Pentair ic40 - salt reading Zero on phone app

[blebl3]

I am having problems with my SWG. Everything is functioning, except 0ppm on screen logic. I can adjust output % and it changes accordingly. Seems to be chlorinating. Unit is only approx 6 months old. All lights green on the unit. No error codes. Water temp 90f.

Any resolution for this?

thanks

 

[jblizzle]

Many SWGs only report a salt level when the SWG is actively generating.
Are you sure it is generating?
Does it report anything different on the Easytough itself?

 

[blebl3]

thanks for reply...
I thought i was actually replying to an old thread with a person with an identical problem

the pool seems to be maintaining chlorine (and i am not adding any other source)
all of the easy touch appears normal, working (other than reporting 0ppm salt)
it previously always showed the salt PPM (whether the SWG was actively generating chlorine or not - always in the ~3500ppm range)
i've tried unplugging/resetting, switching breaker

i have ordered the cleaning cap, will try a muriatic acid clean later this week once it arrives, otherwise i guess i'll contact PB and/or pentair

 

[Dirk]

i've tried unplugging/resetting, switching breaker

Is your ScreenLogic Interface Adapter unit hardwired to your ET, or is it wireless? If wired, cycling the power to the ET will cycle power to the Adapter. If it's wireless, then you have to power down the Adapter at the Adapter itself. I solved a few mystery glitches in my system by cycling the Adapter off and on.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Bleb,

We have seen a number of reports of this problem...

I am not sure anyone knows for sure the cause. If your unit is under warranty I suggest you report it and have Pentair fix the problem.

If out of warranty, it is a pain, but since the cell is still working I'm not sure I would spend any money to fix it.

I had it happen to me once before and just turning the SWG off and then turning back on, solved the issue.. but this has not normally helped others.

It has been reported that replacing the Flow Switch assembly has made the problem go away, but I'm not sure if this is a fix or the cell just happened to work after the Flow switch was replaced.

Try to use this test and see what your thermistor (inside the flow switch) reads...

Pressing and holding the “More” button launches the System Status Mode. When the lights finish scrolling, the percent lights indicate hours of usage in 1,000s. For example, if the 40% light lights, that indicates 4,000 hours.

Version 3.1 on adds the ability to determine system temperature. Pressing the “More” button after the display shows 1,000s of hours of usage, will show temperature as follows:

Lights…………….....………Temperature
No LEDs………….…..………Below 30F
40%..........................36 to 45F
40% and 60%............46 to 55F
60%..........................56 to 65F
60% and 80%............66 to 75F
80%.........................76 to 85F
80 and 100%............86 to 95F
100%.......................96 to 99F
100% blinking……..….over 99F
All LEDs blinking……...Sensor bad

The temperature sensor is a 10k thermistor. Its resistance varies based on the temperature. The way it varies is known precisely. So the box measures resistance in ohms and calculates the temperature.

If the thermistor fails in a way that’s obvious to the software, the software will ignore the thermistor and use 75 degrees F as the temperature.

When using 75 as the default temperature, the salinity will be miscalculated by the software for any water temperature other than 75 F.

The further the water temperature is from 75F, the more error there will be in the salinity calculation.

If the thermistor drifts off calibration in a way that’s not obvious to the software, the software will use the incorrect temperature and the salinity will be off depending on how far the water temperature is from what the software thinks the temperature is.

I don't believe that cleaning the cell will fix this issue..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[jblizzle]

FYI, do not clean the cell if you do not actually see scaling in the cell. An acid wash will shorten the cell's life.

 

[blebl3]

Thank you all for the replies/suggestions. I am going to disassemble it today to at least inspect it (haven’t done it yet since it’s been installed).

will update with any findings

 

[blebl3]

FYI, i disassembled the cell, chipped off calcium buildup, and sprayed with hose (did not use any acid)....hooked it all back up, now its sensing salt level again!

 

[jblizzle]

Try to keep your CSI in the -0.3 to 0 range and the scaling build up should be minimized.

 

[Jimrahbe]

FYI, i disassembled the cell, chipped off calcium buildup, and sprayed with hose (did not use any acid)....hooked it all back up, now its sensing salt level again!

b,

The problem of course is knowing if that actually "fixed" the problem or did just taking it apart and putting it back together make it work... I have noticed on mine that sometimes when I click on the chlorinator tab in ScreenLogic it will instantly show the salt level and other times it will take two to five seconds before the zero changes into a salt reading. My theory (and it is worth about what you paid for it) is that there is a timing or programming glitch that is the main cause of the issue. Maybe one day Pentair will announce a fix..

Thanks for the feedback,

Jim R.

 

[blebl3]

Thanks for the comments. I know I neeed to do better with csi...pool sure does suck up the muriatic acid

 

[blebl3]

Spoke too soon. Doing same thing again.