Aqua Rite salinity suddenly reading 200 ppm

[cracker_23]

Hello All,

Great forum. It's so nice to get help from someone other than the local shop monopoly.

Anyway, overnight my reading went from 3000ppm and generating to 200 ppm and check cell light.

Could this still be the thermistor issue? I know others had said that lack of a power light was generally a symptom of this. My lights are all on as would be expected in a low salt reading situation.

Does this sound like the cell itself went bad?

I have the Compupool TCell 15 and an Aqua Rite control Board.

Thanks very much.

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

If this is the thermistor issue the display will go to zero soon. If the reading stays at 200, or goes back up, it is certainly something else.

Check your cell cable and make sure it is properly connected to the control unit and not cut or deeply nicked. It is also worth doing a visual inspection of the cell, looking for parts that might be come disconnected internally.

 

[cracker_23]

So I replaced the thermistor and still had the problem. Then I happened to notice something (squirrel, rat, toddler?) had chewed most of the way through the cord from the cell to the panel. Should have listened to you from the first. Anyway, spliced the cord and all is back to normal - 3000 ppm and generating.

One thing, the control panel seems to be running hot. I am not sure if this is normal or not as I've never really payed attention until now. Hopefully this is not due to my world's worst solder job on the thermistor or maybe not connecting the correct wires inside the cell cable. If anyone is wondering, there are 6 wires inside a compucell cable (one small red, one small blue, two larger blacks and two larger whites).

 

[JasonLion]

As long as you matched the colors and soldered the connections the cable will be fine. If you did make a mistake with the cable it would either melt the cable or not work at all.

The control box can run fairly hot when the cell is active.

 

[cracker_23]

I just twisted the wires and taped them. Should I solder them?

Thanks for your help.

 

[JasonLion]

Yes, you should solder them if at all possible. SWG use a lot of current. That current will burn up twisted connections, not today, but it won't take all that long. SWGs use fairly low voltages, so they need to turn up the current to get any appreciable power.