Is phosphate treatment my final answer???

[Oly]

Jumping into this thread to watch the progress and the thrill of victory.
Great ID pic Meghanfoss, a pure joy moment.

 

[Meghanfoss]

Look on the cell for the serial number. Post all the info from there and someone will be avle to determine the manufacturing date.

Oh snap. Looks like this thing is 5 1/2 years old based on the date (1/12/2017)!! We thinking time for a new one? When checking the hours used it blinks at 60% (which means anywhere from 6000-7999 hrs)

 

[Meghanfoss]

Jumping into this thread to watch the progress and the thrill of victory.
Great ID pic Meghanfoss, a pure joy moment.

Haha thank you!!! Appreciate the support. I am so determined to figure this out. Based on above question about serial number, my cell looks to be pretty old! 1/12/2017.

And yes, that was our baby boy’s first summer and he loved the pool almost immediately!

 

[Newdude]

When checking the hours used it blinks at 60% (which means anywhere from 6000-7999 hrs)

Which means you may have up to 4k hours left.

It's likely closer to being time when you factor it as 7800 hours plus previous misuse or bad chemistry, but don't count the old girl out just yet.

 

[proavia]

Maybe @Jimrahbe or @JamesW can chime in. There should be a way to test the cell parameters, but I don't recall how on the Pentair cells.

 

[Meghanfoss]

Which means you may have up to 4k hours left.

It's likely closer to being time when you factor it as 7800 hours plus previous misuse or bad chemistry, but don't count the old girl out just yet.

Alrighty - will proceed as suggested by @ajw22 had suggested. As of 9:00 this morning FC was 8.4 and I turned the cell up to 100% around that time too. We shall see what FC reads tomorrow morning. Until then…

Also, one thing I DO know from the old pool owners, they exclusively used pool store recommendations. So likely a lot of wear and tear.

 

[jmastron]

Since you did an OCLT, I'd suggest an Overnight Chlorine *Gain* Test -- do an FC test after sunset, make sure the pump is running, and set the SWCG to 100%. Test again in the morning before the sun is on the pool. As calculated above, you should gain well over 2ppm over an 8 hour period.

Do you see small bubbles near the return(s)? The hydrogen bubbles are another way I can tell when my SWCG is generating or not.

 

[IceShadow]

I have read anecdotal stories on here of people who removed phosphates and found their SWG working better. I don't think anyone was able to explain why, and I don't know if it would help you out at all. I'm hesitant to even say anything because without people being able to explain it, we don't usually recommend it.

If you do decide to remove phosphates, see the link ajw posted earlier. Taylor has a really inexpensive color-based phosphate test that I would trust over the pool store's results, and use a quality phosphate remover, not the watered-down stuff they typically sell at pool stores. I used some myself but more as insurance as I was heading out of town for a week and wanted to have some backup in case my FC got too low. Used per directions, had some nasty snot-like stuff that gathered at the bottom of the pool, vacuumed it to waste.

 

[Meghanfoss]

Since you did an OCLT, I'd suggest an Overnight Chlorine *Gain* Test -- do an FC test after sunset, make sure the pump is running, and set the SWCG to 100%. Test again in the morning before the sun is on the pool. As calculated above, you should gain well over 2ppm over an 8 hour period.

Do you see small bubbles near the return(s)? The hydrogen bubbles are another way I can tell when my SWCG is generating or not.

Notes. Will check FC tonight as well. I see NO bubbles by any of the returns and we are cranking at 100%

 

[jeffchap]

If you do end up replacing it, I installed one of these a couple of weeks ago. It really does produce more chlorine than the IC40. I always ran my IC40 at 100% for 8 or 9 hours per day. I've already dialed this one back to 70% for 8 hours per day and I'm still well over my target for FC.

APX PERFORMANCE P40 Aftermarket Replacement Salt Cell fits Pentair IC40

Discount Salt Pool has the APX PERFORMANCE P40 aftermarket replacement salt cell that fits a Pentair IC-40 cell (520555). Get the best price with this salt cell alternative.

www.discountsaltpool.com

 

[Meghanfoss]

If you do end up replacing it, I installed one of these a couple of weeks ago. It really does produce more chlorine than the IC40. I always ran my IC40 at 100% for 8 or 9 hours per day. I've already dialed this one back to 70% for 8 hours per day and I'm still well over my target for FC.

APX PERFORMANCE P40 Aftermarket Replacement Salt Cell fits Pentair IC40

Discount Salt Pool has the APX PERFORMANCE P40 aftermarket replacement salt cell that fits a Pentair IC-40 cell (520555). Get the best price with this salt cell alternative.

www.discountsaltpool.com

Oh interesting! And it fit with your existing plumbing no problem? Like not too long or short? Thanks for the rec!

 

[jeffchap]

Oh interesting! And it fit with your existing plumbing no problem? Like not too long or short? Thanks for the rec!

It was a direct drop in replacement. The only thing is it doesn't connect to the Pentair automation system. But I don't have that anyway. If my pump is running, my SWG is on.

 

[Meghanfoss]

It was a direct drop in replacement. The only thing is it doesn't connect to the Pentair automation system. But I don't have that anyway. If my pump is running, my SWG is on.

I don’t have automation either so good to know!

 

[Jimrahbe]

Meghan,

I would not rely on the "Hours used test", that your cell can perform. In the big picture the cell either works or it does not, no matter how many hours are left.

If the IC40 "Cell" light is on, it is making chlorine. At 50% output the cell light should be on for about 2.5 minutes and then off for about 2.5 minutes.

When the cell goes bad it tends to do one of three things.. Pops the breaker, all the lights go out on the Cell itself, or the cell light starts to flash, but the cell is clean.

Cells tend to last 5 to 7 years.

If your phosphates are above 2 or 3K, then it can't hurt to remove them with a quality product. Our main complaint about phosphates is that pool stores use their tests to scare people with low levels of phosphates into buying things like phos-free etc. Those products are just not needed.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

I have read anecdotal stories on here of people who removed phosphates and found their SWG working better.

If you make a warranty claim with Pentair for the IntelliChlor cell low output and you have phosphates Pentair will tell you to remove the phosphates before they consider the claim. Pentair seems to believe that phosphates can coat the SWG plates and reduce the cell output. We have no way of verifying that.

 

[Meghanfoss]

Evening update 7:40pm EST

FC - 6.6 (down from 8.4 this morning)
CC - 0.2

SWG has been running at 100% since about 9:15am and will continue to do so till tomorrow. Not much to analyze yet since we had a full day of sun but I’m interested to see if FC increases or stays the same overnight.

Stay tuned!!!

 

[Meghanfoss]

Meghan,

I would not rely on the "Hours used test", that your cell can perform. In the big picture the cell either works or it does not, no matter how many hours are left.

If the IC40 "Cell" light is on, it is making chlorine. At 50% output the cell light should be on for about 2.5 minutes and then off for about 2.5 minutes.

When the cell goes bad it tends to do one of three things.. Pops the breaker, all the lights go out on the Cell itself, or the cell light starts to flash, but the cell is clean.

Cells tend to last 5 to 7 years.

If your phosphates are above 2 or 3K, then it can't hurt to remove them with a quality product. Our main complaint about phosphates is that pool stores use their tests to scare people with low levels of phosphates into buying things like phos-free etc. Those products are just not needed.

Thanks,

Jim R.

All cell lights are working as they should with no indication of any issues there. Only identifiable “issue” thus far is that it’s an older cell at 5.5 years. I’m interested to see what happens with FC overnight! I did get myself a bottle of phosphate remover just in case I go that route as a last ditch effort before splurging on a new cell. I got orenda PR-10000 - is that quality?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Meghan,

Just want to confirm that the LED labeled "Cell" is green. If so, then cell should be making chlorine.

Just because the cell is 5.5 years old does not mean it is dead. I've replaced two in the last year or so. One was about 7 years old and the other about 9 years old.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

Evening update 7:40pm EST

FC - 6.6 (down from 8.4 this morning)
CC - 0.2

SWG has been running at 100% since about 9:15am and will continue to do so till tomorrow. Not much to analyze yet since we had a full day of sun but I’m interested to see if FC increases or stays the same overnight.

Stay tuned!!!

Those numbers are going the wrong way and not what I expected.

Let's see what the overnight tests tell us.

If you are game it may be an interesting test to use the Phosphate Remover and see if it kickstarts your old cell for a while.

Have a bunch of DE on hand as you may need to backwash your filter a few times.

Otherwise your cell needs replacement I think.

 

[Meghanfoss]

Those numbers are going the wrong way and not what I expected.

Let's see what the overnight tests tell us.

If you are game it may be an interesting test to use the Phosphate Remover and see if it kickstarts your old cell for a while.

Have a bunch of DE on hand as you may need to backwash your filter a few times.

Otherwise your cell needs replacement I think.

Yes I would agree. We were in the pool for like 10 minutes today but I don’t think that would have had a huge impact.

I did by the orenda pr-10000 so depending on tomorrows numbers, sounds like I may use that as a last ditch effort before giving this cell the boot.