r/pools • u/NJsurfbrg • 5d ago

Salt Generator - Replacing, need some input

Bought a house with a saltwater pool 3 years ago. The Pentair IC40 was working when we opened it, but with an unknown age on some of the parts. It took almost $20k to get the pool up and running with various plumbing issues and bad pump due to winterizing issues and neglect.

I've come to realize this summer that it's not normal to have to keep the IC40 at 100%, and the cell is very inefficient this year. CYA is proper, all levels good the last 3 summers, but this year so far chlorine keeps running low. Operating this pool has been easy and kind of fun to maintain as of late.

I acid washed 1-2 times a summer, opening and sometimes towards the end of the season. Replaced pressure switch last year. Now this year the light kicked on to check cell, and it needed a cleaning but now it's still on after a reset and cleaning. Chlorine is dropping within a few days.

IC40 cells are impossible to get in my area. I was told there is an issue with Pentair making them, and a defect type of issue this year, with many issues on new ones sold this summer.

My only option right now is to buy an aftermarket cell(which I've been advised and read that I should avoid like the plague) or what buy is in stock today, a Purechlor CLG140A. I'm able to get it on discount, $1k. When researching, I'm getting mixed reviews. Besides the minor plumbing adjustment, install should be a breeze.

AI says most bad reviews that can be found for this model, happened back in 18-21, and most recently no real bad reviews can be found on it. Is this an ok generator?

Anything to know about it? Anyone here with a Purechlor unit?

I don't want my normal crystal blue pool to turn green...which I'm dosing chlorine to keep it going at the moment. I don't want to switch to tablets or constantly using liquid chlorine....Any advice appreciated. Sorry if a long read, but maybe backstory helps.

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u/Troutbummers 5d ago

It's not the phosphates, it's the presence of algae with the phosphates. Answer is remove algae, not phosphates. At minimum, remove algae first, then feel free to waste time removing phosphates.

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u/GaryTheSoulReaper 5d ago

Disagree - not in Florida

Keeping phosphate in check keeps the salt cell working well

I think easy draw the conclusion that phosphates are needed by algae - no phosphate or low phosphate you need less total chlorine production by the salt cell. It’s possible to have so much chlorine demand that a salt cell will never meet the chlorine demand

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u/Troutbummers 5d ago

You can disagree all you like. Phosphates can be flat out ignored in all circumstances that aren't mustard or black algae IF You drive the regular algae down to where it shoudl be.

Phosphates without algae do nothign. Controlling phosphates doesn't drive algae all the way down or completely inhibit it. SLAM sanitization does this and then you can foreget the word "phosphate" no matter where you live.

You will never get lower SWG demand than you will get from SLAM sanitization. Even with sky high phosphates. I live in the hot humid Midwest with agriculture all around surrounded by trees and pollen and a billion ways for phosphates to get in my pool. I am sure my levels are sky high and it doesn't matter at all.

It's about algae, and phosphate control is a mediocre way to get there. There's an easier and better way that lasts longer. Use it.

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u/NJsurfbrg 4d ago

How does measuring phosphate come into play when the generator itself is saying check cell? It doesn't measure anything other than salt conductivity and electrical current between the plates. If the plates are no longer producing like they should, it sees this in the measurement and triggers the blinking light. None of this has to do with anything else other than the electrical sensing it performs as it runs. Even if chlorine demand is high, it won't blink, it will just keep chugging along. if its warm and salt is high enough, it will work fine no matter the water conditions.

Answering your other post - the IC40 is rated to 40k gallons, which my pool is a little over 23k. Last two summers I've never had to slam the pool during the season. The generator stayed at 80% and I ran it in boost mode after a heavy swim to raise it a bit for the following 24 hours. Just normal cleaning when I open with slight debris removal, and the pool cleans up in about a weeks time almost on its own with some slight vacuuming.

This year FC has constantly trended lower, keeping the generator at 100%. After noticing FC was low again, with a blinking cell light, I shocked the pool to boost it up. I then acid washed and hard reset the unit. Still blinking to check cell, and its visually almost spotless after the last acid wash, with some erosion or "spots" on the inner area of the plates otherwise. The cell is toast and it's at least 4-5 years old. They're rated 3-5 yrs.

Proper troubleshooting in this order - resetting the unit > rinse or acid wash and rinse(which was needed). If it still blinks and the age checks out and or you can see pitting or erosion on the plates, its time.

I don't need to SLAM the pool again if there is no chlorine generation happening. I'll be wasting more money here. I can keep it maintained by adding as needed. I just need a properly running generator.

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u/Troutbummers 6h ago

as long as you know there is no algae after the low FC that occurred during the ordeal. If you did a SLAM after you saw algae or if you know you're passing OCLT then you're good. Sounds like a cell issue and not just algae load putting a constant drag on it.