How To Recalibrate the Salt Level on a Pentair Intellichlor

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Occasionally the salt indicator on the Pentair Intellichlor will not match the actual salt level of the pool. If this is the case, the salt level on the cell will need to be recalibrated. The following steps will provide a guide on how to recalibrate a Pentair Intellichlor. Note: This guide is only intended for versions 1.9 and below. Newer versions can not be recalibrated.

Step by Step

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Step 1

If the Intellichlor has been in operation for a few weeks, remove and acid clean the salt cell before field recalibrating. This will give the most accurate starting point.

Click here to view Intellichlor cells.

Step 2

Manually test the salt level with salt test strips or an electronic salt tester. If the salt level is in the proper range of 3000-4200, proceed to step 3. If not, adjust the salt level to the proper parameters before recalibrating.

Click here to view test kits.

Step 3

With the pump running, verify the "Flow" light on the cell is green. This indicates good water flow through the cell. 

Step 4

Press and hold the "More" button for 3 seconds to enter system status mode. All the lights will scroll across the panel, and then go dark. Only the "Power", "Cell", "Life", and "Low" lights will be lit.

Step 5

After a few moments, the "Good", "Add", and "Low" salt lights will begin to scroll, indicating the salt level is being read. It may take up to one minute to read the salt.

Click here to view Intellichlor cells.

Step 6

The salt scrolling will stop and one of the salt lights will be displayed. The "Sanitizer Output 20%" light will turn on to indicate changes are now allowed. Press the "More" button to cycle through each salt level, and then press the "Less" button to choose and save the display as the new salt level. The "PWR", "Cell", "Life", and "Flow" lights will flash 4 times, then the mode exits to normal.

Step 7

The unit is now recalibrated to the salt level of the pool. The display will now be normal, showing the output percentage, flow status, etc. The field calibrate mode will exit in 5 seconds if no buttons are pressed.

Click here to view the Pentair Intellichlor systems.

Comments

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(1 to 40 of 95)

 Posted: 6/29/2022 

Please help. My brand new IC40 is not producing any chlorine. FLow light is green but the salt indicator keeps blinking red and green for 5 mins then turns solid red indicating low salt. Salt level is at 3600-4000 ppm according to test. My previous 2 year old IC40 just died and fried some fuse connectors in the power center so I went to auto zone replace the fuse holders to a 10amp fuse and got this new Brand new IC40. THe power center light turns on and the light is green and powers the IC40.
 Reply

InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 6/30/2022 

Check the DC voltage output of the cell cable to make sure it is putting out the right power. Output: 22-39 VDC @ 7.5 AMPS maximum from the Power Center.
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Anonymous  Posted: 5/30/2022 

my pentair intellichlor will only run at 100% i turn it down it goes right back to 100% why
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 6/2/2022 

Do you have a super-chlorinate cycle actively running?
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Anonymous  Posted: 5/13/2022 

Readings at the store and with the salt level strips at the pool both show salt is 3500-3600. But my IC40 keeps flashing high salt. Why?
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 5/23/2022 

Have you tried cleaning the cell? How old is the cell?
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 Posted: 8/19/2021 

I have been reading the comments about the IC40 giving high or low salt readings. Mine is reading 4600 ppm. Water has been tested and appears to be at 3600 ppm. Further, I found you cannot calibrate the IC40 units. The photo pictured in this thread is different than what I have. So, can the newer version of the IC40 be calibrated or not? Also, does the flow switch determine the salt ppm readings and is that the possible problem. Thank you.
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 8/20/2021 

From our header, "This guide is only intended for versions 1.9 and below. Newer versions can not be recalibrated." Which version do you have? I believe the salinity level is measured by a separate node in the cell, not the flow sensor. The Intellichlor flow switch assembly is a simple paddle and post design, which is just for the sensing of water pressure
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 Posted: 8/18/2021 

My pool can’t seem to keep up the chlorine levels, salt is around 3700ppm but chlorin always goes to 0. What should I do?
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 8/18/2021 

Have you tried increasing the output level? Have you gotten your water thoroughly tested to figure out if there is an imbalance? Have you used shock to boost the chlorine so the system can catch up with chlorine production? There's a whole host of things.
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 Posted: 5/14/2021 

Hi I’ve been having issues with my chlorine depleting in my pool. My chlorinator is only 2 years old. Cell is clean and appears to be properly functioning but I’ve had to bump it way up to produce more chlorine but I’m still not keeping stable chlorine numbers since multiple shocks. Pool is clean and everything else appears normal. CYA is a little low but it hasn’t be super sunny in Ohio so I’m working on that but I’ve tested the chlorine and gotten bubbles making it known it’s producing chlorine with the tester switch. All my green lights are lit and solid. Salt level appears normal and above 3500 per store. The only light on my chlorinator I’m not noticing green solid all the time is the CELL option. Is that normal for it to toggle on and off depending on the percentage used? I’ve tried the 100% chlorination over night. I’m sorta puzzled why I can’t keep my chlorine level up. No issues last year. Please help? Is there anything I should check in chlorinator
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Anonymous  Posted: 3/3/2022 

Check your phosphate level. If you have too high a phosphate level, some salt water generators won't function properly.
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 5/14/2021 

Yes, it is normal for the cell to cycle on and off according to the percentage selected. If the cell is set to 40% output the cell will only create chlorine for 40% of the time. If you set it to super chlorinate, the cell would be on 100% of the time.If the only thing that is not in its proper range is the CYA, then I would probably start there.
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 Posted: 5/9/2021 

We have the intellichlor and the app is reading 4450 and the pool store and salt strips are reading 3600 and 3360. We have cleaned it recently. Should we recalibrate?
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 5/13/2021 

Yes, you should recalibrate the cell. If the cell's reading is still off after the recalibration then you may need a new cell.
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 Posted: 4/17/2021 

We have the ichlor 30 salt water generator. The salt is reading 5500 at the store the system keeps asking for more salt and only reading in the 2100. What can be wrong with it. Thank you only have it 6 months.
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 4/21/2021 

Have you cleaned the cell in the 6 months since you've had it?
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 Posted: 4/5/2021 

This looked like a good place to get some help with the IC40 Well... I cleaned the minimal calcification from the fins, recalibrated it and the cell light starts blinking after two minutes. the pool is getting cloudy, so the cell may not be producing, the litmus strip is showing 3400 (salt) I hate to ask if its time to replace, it was replaced 4 years ago and I don't want to drop another $800 but, I will take the pros advice either way.
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 4/8/2021 

Have you tested your water for high metal levels? After all the other stuff you've done to combat the flashing cell light, the only thing left is to use a metal sequestrant. But if those are in check, it sounds like you need a new cell.
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 Posted: 12/10/2020 

I did everything for the reset, including cleaning the cell and it is still showing 9900.
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 12/10/2020 

Where do you see 9900 ppm on the cell? The Intellchlor does not have a readout display, just a light dashboard that will begin to flash if the ppm goes above 4200.
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 Posted: 12/13/2020 

I have the app on my phone, didn’t think about checking the panel.
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 12/14/2020 

I would also get the water tested by a local pool store just to confirm the readouts you are receiving from your equipment is accurate. 
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Anonymous  Posted: 10/20/2020 

My low salt light is on. I have run a diagnostics on my easy touch unit and it reads 2100ppm but I have had the salt tested at the pool store and it is 3000ppm. Any suggestions?
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 10/22/2020 

You should clean the cell to determine if that may be providing a false fault code. Scale buildup can prevent your cell from getting a good reading.
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Anonymous  Posted: 11/10/2020 

My salt cell is showing 2100 PPM while the actual reading is 3100. I have cleaned the cell as you suggested but problem remains. Any further suggestions?
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 11/16/2020 

If you have already recalibrated and cleaned the cell without any success, I am afraid the cell is probably in need of being replaced. Because of the Intellichlor's design, all the crucial sensors and computational elements are in the cell. When one of them starts to fail, your cell is running on borrowed time.
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 Posted: 9/2/2020 

My new Salt Cell was installed today. The red flashing low salt indicator is on. My pool actually tested above 4500 yesterday. How long until it calibrates and sees the high salt level?
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 9/3/2020 

Give it a few minutes. But why are you waiting for it to provide a reading that is out of its range? Lower the salinity, because whether it is low or high, the cell is not going to work.
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 Posted: 8/20/2020 

Intellichlor ic 40 Pool guy added salt yesterday read good for about 10 hours now it reads low this keeps happening over and over again any suggestions out there
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 8/21/2020 

The first things that need to be known, how old is the cell, and when was the last time the cell was cleaned? Also, what troubleshooting have you already done so far?
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 Posted: 8/21/2020 

My swimming pool has only had water in it For two months everything is brand new I check the levels periodically seems low on chlorine every time. Is it possible I need to clean the salt cell already I know my filter was pretty bad when I cleaned it out For the first time
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 8/31/2020 

Salt systems usually have a "clean cell" alert programmed to pop-up every 500 hours of use. This alert pops up whether the cell needs it or not. But if your cell is flashing a warning, it never hurts to give a chemical soak. Does your salt system have an output control? Most systems have a knob or someplace in the UI settings to adjust chlorine output. If you can, I would increase it. What are your other water chemistry results? CYA, TA, pH, and such. 
 Reply

 Posted: 8/5/2020 

I have a Pentair Intelichlor. It has no power going to it. It was working fine and when I went to backwash the pool I noticed that there were no lights on the intelichlor... Is there a fuse that I can check? It was just replaced last season.
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 9/1/2020 

there is a fuse on the Intellichlor's power center. The fuse (p/n - 521248Z) is the little black knows shown at the bottom of the power center.
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 Posted: 6/20/2020 

I replaced my unit a year ago... produces chlorine just fine and all the lights are green. My problem is that on the on the pentair app it only shows 0% ppm salt... not sure what to do... any help would be appreciated.
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 10/19/2020 

Unfortunately, I am not familiar with the Pentair app; but if the cell lights are green, you should be alright. You should contact Pentair's tech support for troubleshooting instructions for your app.
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 Posted: 6/3/2020 

My intelliclor does not have any lights is there a reset button somewhere
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InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 10/23/2020 

The Intellichlor does not have a reset button; have you checked that the Intellichlor power supply is receiving power from the breaker and output voltage to the cell?
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 Posted: 4/6/2020 

I have a new IC40 cell and salt in my pool but the red/green light flashes under salt level and the red light is on under flow. Motor is on and temperature is reading at 70. Need assistance.
 Reply