Can't Get Flow Light to Turn Green (iChlor 15)

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aarogb

aarogb

Well-known member
Apr 15, 2020
50
Sanford, NC
Pool Size
7000
Surface
Fiberglass
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair iChlor 15
Hi Everyone!

I am so glad that I found this forum! I am hoping that you all can help me.

My wife and I just bought a house that has a pretty new (installed last year) saltwater pool. We are currently trying to get it ready for the coming summer and we can't get the flow light to turn green. Currently it's just a solid red.

I have looked through the troubleshooting guide in the back of the manual and I've tried the following steps:

  • Primed the pump
  • Cleaned the strainer baskets
  • Made sure the valve alignments are correct
  • Made sure there wasn't any calcium build up in the cell
Is there anything else I can do other than replacing the flow switch or cleaning the filter (It's a sand filter)?

This is the first week we're really messing with the pool and we are NEW NEW when it comes to dealing with pools! Just trying to get it ready for the summer!

Thanks!

Aaron
 
If you have not cleaned your sand filter since you bought the house then you should. If the iChlor still does not have flow then its the flow switch


Depending on when your IChlor was manufactured the flow switch wire configuration is:

Flow switch has 4 wires on cells manufactured before September 2018:
  • Red/black - flow switch
  • Green/white - temperature sensor
Flow switch has 3 wires on cells manufactured after September 2018:
  • Red - flow switch
  • White - temperature sensor
  • Black - common
You cut the red and black wires and connect them together to see if the FLOW light turns green to confirm the flow switch is the problem. You can also put a mutimeter continuity checker on the other side of the red and black wires and see if the flow switch has continuity.
 
Last edited:
ajw22 said:
If you have not cleaned your sand filter since you bought the house then you should. If the iChlor still does not have flow then its the flow switch


Depending on when your IChlor was manufactured yhe flow switch wire configuration is:

Flow switch has 4 wires on cells manufactured before September 2018:
  • Red/black - flow switch
  • Green/white - temperature sensor
Flow switch has 3 wires on cells manufactured after September 2018:
  • Red - flow switch
  • White - temperature sensor
  • Black - common
You cut the red and black wires and connect them together to see if the FLOW light turns green to confirm the flow switch is the problem. Youc an also put a mutimeter continuity checker on the other side of the red and black wires and see if the flow switch has continuity.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the quick reply! I am researching how to clean the sand filter now.
 
JamesW said:
Is the cell pointing in the right direction?

Do you feel flow from the returns?

Do you have a picture of the system?
Click to expand...

Excuse my ignorance, but by returns, do you mean those "jets" on the side of the pool? If so, it seems that the water flow from those is really weak... I have been around other pools in the past where it seems the flow was a lot stronger than it is with mine... I guess that is a sign the filter needs to be cleaned out?

I will provide a picture tomorrow!

Thanks!

Aaron
 
Aaron,

Well, that might be an issue.. :mrgreen:

Do you have an inground pool?

Is the valve on the filter set to "Filter"?

With the pump off does water flow into your pump basket?

Was the pool closed for the winter?

Show us a couple of pics of your set up..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 

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Jimrahbe said:
Aaron,

Well, that might be an issue.. :mrgreen:

Do you have an inground pool?

Is the valve on the filter set to "Filter"?

With the pump off does water flow into your pump basket?

Was the pool closed for the winter?

Show us a couple of pics of your set up..

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...


Yes the valve on the filter is set to "Filter"

And from what I can gather, the previous owners of the house didn't not close the pool for the Winter. IMG_2169.jpg

IMG_2170.jpgIMG_2171.jpgIMG_2173.jpgIMG_2174.jpgIMG_2175.jpgIMG_2176.jpg
 
Aaron,

When looking into the pump with the lid on, when you turn on the pump, do you see water being pulled into the pump basket?

Is there an o-ring between the pump lid and the pump itself? Is the O-ring lubricated with pool lube of some type?

The gauge could just be bad, but if the gauge is good, it does not appear that the pump is moving any water...

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
The pump is a two-speed above ground pump.

Above ground pumps do not prime well because they are designed for flooded suction where the pump is below the water level.

Are you using high speed or low speed?
 
JamesW said:
The pump is a two-speed above ground pump.

Above ground pumps do not prime well because they are designed for flooded suction where the pump is below the water level.

Are you using high speed or low speed?
Click to expand...

We have only operated it on high speed.
 
Can you show a picture of the whole system?

Have you looked in the skimmers to see if they are plugged?

It seems like you're not getting prime. Can you see water going into the pump?
 
Hey everyone! Figured it out thanks to you all.

I looked into the pump strainer and it was crazy clogged. Cleaned that out and I started the pump back and waited about a minute and the returns were strong with water flow and didn't have any air bubbles in them. I believe the first time I tried that I didn't leave the pump on long enough for it to pull water through the suction side once I cleaned it out.

One more question I do have is: we've put salt into the pool so should we have the valve turned to filter or recirculate in order for Chlorine to be generated?
 
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