Stumbled right out of the gate

[dawndenise]

Problems with my AquaRite SWCG within an hour after start-up. I may need to call GoldLine but have to wait until Monday. In the meantime, if anyone can shed any light on this, I sure would appreciate getting this up and running this weekend.

I had a salt reading of 2600 (Ben's test) this AM, so added 80# more which should get me in the recommended range. It all dissolved through my leaf net and I also ran my pump for most of yesterday and today to ensure adequate mixing.

Generator had power, but was in the "off" position until about an hour ago. Display read 1400 prior to startup.

I turned the unit on and within minutes, the display had changed to 2600. I set the dial to 50% output as suggested in the manual. The green light was on solid indicating chlorine generation. So far, so good.

Just now, less than an hour after I started up the unit, I went out and the display reads, "Hot."

"Generating" LED is flashing. "Check salt" LED is flashing. "Inspect cell" LED is flashing.

Diagnostics indicate my pool temperature is 227 degrees!!! Cell voltage is 29.8. Cell current is 0. Desired output is 54 P ??? Instant salinity is 0. My software is rl.40, if that helps.

I've turned the unit off and will chlorinate manually until I can get this resolved. I'm hoping this can be corrected easily???

If it makes any difference, my electrician, not associated with the PB, asked me if this was a new control unit when he wired it in as it seemed kind of banged up (no screws holding on faceplate, leftover tape on inside door where something had been attached, etc.). With everything else, I forgot to ask my PB about that.

Actual temperature of pool water is 90, air temp is 105 and control unit and cell are in sun right now. Control unit is in shade most of the day, cell in sun most of the day.

Any thoughts?

[Poolsean]

Sandy,

Here's my two cents worth...

The cell should be plumbed directly in line and after all your other equipment, correct? With the control unit saying to check the cell, have you done so? The baffles on the inlet side of the cell may be clogged with debris. This will prevent the water from actually passing through/between the cell blades, causingthe cell to not be saturated by the water. This "may" cause the condition you're experiencing. It should be easy to do too, as the cell comes with unions on both ends to remove it.

The salt reading is based upon the condition of the cell and with it being able to energize the cell. If the cell is not saturated with water, it will drive the voltage high (as you have reported) and the amperage to fall low (which you have also reported).

I asked if the cell was plumbed in line because if it is plumbed in a bypass line and water is being diverted around the cell, it's possible for the flow switch (if it's plumbed before the cell) to indicate good flow, but debris may be blocking the actual flow between the blades.

[dawndenise]

Thanks for the advice, Sean.

My unit is plumbed in the main line after the filter but before the booster pump (no heater or other stuff ). The flow switch is on the output side of the cell.

I didn't think I really needed to check the cell, even though that light was flashing, since it had only been running for less than an hour and was new (saw the packaging on that part) but will try that this AM.

For what it's worth, after I turned the unit off last night around 7, the display still read "Hot" after 11PM. I didn't want to worry about that all night, so I turned off the breaker to the unit.

I'll turn it back on this AM, check the cell and see what I can discover.

Thanks.

[dawndenise]

Follow-up to my situation is that my PB came by on Saturday (!!), the day after all this happened. Didn't seem at all surprised and immediately said he'd replace the control panel. It made me believe there may have been some truth to what the electricians suspected at installation.

New control panel arrived last night and the electricians hooked it up today. I got about an hour's worth of generating and then the same thing happened, although this time my water temperature reading was supposedly a mere 153 degrees . I took down all my diagnostics and called Goldline. As soon as the rep heard, "hot," she said I had a bad cell and they'd send me a new one.

So, it's continuing on with manual chlorination for the next week - or so. Although it's a bit frustrating to have to deal with new equipment not working correctly, I must say I'm totally impressed with Goldline's customer service: got right through to a rep, had a non-outsourced rep I could understand, and received an immediate response to my situation.

Now, I'll keep my fingers crossed that the new cell arrives in a timely manner and solves my problems.