Pentair IntelliChlor IC40 locked up!

[bertschb]

I checked my FC this morning expecting it to be around 5. It was 12.5!!! What the heck???? My FC has been a little higher than I want over the last few weeks (7.0-7.5) so I've been slowly dropping the cell output from around 25% to 18%. Four days ago FC was 6.0 so I dropped the cell output from 18% to 16% to try to get FC down to 5.

Now here is where it gets weird. I remember glancing at the SWCG panel a day or two ago and seeing three solid green lights for output. At the time I thought that wasn't quite right. Isn't three solid lights 60% output??? Nah, that can't be right. I have the output set to 16%. Stupid control panel with solid and flashing lights meaning two different things! Just trying to confuse customers. Time to jump in the pool!

So this morning after measuring FC at 12.5 I started fiddling with the output. Nothing I did changed the three solid lights. I tried 30%, 10%, 5%, 0%, etc. I waited a couple minutes after each change. Nothing. Three solid lights. So, I cut the power and re-started everything. Now I'm able to adjust output again and the lights do what they are supposed to do.

The bottom line is my IC40 somehow locked up at 60% output. The highest I've ever set it is 30% many months ago. I will be checking the display on the cell every day from now on.

Sooooo, pay attention to the lights on your Pentair IntelliChlor display!! It may choose to randomly change the output and you may not be able to adjust it with the EasyTouch remote or the control panel. You may have to cut power to the panel to reset it.

For now I've shut the cell off. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for FC to drop from 12.5 to 5.0.

 

[bertschb]

BTW, when I first got this pool I was testing the water every day. As the water stabilized I switched to testing every other day and eventually every three days. I decided last Friday to go to four days. Bad timing!!!! Based on the high FC level this morning, I figure the SWCG probably locked at 60% three or four days ago. Back to checking the water daily now!

 

[proavia]

Add the EasyTouch to your signature as it's an important piece of your total equipment package.

Is the EasyTouch in service mode by chance?

 

[bertschb]

Is the EasyTouch in service mode by chance?

Nope.

 

[bertschb]

I've had my IC40 shut off since 8/2/22 when I discovered it was locked at 60% output. I've measured FC daily since then and I'm surprised at how little chlorine my pool uses.

8/2/22- FC 12.5
8/3/22- FC 10.0
8/4/22- FC 8.5
8/5/22- FC 7.5
8/6/22- FC 6.5
8/7/22- FC 5.5

We have had a couple of partially cloudy days mixed in during this time but still...

 

[mknauss]

With our monsoon clouds and humidity, my FC loss per day has plummeted. I suspect yours is the same.

 

[bertschb]

Follow up...

Turned the SWCG back on this morning after having it off for five days waiting for FC to drop (see post #5). Just went outside to check the cell and it was back at 60%!!!!!!! WTH????

The only thing I've done differently since this problem started was changing the output from 18% to 16%. I had to shut the power off again to reset the cell and I've now set it to 20%. Maybe you can't choose less than 18%??? If it keeps doing this, I guess I'll just drop the pump run time from 14 hours to around 5 hours.

Stumped and very frustrated. My equipment has worked so well up until this point. Dang it!