SWG flow switch

[Deb04]

In another thread, someone said to me:

"Relying on the IC's flow switch to perform the "off" function by impeding flow is not safe, at all. And if you've been doing that you should stop. The flow switch is not 100% reliable, and an IC producing chlorine gas without flow is extremely dangerous."

I did not know this and I'll stop doing that to do OCLT. However, I wonder about when my pump turns off. I have only one timer and it controls the pump. The set up was installed by the Pool Builder and we've actually been very happy with our PB. Did he make a mistake here or is this relatively new information. Do I need to manually turn the SWG output on and off each day?

 

[ajw22]

Pentair IntelliChlor Installation Manual has said the following for many years:

The IntelliChlor Salt Chlorinator Power Centers must be interconnected with the pool pump motor power source. This ensures the IntelliChlor Salt Chlorinator and pool pump will switch on and off together.

and

WARNING:CHLORINE GAS BUILDUP CAN OCCUR WITH IMPROPER WIRING: To reduce the risk of personal injury the IntelliChlor® Salt Chlorine Generator (SCG) Power Center must be installed on and wirded to the load side of the time clock, electronically controlled switch, or relay load side, so that it will receive power only when the pool pump is on. Otherwise, dangerous chlorine gas buildup can occur. The IECG should never be energized when the pool pump is OFF and water is not flowing through the unit.

Your builder did not install your IntelliChlor following the manual.

Intellichlor Cell Explosions do Happen​

Here is one report - Explosion near the SWG

And another - Help,, my pipe exploded

 

[PoolStored]

In another thread, someone said to me:

"Relying on the IC's flow switch to perform the "off" function by impeding flow is not safe, at all. And if you've been doing that you should stop. The flow switch is not 100% reliable, and an IC producing chlorine gas without flow is extremely dangerous."

The issue is that the flow switch has two states. Open (no flow) and closed (flow). If the switch fails in the closed state it will tell the cell it is ok to produce chlorine when there is in fact, no flow. Here is what can happen:

Explosion near the SWG

We were watching TV and heard a major explosion after exploring in the backyard I went into my pool equipment should and found about a 16 in PVC pipe shredded 8in on one side 8in on the other side of where my SWG Is located. I have no Idea what to think. It appears the SWG somehow was not...

www.troublefreepool.com

Explosion near the SWG

We were watching TV and heard a major explosion after exploring in the backyard I went into my pool equipment should and found about a 16 in PVC pipe shredded 8in on one side 8in on the other side of where my SWG Is located. I have no Idea what to think. It appears the SWG somehow was not...

www.troublefreepool.com

I did not know this and I'll stop doing that to do OCLT.

This statement doesn't make sense. If you are doing OCLT, should should keep pump running and turn off the cell.

However, I wonder about when my pump turns off. I have only one timer and it controls the pump. The set up was installed by the Pool Builder and we've actually been very happy with our PB. Did he make a mistake here or is this relatively new information. Do I need to manually turn the SWG output on and off each day?

Even if you connect the SWCG to the timer, it is possible for the timer to work and send power to both. If the pump is fails, you still have the same issue, SWCG running and the pump not running. You need someway (through current sensing on the pump or through automation to turn off SWCG if pump is not running.

 

[Deb04]

Your builder did not install your IntelliChlor following the manual

Uh oh. Does anyone have an idea of when the manual started saying this? I can maybe find my original manual from 2008, but I may have thrown it out when the PB replaced the SWG in c. 2018.

This statement doesn't make sense. If you are doing OCLT, should should keep pump running and turn off the cell.

When I do an OCLT I leave the pump on and turn the valve that controls water going through the SWG so that the SWG is bypassed.

Excuse me while I go outside and turn my SWG off.

 

[PoolStored]

When I do an OCLT I leave the pump on and turn the valve that controls water going through the SWG so that the SWG is bypassed.

Yes, if you are doing this, you should turn off the SWCG! Great Catch!