power setting on AutoPilot

Hi Sean

I just installed a new Autopilot Digital with a 48 cell about a week ago and I'm not getting the power setting settled down very well.

Every time I look at it, the power setting is different and sometimes miles from what I set it at. I started running at level 2 with 50%, the factory default.
With 12 hours running a day 6AM till noon and 6PM till midnight I was getting
too much. So I tried setting it back to 40 > 30 > 20 then reset the power level to 1. I've set it as low as 10 % only to find an hour later it says it's outputting 41% or 60% ... seems like a random number generator.

Is this all the auto temp compensation ???
How am I supposed to know if my original setting of say 25% is OK if it says its been jacked up to 55%. If I re-set it while it says 55% ... what am I really re-setting, because my base number that I put in was 25%.

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Can you also give me the power ratios for the different levels 1, 2 and 3?
The book does not even say which is the highest output. One assumes 3 is the greatest output but you know where assuming can get you sometimes.

what's your water temperature? I think the temp compensation is for water in the 60s and below.. not much of a summer problem.

Do you have a computer connected to your autoPilot or is it stand alone? It sounds like your trying to control the output percent at two places (Pilot console and a computer) and they're fighting each other.

Sean can probably speak to this possibility, but maybe you're using a computer and the serial circuit is noisy? Sean, is there a CRC?

I recommend you call AutoPiliot support tomorrow... they're very helpful.

Robert

the water temp cycles between 82 and 88 daily on a solar system.

The autopilot has nothing connected to it put the pump. The solar system has a separate pump and controller. No interconnect at all.

Brent,

This is the temperature compensation feature adjusting the output automatically. I think what's happening is that the higher water temperature directly from the solar panels are increasing the output. To check this, observe what the Pool Pilot is displaying the water temperature to be when the purifier % increases.
I've heard other people say that the difference in the inlet vs outlet water from the solar panel can be up to 20 degrees split! That would certainly affect the temp compensation.
The water temperature as measured in the pool may seem steady at 82 - 88 degrees, but the solar panel will dump alot of heat directly out of the panels.
Regardless of what the temperature compensation is fluctuating the purifier % to, make your adjustments from what the display shows.

Hope this explains it.

thnaks for the responses. The solar discharge is about 5 degrees warmer than the pool water. It is taken from the pool and discharged back into it through independant plumbing. No mixing. The intake for the filter/chlorinator is unaffected by the solar discharge. The temp on the Autopilot is always within 2 degrees of the actual pool water temp. So for practical purposes we can ignore the solar system. The only effect is the slow climb in temps through the day and cooling at night.

Mine swings from low 20's in the morning to mid to high 40's during the day. If the pool goes into the upper 80's the output goes to the low 50's. Power level 2 with a 48 cell also.

My Autopilot output level also varies quite a bit with temperature changes. It's easy to notice because when the pump starts, the temperature of the water in the pipes varies between 75 (water standing in pipes in the shade) to 90 (water that has been sitting in the solar panels)---a 15F change or more is not uncommon. You may have a similar effect at startup time. If the output swings wildly with small temperature changes (and you may read the temperature directly on the unit) then I would worry about it, otherwise this seems normal.

One thing that I would like from Pool Pilot, however, is the ability to set the output level consistently when the temperature changes. Suppose for instance that I want to turn off the unit for a while (chlorine too high). I check the level, say it is 30% at 85F, and bring it to 0 (I don't know of other ways of turning it off). Later I want to put it back to where it was, but now the temperature is 92F, and I can only guess. Sean, would you be able to post a chart that shows how output levels and temperature are correlated? Surely this is not proprietary information---your customers could find it out for ourselves, but you could save us the work.

Thanks!

I'll get that information to you if someone can tell me how to attach a document.

never tried to attach a document.

if it's on the autopilot web site, just point us in that direction.

It doesn't seem too difficult. Click on "Go Advanced" (next to "Quick Reply") at the bottom, then click on "Manage Attachments" at the bottom. There is a maximum file size but it's sufficiently generous for a small table. I attached a random picture from a visit to a power plant (the water chemistry lab, of all places...). A PDF document would be best. Putting it on the Autopilot web site would be even better.

Thanks!

The Automatic Temperature Compensation adjustments run along this chart. These are not absolute values and may fluctuate +- 2-3 degrees.

Thanks for digging this out for us Sean.

Can you tell me the relative power settings at the different leves 1, 2, and 3 ?

Cell Power 1 = 5.0 amps
Cell Power 2 = 6.5 amps
Cell Power 3 = 8.0 amps

Normal operating Volts depends on the cell.
SC-36 = 16 - 19 volts
SC-48 = 23 - 27 volts
SC-60 = 21 - 26 volts
when the salt is low, cell is scaled, water temperature gets colder, or cell is wearing out, the voltage will rise to 28-29 volts. At that point the amperage will drop. This is where you start seeing the warning lights appear.
This is SPECIFICALLY for the Pool Pilot system. However, you'll see the same affects on the cell due to the same reasons.

Great. Now I can understand where I'm going.

Thanks a lot. By the way. Wave this message in front of the people that write your paycheck. The primary reason I bought the Autopilot Digital was your participation on this forum. At the very least you deserve a gold star!

Thanks Brent. I appreciate that.
hmmm, if you noticed, I changed my "signature" to commercial sales from Technical Support. I wonder if my boss will consider this into my sales commisions. ;)

I also bought the Autopilot mainly due to what was said about it on this forum and especially due to Sean's participation here.

I am very pleased with the unit and Sean has always been there when I needed anything.

Show this to your boss, Sean. Maybe you'll get a raise.....lol

Raise...yeah sure. I tried and instead, I get to go to Calgary in a few weeks for a one day round of golf.
I think he will still let me take some time off to take the family to Tampa Busch Gardens afterwards though.

:P

one day of golf... you sales guys...

Thanks Sean, this is very useful!