Pentair Low Salt Reading

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Jun 13, 2016
119
Twin Cities MN
Pool Size
20000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
My Pentair IC40 is showing a solid red light for salt level despite my recent tests showing salt at 3600 using the salt water test kit. This just started yesterday. I also just did a test of the water coming out of one of the returns and got a chlorine level of 6.5. Note that I had a sprinkler attached to the jet and I took the water sample from the sprinkler before it could enter the pool water.

What could be causing the solid red light low salt reading? This is a 2016 model Intellichlor. All other lights appear normal.

Thanks!
 
That is a classic sign of the thermistor in your flow switch failing.

Probable bad flow switch on Intellichlor IC60

Earlier this year I replaced my dead IC 40 with a new IC 60. Install was simple and I immediately got what I wanted, a working SWG that consistently kept my free chlorine level where I wanted it without running the pump 20 hours a day. I typically check my salt level using the diagnostics menu...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
The thread above describes how to do the diagnostics to test the thermistor. If it is bad, then you replace the entire flow switch. They are available on Amazon. Pentair originals are about $100 and generic knock offs about $60.
 
So the Cell light is on? Or did it used to be on before the Salt light was red?

Did you run through the diagnostics in the thread I linked?
 
The Cell light is on while at the same time the salt light is red. I haven't had a chance to run the diagnostics yet. Pouring rain here! I'll be doing it tomorrow.
 
If the cell light is green then the SWCG is generating chlorine.

You might post a picture of what you see tomorrow.
 
Today the Cell light is not on even after pressing the More button. Also, running the diagnostic test resulted in the 20% light lighting up. Pressing the More button again resulted in the 80 and 100 % lights being on. I forgot to mention that the Cell light came on yesterday only after I had run the diagnostic. Didn't get the same result today.

The FC was fine again (5.5) this morning so I'm sure it's still producing chlorine. We had the pool cover open almost the entire day yesterday so that seems perfect as far as FC. When I checked the water coming directly back into the pool from the jets, the FC was 6.5.

Interesting to see only 2000 approximate hours of operation based on the diagnostic. It's been running since June 2016. That's about 4 years (4 months at most each year) plus not quite one month yet this year. That would mean approximately 500 days of operation, or an average of only 4 hours a day. I have almost always been able to run it at 40% or lower (probably because we have a cover) and still maintain proper FC levels. So this might make sense if hours of operation refers to only the hours it is generating chlorine, which I believe is the case.
FA205A5C-B6BA-4F54-B43E-1B42548324C8.jpeg
 
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Was the heater on?

The water exiting the heater can be up to 16.8 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the actual pool water temperature.

I would cut the green and white wires going to the flow switch to make the temperature read at 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

I would install a regular Pentair temperature sensor in the pipe near the cell and wire that as the temperature sensor instead of the flow switch temperature sensor.
 
I hadn't turned the heater on yet for today so I assume the water temp was within a few degrees of 82. The heater thermometer seems to read low to start the day. Once I get the pump to a higher speed, then it will read a degree or two warmer.

Is there a video you can reference that shows how to install a "regular Pentair temperature sensor?"

Thanks!
 

Pentair Air | Water | Solar Temperature Sensor with 20' Cable - 520272 - INYOPools.com

520272 - Pentair Temp. Sensor
www.inyopools.com www.inyopools.com

520272-dimn.jpg


Drill a 3/8" hole in the pipe and insert the sensor. Secure in place with a clamp.
 
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