SWG tested fine but inaccurately reading salt level

[stuarbc]

No chlorine, so checked panel and said low salt level. Was reading around 2300 ppm. Took water to pool store and they said salt content was fine at 3200 ppm. Said SWG may be going bad and to bring back and they could test. SWG is under three years old. I didn’t trust their salt reading, so added a bag of salt. It went up to 2500...so I added a second bag and it went to 2600 after a day or so. Would have typically gone up much more than that, so figured something was wrong. Was still getting the low salt warning. I took the cell and another water sample to store today and salt was up to 4000 ppm. However, they tested the SWG and it tested okay.

They mentioned resetting my panel...but there is no on/off button or any salt calibration that I could find in the menus.

Running a Hayward pl-p-4-x288

Thoughts?

 

[JamesW]

What cell do you have?

Did the cell have scale?

What are the readings in diagnostics?

 

[CaptainUnderpants]

I run a Pentair Intellchlor ic40. As a general rule, I do not trust it’s reading. From what I understand this unit measures salt by the conductivity of the water, not by measuring salt content. Further the warmer the water the greater the conductivity. Reads from 2,800 to 3,900 depending upon temperature and the whims of the unit. I have tested my water between 3,600 and 3,800 and store measurements show 3600.

Maybe it has something to do with colder temperatures???? Is it not getting cold in Alabama right about now?

And yes. First order of business is to make sure the unit is clean.

 

[JamesW]

The salt cell might be on with no flow due to a bad flow switch.

A bad flow switch can show flow with no flow or no flow with good flow.

Turn the percentage to zero, turn the pump off and then go to diagnostics and press the > twice to see if the system says flow or no flow.

 

[stuarbc]

Forgot to mention I’ve tried cleaning the cell twice now. No change.

I checked the flow switch and it is reading flow correctly

 

[JamieP]

Forgot to mention I’ve tried cleaning the cell twice now. No change.

I checked the flow switch and it is reading flow correctly

My IC60 Cell starts to have unreliable salt readings when the weather gets cooler and the water temps go down. It reads the salt level low so stops making chlorine even though I know the salt is high enough. When I notice this I switch to bleach until the spring. I doubt your Cell is going bad. I bet it will work fine when the warm weather returns.

 

[JamesW]

Check the back of the circuit board and look for burn marks.

As long as the ProLogic is reading the temperature correctly, the salinity should be accurate.

The IntelliChlor has an unreliable temperature sensor that is known to fail. It does not show the temperature, so you can't tell when it's not accurate.

Pressing and holding the “More” button on Intellichlor 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

If the OPs system is less than 3 years old, file a warranty claim.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Please don't keep cleaning the cell if it really doesn't need it (visible scale) as you are shortening its lifespan with each cleaning.

Obtain the Taylor K-1766 Salt Test Kit and test your water yourself for more accuracy. I never trust my SWG to be all that accurate nor will I add salt based on its readings alone.

Maddie

 

[Seadweller]

Please don't keep cleaning the cell if it really doesn't need it (visible scale) as you are shortening its lifespan with each cleaning.

Obtain the Taylor K-1766 Salt Test Kit and test your water yourself for more accuracy. I never trust my SWG to be all that accurate nor will I add salt based on its readings alone.

Maddie

What happens then if the unit is reading the salt level inaccurately, and shuts down the cell? How do you get it producing chlorine when an inaccurate reading is dictating operation of the system?

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Using my independent salt test kit I'd know what my salt level was and could rule that out a problem with salt level. Or know I needed to fix the settings with re-calibration.