Cell Usage
Pressing and holding the “More” button 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.
Flow/Temperature Switch
The flow switch also contains a thermistor that senses water temperature. The water temperature is used for the salinity calculation. If the thermistor is failing the salinity will be incorrect.
Flow switch has 4 wires:
- Red/black - flow switch
- Green/whire - temperature sensor
With no temperature input, the cell defaults to a temperature of 77 Fahrenheit. The sensors are prone to failure. When the sensor fails and it's obvious to the software that the sensor has failed, it defaults to a standard temperature of 77 f.
A suspected bad flow switch can be confirmed by cutting the black and red wires and connecting them together coming out of the cell. If the cell operates with the wires connected this confirms the flow switch was bad. Do this only for temporary diagnostic purposes.
High Salt
High salt error occurs around 4500ppm. The cell will continue generating chlorine with a high salt warning.
Low or High Salt Lights
Always check salt level independent of the cell before adding salt. A failure of the temperature sensor will give incorrect salt warnings.
Cold Temperature
The cell will stop generating chlorine when water temperate is below 60 degrees.
If the cell light says cold when the water is warm, the temperature sensor is likely bad.
Displaying Cell Water Temperature
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:[1]
| 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 |
Press and hold the More button until the lights scroll and note which % light lights up. Then, immediately press the More button again and see which % lights light up.
Salinity Calculation
The salinity is calculated based on the conductivity of the water and the water temperature.
The conductivity sensor is a separate device in the cell which can be seen if you look in the cell.[2]
The Intellichlor manual states that the salinity accuracy is +/- 500ppm.
Cycle Time
The Intellichlor cycles the % generation in 5 minute intervals. If the % generation is set to 50% the cell will generate chlorine for 2.5 minutes and be idle for 2.5 minutes.
ET/ScreenLogic reports Salt Level as Zero
For some reason, unknown to Pentair, minor changes to the system will cause the salt level in the EasyTouch and ScreenLogic to read zero.[3] This is just an error in reporting and the cell should still be working as long as the actual salt level is ok and the cell does not show a "red low salt" light on the cell. I believe that there is a timing issue in the circuitry that reports the salt reading to the EasyTouch. It is obvious that the cell knows what the real salt level is. This has been "Fixed" by the following actions:
- Just shutting off and rebooting the ET
- Replacing the flow switch
- Replacing the ET's surge card (power supply for the cell)
- Replacing the ET's main board
- Replacing the salt cell itself.
Cell Should Not be Powered When Pump is Off
The flow switch if a secondary safety mechanism. There should be a primary means for the cell not to be powered when the pump is off and there is no water flow. This can be with pool automation equipment or a mechanical timer.
Pentair Installation Manual[4] says:
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.
- ↑ https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/intellichlor-system-status-mode.134913/
- ↑ https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/intellichlor-zero-salt-reading.189465/#post-1669161
- ↑ https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/screenlogic-reports-salt-level-as-zero.180867/#post-1598882
- ↑ https://www.pentair.com/content/dam/extranet/product-related/product-manuals/pool-and-spa-equipment/intellichlor/IntelliChlor_Power_Center_Installation_and_Users_Guide_IC60_IC40_and_IC20_English.pdf
