Intellichlor reading off by 1,000 ppm

[scrumpto]

Pool readings:
Salt: 3500 (Digital Salinity Tester and pool store)
PH: 7.8, working on it. (test strips and test kit)

My Intellichlor was reading 0 ppm salt. I gave it an acid bath as it had some build-up on it and it started reading closer to the 3,500 ppm. Then it started dropping (as the ph went up) and it's now reading 2,400 and giving me warnings. Chlorine levels in the pool dropped enough that algae began to grow and I had to SLAM it. So I tested Intellichlor by running it just on the spa and the chlorine levels went up but it doesn't produce enough to keep the pool chlorine levels high enough.

Ideas on what's going on? Intellichlor going out? Flow switch going out? I think the unit is 2 years old. Does it somehow need to be reset?

Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

Sounds like the thermistor in the flow switch.

Get a new flow switch, file a warranty claim if within warranty, or follow the hack to remove the thermistor in the flow switch and use a more robust temperature sensor -- see Pentair Intellichlor ICXX SWG - Further Reading

 

[Jimrahbe]

S,

As the pool water gets colder, the IntelliChlor salt reading gets less and less accurate.

That, plus a bad thermistor inside the Flow Switch Assembly, can easily cause the 'actual' salt reading and the 'reported' salt reading to be off by over 1000 ppm.

Keep in mind that the IntelliChlor will shut down when the water temp is below 52 degrees.

Salt cells can not normally generate more FC than an algae bloom can consume.

Thanks,

Jim R.