Replaced Jandy Aquapure 700 salt cell but still no chlorine production?

[WCF]

First of all, thank you all for this wonderful forum. I have been learning alot from reading your posts!

Long story short...started doing maintenance on spa (installed 2018) during the pandemic. I could get decent levels of FC (2-3) by running the Aquapure at 15-20%.

Have had on again off again algae problems since aquapure started having issues in May last year, and I couldn't get decent chlorine production even if I cranked the chlorine production up to 50 or 75%. Was getting error codes 121, 120 (120 - Low cell current in forward direction - check DC cord, clean cell if necessary or replace cell. 121 - Low cell current in reverse direction, same as 120 above). Cleaned the cell, replaced the DC cable etc to no avail, did some research online and figured it was probably be the cell (once I used non-dilluted Muriatic acid to clean the cell, so its probably my fault).

Bought new Jandy Aquapure 700 cell off ebay in Dec 2022 and installed in Feb 2023 .... didn't start it up since water temperatures were relatively low (for SoCal) in the mid 50s and wanted to wait and get water balance right. Stabilizer levels were low. Added stabilizer but levels were still below 20. So never really started the cell up. Controlled algae by scrubbing, then using Shock DryTec Calcium Hypochlorite periodically (which made the Calcium levels skyrocket, I've stopped using it since)

A couple weeks ago, had some plaster repair done, and even though the repair work was in a shallower corner of the spa, the tech drained the spa completely. Test results from newly changed spa water:
FC .5 ppm
PH 7.6- 7.8.
TA 160
CH 150
CYA 0
Salt 0
Added salt, stabilizer, liquid chlorine but didn't do anything with the akalinity which seems high in our tap water. After a few days got the water to this:
FC 2 ppm
PH 7.6- 7.8.
TA 160
CH 150
CYA 65
Salt 2700

Later on, started running Aquapure at 40% and still getting FC readings below 1. Then errors 194/125 on the Jandy Aquapure SWG.
I looked on the web and it appears "194 -Cell Current is 85% lower than desired and cell voltage above 19V (generates 125 code - Cell dirty or needs replacement)"
I checked the cell before firing it up and washed off the very light layer of scale.

Need some help figuring out the next step...Thanks in advance!

 

[HermanTX]

Did you change out the cord that plugs into the SWCG and back to the PCB?
It is sometimes best to change it and the SWCG as the same time.

 

[WCF]

Did you change out the cord that plugs into the SWCG and back to the PCB?
It is sometimes best to change it and the SWCG as the same time.

Hi Herman, thanks for the reply. I did change the cable out with the SWCG.

 

[generessler]

I have a 1400 and have observed the following.

• The cell absolutely wants salt at 3000-3500ppm. It won't shut off for low salt until ~2000, but that level is about preventing cell damage, not optimizing production.
• If you get the salt to the right level know how to use a voltmeter, pull the plug up just slightly (while cell is off) so you can get a DC reading (with it set at 100%) across the middle pin and either of the outside ones. That single check says a lot. Should be 22 to 28. Low often means something wrong with the power supply, relays or wiring (like the cord you've replaced). High often means the cell is at end-of-life. (You can be really unlucky and have a combination of the two that produces a good voltage, but that's hard.
• There are many more possible checks if you are savvy to take readings on the boards inside the control box. This tech training is a pretty good explanation of them.

Having said all that, it sounds like either your eBay replacement cell was bad from the get-go or there's something wrong in the control box. If you're confident in the cell, the next step is to look for corroded or burnt parts in the box and - if you know how to do it - doing more measurements in there to determine which board or wiring is broken.

One other thing to make double sure is that your system is set up for the 700 and not a 1400. This seems impossible because it was working okay at one time. But it can't hurt to verify. You can see where to check in the manual, page 17. The jumper needs to be clipped as shown.

 

[WCF]

I have a 1400 and have observed the following.

• The cell absolutely wants salt at 3000-3500ppm. It won't shut off for low salt until ~2000, but that level is about preventing cell damage, not optimizing production.
• If you get the salt to the right level know how to use a voltmeter, pull the plug up just slightly (while cell is off) so you can get a DC reading (with it set at 100%) across the middle pin and either of the outside ones. That single check says a lot. Should be 22 to 28. Low often means something wrong with the power supply, relays or wiring (like the cord you've replaced). High often means the cell is at end-of-life. (You can be really unlucky and have a combination of the two that produces a good voltage, but that's hard.
• There are many more possible checks if you are savvy to take readings on the boards inside the control box. This tech training is a pretty good explanation of them.

Having said all that, it sounds like either your eBay replacement cell was bad from the get-go or there's something wrong in the control box. If you're confident in the cell, the next step is to look for corroded or burnt parts in the box and - if you know how to do it - doing more measurements in there to determine which board or wiring is broken.

One other thing to make double sure is that your system is set up for the 700 and not a 1400. This seems impossible because it was working okay at one time. But it can't hurt to verify. You can see where to check in the manual, page 17. The jumper needs to be clipped as shown.

Thanks for the reply! I will up the salt level and if I still have problemsdo the tests you mentioned. Will report back shortly.

 

[WCF]

Thanks for the reply! I will up the salt level and if I still have problemsdo the tests you mentioned. Will report back shortly.

I have a 1400 and have observed the following.

• The cell absolutely wants salt at 3000-3500ppm. It won't shut off for low salt until ~2000, but that level is about preventing cell damage, not optimizing production.
• If you get the salt to the right level know how to use a voltmeter, pull the plug up just slightly (while cell is off) so you can get a DC reading (with it set at 100%) across the middle pin and either of the outside ones. That single check says a lot. Should be 22 to 28. Low often means something wrong with the power supply, relays or wiring (like the cord you've replaced). High often means the cell is at end-of-life. (You can be really unlucky and have a combination of the two that produces a good voltage, but that's hard.
• There are many more possible checks if you are savvy to take readings on the boards inside the control box. This tech training is a pretty good explanation of them.

Having said all that, it sounds like either your eBay replacement cell was bad from the get-go or there's something wrong in the control box. If you're confident in the cell, the next step is to look for corroded or burnt parts in the box and - if you know how to do it - doing more measurements in there to determine which board or wiring is broken.

One other thing to make double sure is that your system is set up for the 700 and not a 1400. This seems impossible because it was working okay at one time. But it can't hurt to verify. You can see where to check in the manual, page 17. The jumper needs to be clipped as shown.

Hello,
I did add salt and now we're at about 3200ppm. Left the SWCG running at 25% overnight and still nothing. Will measure the voltages next.

 

[WCF]

I have a 1400 and have observed the following.

• The cell absolutely wants salt at 3000-3500ppm. It won't shut off for low salt until ~2000, but that level is about preventing cell damage, not optimizing production.
• If you get the salt to the right level know how to use a voltmeter, pull the plug up just slightly (while cell is off) so you can get a DC reading (with it set at 100%) across the middle pin and either of the outside ones. That single check says a lot. Should be 22 to 28. Low often means something wrong with the power supply, relays or wiring (like the cord you've replaced). High often means the cell is at end-of-life. (You can be really unlucky and have a combination of the two that produces a good voltage, but that's hard.
• There are many more possible checks if you are savvy to take readings on the boards inside the control box. This tech training is a pretty good explanation of them.

Having said all that, it sounds like either your eBay replacement cell was bad from the get-go or there's something wrong in the control box. If you're confident in the cell, the next step is to look for corroded or burnt parts in the box and - if you know how to do it - doing more measurements in there to determine which board or wiring is broken.

One other thing to make double sure is that your system is set up for the 700 and not a 1400. This seems impossible because it was working okay at one time. But it can't hurt to verify. You can see where to check in the manual, page 17. The jumper needs to be clipped as shown.

Hi,
Just measured the voltage and its 36V, very high. I'll read the literature and see if I can do some more troubleshooting before I cotnact the seller on ebay. Thanks again for your help!

Regards,

Wen-Chun

 

[Newdude]

On top of any mechanical issues, Overnight Chlorine Loss Test because if you fix the SWG and have algae from when it wasnt working properly, you wont know its a different battle at that point. . SWGs usually can't overcome an active algae bloom and appear to not produce FC.

 

[WCF]

On top of any mechanical issues, Overnight Chlorine Loss Test because if you fix the SWG and have algae from when it wasnt working properly, you wont know its a different battle at that point. . SWGs usually can't overcome an active algae bloom and appear to not produce FC.

Good point and well noted! I was in the middle of a series of SLAM treatments (following instructions on this forum)...and then the plaster repair tech drained the entire spa and acid washed the exposed surface, which should have got rid of all the algae? Either way I will do a overnight chlorine loss test. Thanks!