We have an Intellichlor IC40 on our pool and it was brand new when the pool was installed 2 years ago. About a month agonit started to pop the low voltage breaker in the panel. I called a few pool service shops and each one told me that these things usually last about 1-3 years and then they are toast. Warranty is 1 year. I was quoted about $1100 for a new one. Is there a better more reliable option to keep our pool a salt pool? I dont want to pay $1100 every year or two for a garbage unit that obviously has problems but my wife like the salt pool.
Intellichlor IC40 failed
- Thread starter Jd21476
- Start date
jd,
Most all brands of cells last 5 to 7 years..
I've gone through 3 IC40 cells.. One lasted almost 9 years, one lasted well over 7 years, and one lasted a little over 7 years.
The cell could be bad but about 75% of reported bad cells are not really the cell.
I assume that you have an EasyTouch automation system with a built-in SWCG power center.
If so, unplug the cell and then reset the breaker and see what happens.
Look at the surge card (Mounted to the wall in back of the control panel) and see if the little green light is on.
If you have a system installed by a pool builder it should have a much longer warranty than one year.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Most all brands of cells last 5 to 7 years..
I've gone through 3 IC40 cells.. One lasted almost 9 years, one lasted well over 7 years, and one lasted a little over 7 years.
The cell could be bad but about 75% of reported bad cells are not really the cell.
I assume that you have an EasyTouch automation system with a built-in SWCG power center.
If so, unplug the cell and then reset the breaker and see what happens.
Look at the surge card (Mounted to the wall in back of the control panel) and see if the little green light is on.
If you have a system installed by a pool builder it should have a much longer warranty than one year.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Ahultin
Bronze Supporter
- Aug 19, 2021
- 1,431
- Pool Size
- 17700
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Assuming your builder registered the build, this should have a 3yr warranty. Call pentair and make a claim
Im glad to report that I called Pentair, then sent a technician to check it out and he replaced it under warranty. He said that there was a bad batch if IC40s that were going around sometime around COVID and he thinks I had one.
My first IC40 lasted from June 2014 to June 2020. If someone quoted you $1100 to replace it, that's a fair price in today's market! But your warranty replacement was even better!
We service 100's of pools with these cells and they last WAY longer than 1-3 years. Most last at least 7 in our experience. We always upsize to double so IC40's on 20k pools and IC60's on anything bigger... we also do a light acid washing on them once very season (here in NJ pools are only open 6 months). The most common failure we see is where the connector goes into the power center sometimes that stops making proper contact and the pins/jack can get corroded. It's a shame that part isn't sold separately so it can be replaced. On rare occasion the flow switch paddle rots out but overall the Pentair systems have been quite solid and with chlorine prices pay for themselves.
Rob,
My personal pull it out of my rear estimate is that 75% of 'reported' salt cell failures, are not the salt cell at all.
Your experience kind of backs up my estimates.
Thanks,
Jim R.
My personal pull it out of my rear estimate is that 75% of 'reported' salt cell failures, are not the salt cell at all.
Your experience kind of backs up my estimates.
Thanks,
Jim R.