Pentair IC20 With Weird Flashing Sequence

[H2Ohh]

I can't seem to find what the sensor is trying to tell me. In the Salt section, the green good light and red low light flash interchangeably. The flow light is solid red (picture below). Verified filter was clean. Cleaned cell (no reaction/bubbles and no evidence of obstruction around cells). No chlorine is being generated. I checked salt level and it was ~3100. Added a bag a few minutes ago and will retest in the morning. Held the more button and it shows 60% life used.

Any other ideas?

11000 gallon freeform. Sta Rite 3 DE filter. Pentair IC20.

 

[mknauss]

If the flow light is red, nothing else will work. The salt lights flashing are them ready to test the salinity, but the flow being too low has everything off.

Check your filter. It is dirty.

 

[Jimrahbe]

H2,

The cell will do the railroad like flashing anytime it is powered on and then 12 hours later, as it does a calibration.. It will never work unless you have a green flow light. The flow has to be fixed first. Most likely a faulty flow switch assembly.. If you have good strong flow out of your pool returns, then you have plenty of flow to turn on the flow switch.

If under warranty, you should have Pentair take care of it.. If not, the flow switch assembly is an easy DIY fix.

To confirm you have a bad flow switch, you can cut the red and black wires coming from the switch and going into the cell.. Connect the Red and Black wires coming from the cell together. This is what the switch would do, and should cause the flow light to turn green. If it does not turn green, then the cell is bad. Note.. You cannot run your cell this way except for a short test. Do not leave the wires connected if the pump is off, as it could cause the cell to explode.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[H2Ohh]

Thanks for the ideas. I'll check the filter again. Embarrassed to say that I didn't know I needed to clean the DE filter beyond a simple backwash as needed (guess my pool school with the builder wasn't sufficient LOL). I did it this weekend and it was CAKED with sediment and calcium (after 3 years). The pool was very cloudy, but is now clear. I'm wondering if that was all DE that (on top of the 9LB of DE I recharged with) has clogged the filter again.

 

[Jimrahbe]

H2,

You went three years without opening and cleaning your filter grids??? That has to be a record..

Either you have good flow back to the pool or you don't.. No matter if it is the filter, or something else, if you can't feel a good flow of water coming out of your pool returns, you need to improve the flow before the cell will work. Certainly a dirty filter is the most likely cause of low flow..

Thanks,

Jim R.