salt is either a problem in the cell or a problem in the pool water.

low salt is definitely not the problem. Digital tester, salt strip and the local pool store all confirm 3800 ppm. I’ll try cutting the white wire. Understand your thoughts on the new apex being bad but what are the odds that it and the IC 40 having the exact issue. That is why I checked the DC voltage to the cell and as I said it shows 27 VDC. I saw on other blogs where that is in range but on the low side. Most say theirs read 36 VDC. Any possibility that the lover voltage could cause this?

 

[ajw22]

Check the voltage when the cell is not connected to the Power Center.

 

[Tprymek]

low salt is definitely not the problem. Digital tester, salt strip and the local pool store all confirm 3800 ppm. I’ll try cutting the white wire. Understand your thoughts on the new apex being bad but what are the odds that it and the IC 40 having the exact issue. That is why I checked the DC voltage to the cell and as I said it shows 27 VDC. I saw on other blogs where that is in range but on the low side. Most say theirs read 36 VDC. Any possibility that the lover voltage could cause this?

The IC40 is 4 years old. Installed Jul 2020 which is why I purchased the other cell

 

[ajw22]

The IC40 is 4 years old. Installed Jul 2020 which is why I purchased the other cell

How many gallons in your pool?

What do you run the cell % at typically?

 

[Tprymek]

Check the voltage when the cell is not connected to the Power Center.

27 VDC at the box with the cell disconnected . I also disconnected the cord from the circuit card ( just to be sure there wasn’t connection issue) and got the same 27 VDC

 

[Tprymek]

How many gallons in your pool?

What do you run the cell % at typically?

25,000 gal and runs at 80%

 

[Tprymek]

Also cut the white wire at the flow switch and no change

 

[ajw22]

27 VDC at the box with the cell disconnected . I also disconnected the cord from the circuit card ( just to be sure there wasn’t connection issue) and got the same 27 VDC

Your surge board may be bad. Have you pulled the board and looked carefully at the components?

The AC power goes into the power center and through the fuse and then goes into a step down transformer The output of the transformer should be about 28 Volts AC. You should check the you have either 120 VAC or 240 VAC going into the transformer and that you have about 28 VAC going to the board.

The board changes the 28 VAC into about 40 volts DC. If you have 28 VAC going into the board and do not have 40 VDC coming out, the board is bad.

The voltage between the red and black wire on the connector (J7) going to the cell is about 40 volts DC.

 

[ajw22]

25,000 gal and runs at 80%

I estimate your cell is generating around 2000 hours a year. 4 years would have out 8000 hours on the cell. Cells have a useful life of 6000 to 10,000 hours.

 

[Tprymek]

Your surge board may be bad. Have you pulled the board and looked carefully at the components?

The AC power goes into the power center and through the fuse and then goes into a step down transformer The output of the transformer should be about 28 Volts AC. You should check the you have either 120 VAC or 240 VAC going into the transformer and that you have about 28 VAC going to the board.

The board changes the 28 VAC into about 40 volts DC. If you have 28 VAC going into the board and do not have 40 VDC coming out, the board is bad.

The voltage between the red and black wire on the connector (J7) going to the cell is about 40 volts DC.

Very helpful and thank you for confirming what I have been suspecting . I will do voltage checks tomorrow and let you know what I find. So that I am sure I have this right. With the output voltage to the cell only being 27 VDC it is most likely the problem. Correct?

 

[ajw22]

With the output voltage to the cell only being 27 VDC it is most likely the problem. Correct?

“We” do not know. I don’t think we have ever seen your situation before. Pentair says your cell should work at your voltage, but it is not. We learn things new all the time about equipment. You are going to need to muddle your way through this.

 

[Jimrahbe]

T,

Just for reference..

The output of my surge card is 40 VDC (With the cell connected, and not making chlorine, cell light off) and 35 VDC with the cell making chlorine, cell light on..

I have seen where people said they only had 28 VDC and the cell worked, but I have never had that issue. In theory, if the voltage is too low for the cell to work, then none of the lights on the cell should be working..

The cell light will never come on if the cell thinks that the salt level is below 2600 ppm, no matter what the actual salt level is..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Tprymek]

Thanks Jim, when I read back through the original post that described my issue perfectly I see where the gentleman said his pool guy brought over and installed a separate power supply to run the cell and it them worked. Makes me think that he too had a voltage issue. Regardless I will keep everyone posted as to my findings. This is a great forum and I hope I’ll be able to contribute once I find the fix

 

[Tprymek]

Ok gentleman output from the transformer is 31 VAC. I measured it at the AC power input wire (red) at the chlorinator circuitboard (ccctexh cm-1} . Output from the circuitboard is still 27VDC, not 39 VDC as the circuit card states and as you stated. Here are pictures to assist

 

[Jimrahbe]

T,

I'd want to know what the voltage is with the cell connected...

I test from the back side the connector, with the white connector, connected to the surge card.

Surge cards are not that expensive and if this were my pool, I'd try a new one and see what happens.

Thanks,

Jim R.