IC 60 reports 0 salt

[gbhumphrey]

Hi, I have the same issue. The Screenlogic app shows IC 60 reports 0 salt, but CAN change the % settings.
But my power center doesnt have a Com port connection. The Intellichlor plugs right into the Com board in J7. See pics.
Am I missing something?
AFAIK, the Salt level never worked.
The IC60 is a recent addition, I had the IC40 and it never displayed the salt level either.

 

[Dirk]

Jim's the man, but I stay up later! And we're stepping on DG64's thread, but maybe I can answer quickly. The box with the transformer does not look like an IntelliChlor (IC) Power Center. It looks more like a lighting power supply. The picture you're showing of the circuit board, that's the IC Surge card. Typically it's connected to a large transformer mounted inside the same chassis. You should see two transformers. A large one (that's for the IC) and a smaller one that powers the IntelliCenter. That's how it is for an EasyTouch, anyway. It should be similar for an IntelliCenter. That external box might be powering your Globrites. Are those low voltage? If it was a Power Center, the IC's surge card would be mounted in its lower right quadrant, below the transformer. So...

Regarding the salt level issue. You may have an errant connection. So you could try undoing all of those comm wires and polishing them nice and bright, or re-stripping them, and then reseating them into the connector. Keep track of which wires go where. And be sure all the breakers are off while working on the comm bus.

If that doesn't work, it may be the IC. I had one that worked fine, made chlorine, adjusted remotely just fine, but for some reason didn't report salt back to my EasyTouch. I never solved it. The next IC worked as it should.

That's all I got. Tomorrow Jim will likely have a better answer.

 

[Dirk]

PS. On your surge board, on the comm connector on the right, I'm seeing a lot of stripped copper, enough that if the wires got pushed around somehow, they could short out. You should clean that up: take the wires out, cut off some of the bare copper and reconnect. It should look like the left side connector, where there is no copper showing outside of the connector. Again, be sure to only work on the comm bus with all the circuit breakers turned off.

If any of those wires on the right have worked their way out of the connector, that might be the cause of the comm problem.

 

[Jimrahbe]

gb,

Dirk has you covered, but just to follow up..

A salt level reading of zero is just a reporting problem and not a real problem as long as the cell's salt light is green. It is a well know issue without a certain fix. I believe it is a timing issue and has been "solved" by changing almost any of the parts involved. Here is list of things that have corrected the problem.

1. Often just rebooting the system will correct the salt readings.
2. Replacing the flow switch is Pentair's go to fix and works about 80% of the time.
3. Replacing the whole cell
4. Replacing the surge card
5. Replacing the main board in the EasyTouch.

If your system is under warranty, then you should get Pentair to fix it.

If not under warranty, then I'd replace the flow switch as it does not cost much and is an easy DIY install.

Anything else is not really worth the money. The reported salt level is often not even close to the actual salt level anyway. I'd get the Taylor K1766 salt test kit and not worry about the reported zero. Use the K1766 and the salt level light on the cell to keep your actual salt level where you want it.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[gbhumphrey]

Thanks all, I'm looking at replacing that surge card next. I'll update when I do.