I've had this Chlorinator for about 10 years and it has worked well, but this season I noticed it has been producing no chlorine. I cleaned it with muriatic acid, I ran the diagnostic that showed it was 60% used up. All the lights are green- good salt level, good flow, good cell. I understand that when it's done the cell light will indicate end of life, but everything says it's OK. Is there anything else to try or is this the end? I know it is not making chlorine because my chemistry is good and the chlorine will not go up- I've had to add liquid. Thanks folks.
Pentair IC40 IntelliChlor- making no chlorine???
- Thread starter davedive
- Start date
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,896
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Do you have the math indicating roughly how many hours a day it ran and at what output percent? That would be an alternate way to calculate if it should have anything left in the tank.
Example, if you ran it on average for 6 hours a day at 50% for 10 years, that would be:
6 x .5 x 365 x 10 = 10,950
which would be 950 hours more than they're supposed to be able to produce chlorine (an IC40 produces chlorine for up to 10,000 hours).
You would, of course, subtract the days it is typically off during the winter.
Example, if you ran it on average for 6 hours a day at 50% for 10 years, that would be:
6 x .5 x 365 x 10 = 10,950
which would be 950 hours more than they're supposed to be able to produce chlorine (an IC40 produces chlorine for up to 10,000 hours).
You would, of course, subtract the days it is typically off during the winter.
Last edited:
Dave,
Most cells last 5 to 7 years, so 10 years is way beyond the expected life, no matter what the cell reports.
Try this simple test... Set the cell's output to 50%... Watch the Cell light... If should come on for about 2.5 minutes (while the cell is making chlorine) and then it will be off for about 2.5 minutes (while the cell is at rest.) This cycle will just keep repeating..
I have yet to see a cell that was not making chlorine if it was clean and the cell light was working as outlined above.
Let us know how the test works.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Most cells last 5 to 7 years, so 10 years is way beyond the expected life, no matter what the cell reports.
Try this simple test... Set the cell's output to 50%... Watch the Cell light... If should come on for about 2.5 minutes (while the cell is making chlorine) and then it will be off for about 2.5 minutes (while the cell is at rest.) This cycle will just keep repeating..
I have yet to see a cell that was not making chlorine if it was clean and the cell light was working as outlined above.
Let us know how the test works.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Dirk- agree, I'm past the expected life
Jim R.- I ran the test. Turned the power to 0, then set it at 40%. The cell light was on 1:45, off 3:14, on 1:45, off 3:14, etc. Wow! I never knew it did that! Still, I've had the thing on for weeks at 100% and my chlorine has not gotten above 2 unless I add liquid.
Jim R.- I ran the test. Turned the power to 0, then set it at 40%. The cell light was on 1:45, off 3:14, on 1:45, off 3:14, etc. Wow! I never knew it did that! Still, I've had the thing on for weeks at 100% and my chlorine has not gotten above 2 unless I add liquid.
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test (cell off)
If you pass that, run the test in reverse and crank the cell up and test at sunset and sunrise. If you made no FC overnight, and none was consumed with no UV, and no algae consuming it (previous pass OCLT), then you know the cell isn't working.
If you pass that, run the test in reverse and crank the cell up and test at sunset and sunrise. If you made no FC overnight, and none was consumed with no UV, and no algae consuming it (previous pass OCLT), then you know the cell isn't working.
Dave,
If the cell is making chlorine, where is it going? Well, if you have algae, the cell will never be able to make more chlorine than the algae can consume. This happens even if you can't see the algae yet.
As has been suggested before.. You need to run an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test or OCLT.. Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
Chlorine gets conusume by the sun and by algae. The OCLT is done at night to eliminate the sun having any effect. If you lose FC at night, it has to be because of algae.
You can't do an OCLT unless you start with an FC of 6 to 10 ppm. So just after sundown, add enough Liquid Chlorine to get your FC up to say 8 ppm and then get your rear out of bed just before sunup and see what your FC reads.
Thanks,
Jim R.
If the cell is making chlorine, where is it going? Well, if you have algae, the cell will never be able to make more chlorine than the algae can consume. This happens even if you can't see the algae yet.
As has been suggested before.. You need to run an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test or OCLT.. Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
Chlorine gets conusume by the sun and by algae. The OCLT is done at night to eliminate the sun having any effect. If you lose FC at night, it has to be because of algae.
You can't do an OCLT unless you start with an FC of 6 to 10 ppm. So just after sundown, add enough Liquid Chlorine to get your FC up to say 8 ppm and then get your rear out of bed just before sunup and see what your FC reads.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Never thought about it but maybe the algae is overwhelming the salt generator- I will test it. Only problem is a few hours ago the low salt light started blinking- no surprise with all the rain. So, I had to throw in a bag of salt. Does high ph indicate there might be algae? It keeps climbing and seems every week I need to throw in more muriatic acid. Is that normal? Right now my cl= 3.8, ph= 7.7, alk= 120, cy acid= 70-75, salt= 3380. Water looks perfect to me. Could I test with just the spa? How about I put it in spa mode so the water is just circulating in the spa then crank up the salt generator and see if the cl goes up? This might be faster.
Ph and algae are not related
Lack of FC, cloudiness, CCs etc are algae
I second the recommendation to do a OCLT (with cell off!) and a reverse OCLT (with cell on)
That will be definitive as to if the cell is working or not, or being overwhelmed
Lack of FC, cloudiness, CCs etc are algae
I second the recommendation to do a OCLT (with cell off!) and a reverse OCLT (with cell on)
That will be definitive as to if the cell is working or not, or being overwhelmed
Dave,
pH has really nothing to do with algae.
You simple have algae because you are not keeping your FC in the proper relationship with your CYA per this chart...
FC/CYA Levels
Thanks,
Jim R.
pH has really nothing to do with algae.
You simple have algae because you are not keeping your FC in the proper relationship with your CYA per this chart...
FC/CYA Levels
Thanks,
Jim R.
Can't get anywhere without taking the first step. 
Sometimes there's more steps after that.
Keep us posted.
Sometimes there's more steps after that.
Keep us posted.
Ha! OK- Have some results:
First ran the filter pump all night but turned the SWG OFF
Tues 9:50 pm FC= 5
Wed 6:35 am FC= 4.6
So overnight I lost .4
Next I ran the filter pump all night with the SWG ON @ 100% power (skipped a day because of low salt)
Thurs 10:20 pm FC= 3.8
Fri 7:30 am FC= 4.2
So overnight with the SWG I gained .4
There was a gain but I feel that it is much less than expected and the SWG is no longer working. Even with a little gain you also have to consider I've had that SWG at 100% for the entire week and have not added any liquid chlorine since Tuesday at 6:00 pm. The filter pump and SWG is running about 12 hours per day normally. So from Tues. I am still down .8 overall.
First ran the filter pump all night but turned the SWG OFF
Tues 9:50 pm FC= 5
Wed 6:35 am FC= 4.6
So overnight I lost .4
Next I ran the filter pump all night with the SWG ON @ 100% power (skipped a day because of low salt)
Thurs 10:20 pm FC= 3.8
Fri 7:30 am FC= 4.2
So overnight with the SWG I gained .4
There was a gain but I feel that it is much less than expected and the SWG is no longer working. Even with a little gain you also have to consider I've had that SWG at 100% for the entire week and have not added any liquid chlorine since Tuesday at 6:00 pm. The filter pump and SWG is running about 12 hours per day normally. So from Tues. I am still down .8 overall.
Ok so it's on and trying to generate, and just not getting anywhere. The pool has been proven healthy. There's likely just a hair of coating left on two (?) plates and the rest are depleted.
On the plus side, you won't ever second guess if there was more that you could have done.
Thank it for it's service and replace it.
On the plus side, you won't ever second guess if there was more that you could have done.
Thank it for it's service and replace it.
- Nov 12, 2017
- 11,896
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40