Intellichlor Not Running with Pump on Low Speed

[Sticks1130]

Hello, I have a recently remodeled pool with all new equipment and I don't think our pool builder did a very good job setting up the equipment. I'm not able to get the the salt cell to power on at all when running the pump on low speed. The equipment is a Pentair Intellichlor with a Pentair Intelliflo Gen3 VS pump and EasyTouch4 panel.

I'm not sure if it's relevant but the way they set it up the low speed is setup as a Feature.

Can anybody assist with what changes I need to make to get the salt cell to be active when running the pump on low?

Thank you and please let me know any other info that might be needed to help me out.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Hello! Welcome to TFP
Do you know how many RPMs your low setting runs? It may not be enough to trigger the salt cell flow sensor. Generally we tell folks to set it at something like 1500 rpm. Then check and see if the cell is triggered. If so, drop down another 100 rpm and check again. When you hit the spot where it doesn't trigger the cell on, go higher to trigger than add another 100 rpm.

Maddie

 

[Jimrahbe]

S,

Is the problem that the cell shows a red low flow light, or that the cell has no lights at all?

Do you have ScreenLogic on your EasyTouch or do you use Pentair remotes?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Sticks1130]

There are no lights on at all.

I have ScreenLogic.

thanks for your help

 

[Sticks1130]

Hello! Welcome to TFP
Do you know how many RPMs your low setting runs? It may not be enough to trigger the salt cell flow sensor. Generally we tell folks to set it at something like 1500 rpm. Then check and see if the cell is triggered. If so, drop down another 100 rpm and check again. When you hit the spot where it doesn't trigger the cell on, go higher to trigger than add another 100 rpm.

Maddie

Thanks for the reply. The low setting is 2200 RPMs but when on low speed none of the lights come on the salt cell at all.

 

[Jimrahbe]

There are no lights on at all.

Sticks,

OK... I suspect your programmer is an idiot...

For the cell to run, the system has to be in either the Pool mode or the Spa mode..

I suspect that when you are in "low speed" your system is not in either mode.

Here is an example of a bad schedule program and then a good program.. (Just using make up number)

Bad Scheduling...
Pool circuit scheduled to run from 8 am until noon. (SWCG will be on...)
"Low Speed" scheduled to run from noon until 8 pm (SWCG will be OFF... because system is no longer in Pool Mode)

Good Scheduling
Pool Circuit scheduled to run from 8 am until 8 pm. (SWCG will be on)
"Low Speed scheduled to run from noon until 8 pm. (SWCG stays on because the Pool circuit is still on)

The way it should be programmed is that your Pool Circuit should always be the slowest speed you ever want to run and keep the cell working.
Then you add additional circuits to make the pump run faster.

When the pump sees two or more speeds it will always run the fastest one..

Show me this page from ScreenLogic.. (Mine is on my PC, yours may be on your phone)

Set up page 4.JPG

• Jimrahbe
• Apr 19, 2019

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Sticks1130]

I have long suspected you are correct about the programmer but haven't had luck finding the solution, I feel like you're on the right path though. Here is my pump setup.

A note I think may be important is the circuit named "Pool Low" appears to be a Feature with a custom name.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Sticks,

Pool High and Pool Low are just circuit "names".. You could name them Jim and Sticks if you wanted.. The system does not look at Circuit Names.. It look at what "Circuit" the name is connected to.. My guess is that the name "Pool High" is connected to the Pool Circuit. The name "Pool Low" is connected to Feature Circuit #XX" This way Pool High turns on the cell and Pool low does not.

The page below shows how the Circuit and Circuit Name, and Circuit Function tie things together. Look at the column names at the very top of the page..

Set up page 2.JPG

• Jimrahbe
• Jun 8, 2020

So, what is your plan?? Do you want to try to fix this, or do you plan to call the installer back in??

I'd be glad to help, but need to know what you want to do..

Do you have ScreenLogic on your PC???

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Sticks1130]

Got it, thanks for helping to teach me up.

I would prefer to not have to work with the pool builder at all unless this is about to get really complicated. Doing this setup certainly isn't intuitive to me but it feels like it shouldn't be terribly complicated, especially with some help.

I do not have ScreenLogic on my PC but looking at Pentair's website it looks like I can download it and start setting it up. I will start working on getting that setup, it looks more user friendly from your screenshots than the phone app.

Thanks again for taking the time to help me out here, I really appreciate it.

 

[pjt]

Is the Pool circuit active?

 

[Sticks1130]

Man, that PC app is not intuitive either but I was able to get it downloaded and get to the same screen from your screenshot.

 

[Sticks1130]

Is the Pool circuit active?

Apparently it is not. This whole world is new to me so it is all a little over my head. It appears I need to completely redo the setup for circuits.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Sticks,

Should be very easy to do via your PC ScreenLogic.

Click the line that shows the Pool Circuit and change the name "Pool High" to just Pool. Circuit Function should be Pool

Click the line for Feature 1 and change the name from Pool Low to anything that means faster or high.. It does not matter as long as you know what is it for.. Function stays Generic.

Then using the following screen, I want you to set your Pool circuit speed to 2250, and your "high" to 2950.

Set up page 4.JPG

• Jimrahbe
• Apr 19, 2019

Then save it and get back in to the normal ScreenLogic on your PC and set up your schedules..

Capture.JPG

• Jimrahbe
• Sep 6, 2023

I suggest that you initially set up the following.

Pool... 8 am until 8 am (24 hours)
"High" (or whatever name you used) for the time you want your pump to run at a faster speed.

This is a good place to start and then we can adjust things up or down from there. I think your pump speeds are way too fast.. If you do not have a heater, you should be running at about 1200 RPM in the pool mode..

The good thing about the PC ScreenLogic is that you can program everything in about 5 minutes, once you understand how things work.

Please let me know if you run into an issue and I can get you pointed in the right direction.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Sticks1130]

Jim, thank you so much for walking me through all of that. With your help that was pretty easy to follow and I think I'm all set now. I'll need to figure out what RPMs and length of time my schedule should really be set for since the builder clearly didn't set me up for success here, but I'll get there too.

Thank you again.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Sticks,

A lot of people here with salt cells run 24/7 at a low RPM.. This means that you are making a little chlorine all the time, and skimming all the time. I personally like the look of my pool when the pump is running.

I run 24/7, mostly at about 1200 RPM and it costs me less than $20 bucks a month.. And... my pump is 10 years old!! Your IntelliFlo3 is a lot more energy efficient than my old one. At 1200 RPM, my pump is so quiet that I have to almost touch it just to make sure it is running. In my opinion, running 24/7 is less stressful on the pump than making it start and stop each day. You also never have to worry about freeze control..

Good luck with your new system.. You also might want to check out our Pool School and see how we maintain a saltwater pool. We do things a lot different, and better, than pool stores and pool builders.

Thanks,

Jim R.