AquaPilot - no power to cell

[rcenturion]

Noticed some green algae on my pool walls last week - checked my control panel which said check cell, and the reading said 0 amps and 0 volts. Cell itself and water flow were good. I saw a bad banana plug connector on the power cord from the cell, so I ordered a new one and installed it last Friday. Everything seemed to be fine at that point.

Yesterday I looked at the control panel and saw the same warning about check the cell. I also noticed it was giving a salt reading of 800 ppm which I know is very low. I took a water sample to be tested, and the salt reading was 3300 ppm. BTW, my control panel is about 10 years old, and I replaced the cell about 1.5 years ago, and the cover of the control panel was replaced about 3 years ago.

So, I have a few questions before I call for repair:

1. If I replace the cell fuse (Fuse 3), I know it is a 20 amp 250 VAC fuse. Do I need to special order it, or can I find one at a Radio Shack or Home Depot?

2. Can the low salt reading on the panel be causing the cell not to function? If so, will replacing the tri-sensor be likely to solve the problem ( the temp. reading on the sensor is not functioning either, so I will be replacing it soon anyway)?

3. If the above is not causing the problem, would the entire control panel need to be replaced or can a certain module only be replaced?

4. Any other advice/suggestions on what to check?

Thank you very much.

[CarlD]

I would start by calling the company's tech support line. You may want to get either salt-level test strips or a drop test kit for salt--because it's a back up.

I'm not the expert on SWCGs. I have an Autopilot but I'm only on my 2nd season with it. I did do the entire install myself--including the 220v wiring, but that still doesn't make me the expert. We do have some members (Like PoolSean) who are expert with it.

[rcenturion]

Inexplicably, the purifier has power and is functioning today. The reading is 16 volts, 5.0 amps. All I did recently was add 1.5 gallons of chlorine a couple days ago.

The salt reading is now 6600 ppm. The tri-sensor must be out of whack since it was giving a salt reading of 800 ppm the other day, the pool store testing showed it to be actually 3300 ppm

[CarlD]

Did you call the company's tech support line?

[rcenturion]

Yes, I called tech support and they believe it may be the tri-sensor. Since the sensor is not reading the temp. or salt level correctly, it's likely to not be reading the flow correctly either.

The tech explained that the cell will shut itself down if the sensor is reporting a water flow problem.