Problem with my intellichlor IC40

[floridapooltech]

I have an IC 40 as well. However, I've had the pool for about a year, and have just recently added salt. I had the salt level checked, and its at 4200. Maybe a little high, but wouldn't cause my problems. The flow light is always red, and the salt level lights keep scrolling up and down. Chlorine output is zero. So, I have a unit that hasn't ever worked, and Pentair wants me to provide all sorts of information to them, which tells me they basically want to cover their butts. I cleaned the unit last week, and noticed a small round magnet encased in plastic, laying on the cells. What is this?
Any answers to this problem? I am at my wits end with the guy who built the pool, John Kennedy Pools in Apple Valley, Ca. He basically forgot who I was after he got the last check....
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

you are showing error codes due to the fact that your salinity levels are so high. After a certain level, usually after 4000 ppm, the cell will shutdown and not produce any reading, or chlorine. Your ideal level should be around 3000 ppm. To correct this issue, you will need to drain a portion of your pool, and replace with fresh water. This should correct your issue, and the generator should kick back online producing free chlorine for your pool!

[lbridges]

Pentair claims to be still producing chlorine with salt over 4500 (desired range 3000-4500 with ideal at 3400), but cautions about pool corrosion above 4500.

But if the flow is too low some versions seem to never test for salinity level.

Hence flow light is on, and the salt level is flashing like it does on start up.

So, clogged filter, clogged pump impeller, clogged lines, or a bad flow sensor in the unit would be my guesses.

[Pool Clown]

I have an IC 40 as well. However, I've had the pool for about a year, and have just recently added salt. You mean the pool has had no salt? Or do you mean 1 or 2 bags? I had the salt level checked, and its at 4200. Do you remember how they checked it? Was it with test strips? Maybe a little high, but wouldn't cause my problems. The flow light is always red, Do you have a variable or two speed pump? and the salt level lights keep scrolling up and down. Chlorine output is zero. So, I have a unit that hasn't ever worked, and Pentair wants me to provide all sorts of information to them, which tells me they basically want to cover their butts. Actually, these cells are sensitive to improper water chemistry, so they are making sure that you aren't warranting a cell that failed due to chems, and not manufacturer defect. I cleaned the unit last week, and noticed a small round magnet encased in plastic, laying on the cells. What is this? Do you also have a Nature 2 or other type of supplemental sanitizing system? Sometimes when those cartrages die, and they do, since they are only good for about 6 months, the little beads in them get released into the plumbing.
Any answers to this problem? I am at my wits end with the guy who built the pool, John Kennedy Pools in Apple Valley, Ca. He basically forgot who I was after he got the last check....
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

When the unit first comes on, do you have three lights that scroll, or just two. Ver. 1.9 cells (three lights), had problems, and a lot of them failed. Make certain you have plenty of flow thru the cell, to rule out the flow switch.

[Guest]

Hello, That small round magnet is from the arm that hangs down in the middle of the cells. mine has two one is ridgid and one is sort of bent and moves (I guess with water flow..) what it does i am cluless but i have seen the magnet, perhaps with water flow the magnet holds the two arms together and completes a circuit.
I have a red light on wich tells me the cell needs serviced also... Has anyone got any answers on just what service means?

[John Kennedy Pools & Spas]

I'm the builder and this client would not listen to me nor the manufacture Pentair how to maintain his salt system. I was on site and reviewed the cleaning issue. Just because I built the pool this client has warrentys through Pentair. This client is a hot head and swears with words that are not fit for any person to hear!

I have a signed sheet stating that he understood the operation of his pool and have been on site more then once to re-review his concerns-but refused to listen to his verbal abuse. I can not hepl that he does not understand the pool chemicials, that why there are pool cleaners for hire if he does not get it!

Please contact me at johnkennedypools.com

I have an IC 40 as well. However, I've had the pool for about a year, and have just recently added salt. I had the salt level checked, and its at 4200. Maybe a little high, but wouldn't cause my problems. The flow light is always red, and the salt level lights keep scrolling up and down. Chlorine output is zero. So, I have a unit that hasn't ever worked, and Pentair wants me to provide all sorts of information to them, which tells me they basically want to cover their butts. I cleaned the unit last week, and noticed a small round magnet encased in plastic, laying on the cells. What is this?
Any answers to this problem? I am at my wits end with the guy who built the pool, Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

you are showing error codes due to the fact that your salinity levels are so high. After a certain level, usually after 4000 ppm, the cell will shutdown and not produce any reading, or chlorine. Your ideal level should be around 3000 ppm. To correct this issue, you will need to drain a portion of your pool, and replace with fresh water. This should correct your issue, and the generator should kick back online producing free chlorine for your pool!

I have an IC 40 as well. However, I've had the pool for about a year, and have just recently added salt. I had the salt level checked, and its at 4200. Maybe a little high, but wouldn't cause my problems. The flow light is always red, and the salt level lights keep scrolling up and down. Chlorine output is zero. So, I have a unit that hasn't ever worked, and Pentair wants me to provide all sorts of information to them, which tells me they basically want to cover their butts. I cleaned the unit last week, and noticed a small round magnet encased in plastic, laying on the cells. What is this?
Any answers to this problem? I am at my wits end with the guy who built the pool, John Kennedy Pools in Apple Valley, Ca. He basically forgot who I was after he got the last check....
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[Guest]

The small magnet should be attached to the stainless paddle in the upstream side of the cell. That is the flow switch. When water flows, the paddle flexes indicating flow. Is the magnet laying in there loose? If so, that is the problem. It has come detached from the paddle.

[HWE]

I've had an IC-40 about 1.5 years into a new pool construction. Chlorine output is fine. But my unit reads around 4200ppm with all normal lights...but I have physical salt crystals on pool toys after they dry and the water tastes about as salty as the ocean. about 6 months ago the unit read low salt at about 2600ppm. I added the calcualted amount to bring the level to the mid/high 3500 range. Ever since the water seems very very salty for the value the unit is giving me. I've had the water tested at the pools stores getting wildly different levels so I don't trust that measure. I did purchase the salt strips you dip in some of the water...this showed my ppm at around 7000-8000...

Could my units calibration be off needing service repair or could build-up in the unit cause this under reading of the true salt concentration?

[LB Guy]

I am having the exact same problem. Intellichlor reads salt level low but my level is 3900 per Leslie Pools. Anyone find a solution. Everything else is perfect. All chemistry is good but chlorine is going down due to inoperation. Flow is good, etc.

[SSinKS]

I recently bought a house with an indoor (inside a non-heated outbuilding) pool with a complete pentair setup - heater and intellichlor IC40 chlorinator. System was working great through the summer, until a couple months ago. Motor burned out going to the pump, which I had replaced, but since then, the IC40 unit has had a red "flow" light, blank blank cell light, and scrolling salt level lights. All the other lights are green. I've done some troubleshooting already, such as changing filter sand, inspecting intakes/skimmer baskets, etc., but I can't seem to find any obvious flow issues. I took the unit off and did an acid bath after changing the sand, and flow trigger seems to move freely, so I'm basically stuck. Called pentair tech support, and basically got the answer of "change out the chlorinator unit". Just wanted to see if anyone on this forum has had any similar experiences or any advice before I drop a hundreds on a new chlorinator. I'm new to pools and especially new to saltwater pools, so any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance

[RangerRick]

I have a 2 year old Intellichlor IC40 that is in need of repair. The unit will not make any chlorine. The salt indicator light is red. So I had the salt level tested at the local pool supply it was at 3200ppm. So I added a bag of salt bringing the salt level up to 3300 and it made chlorine for a one cycle. I added more salt to 3400 and it worked for a few hours. Now I am above 3800 and the salt indicator is still red and chlorine output is zero. I have looked everywhere for a replacement salt sensor or someone who can make this repair. Can anyone help or point me in the right direction. THANK YOU !

Yes, the chlorinator has cycled (rebooted).
Yes, the cell has been acid washed.
Yes, the salt level has been professionally tested.
The problem is the chlorinator NOT the user.

[jaya moodley]

I have a Intellichlor IC40 and it reads REd PWR light on the status section. Troubleshooting section says it need service. Whatr exactly does that mean. The unit is only 16 months old.
anyone know what service means?

[stevemurphy1]

I too have an Intellichlor IC40 and noticed a few weeks ago, after a rain storm that it was reading low salt (2400 ppm). I put 120lbs of salt in the pool (it's 30,000 gallons) and the chlorinator started reading 7800 ppm. I let it run a few days and it went back down to 2400 and low salt light was on. I added another 120lbs and the reading didn't change. I had my water tested at Leslie's and it reads 4000 ppm. I acid cleaned the unit and everything seems intact but now it's reading 2650. The pool is 1 1/2 years old so I am wondering if the unit is bad or if there is some way to "reboot" it to see if it will correct itself or should I run it a few more days and see if it changes. Any help would be appreciated.

[bestestbuddy]

I have a similar problem and so I've been doing research. The intellichlor measurement is not temperature compensated, so it reads 200ppm low for each 5 degrees below 77 F. In addition, the cell light will not turn on if the water temperature is 52 +/- about 5 degrees. My water measures 3500ppm with a temp compensated gauge, but the intellichlor (through easy touch) reads the salt as 2600ppm. Since my water temp is around 54 degrees, I think the math makes sense. The best thing to do at this point is to just chlorinate it manually during the cold season, it doesn't need much any way. When the weather warms up, things will turn on again. Probably the worst thing to do right now is to add salt in response to the easy touch read out. If you make it read 3500ppm now and your water is as cold as mine, your going to be dealing with 4500ppm water later.

[wetworld]

All the lights went out on my 2yrs old IC40 this week but the machine is operational and still creating enough chlorine to satisfy pools need - just can't see the lights which makes this quite troublesome indeed...what do i have to do to fix this problem?

[dsdman]

I have the exact same issue. It sounds like the cells inside are making bubbles and the pool is clear but I have no lights what so ever on the intellichlor unit. I've tried everthing, disconecting power, pressing both buttons at the same time and sacraficing small frogs to it,(well they were already dead) filter basket casualty and all. But nothing happens on the controll panel...nada, zip. So Since no one from pentaire will way in and tell us what to do I will never ever buy any of their stuff again as long as I live. That is a promise. Don't waste time calling them, it is more of a waste than reading these post!