Help With Aquapure 1400 - Can't Produce At High %

[michelb]

Hi, our Aquapure 1400 has recently started giving service code (125 or 123) if I set it the production higher than 25-30% (or if I press on boost). I tried cleaning the cell (looked clean to begin with and that didn't help). Any suggestions? I've read that it could be the back board - how do troubleshoot / diagnose / confirm ? (I'll buy a new cell and / or back board but unfortunately, being in Canada, those are very expensive to buy and I don't want to buy for nothing).

Let me know. Thanks,

Mike

[Pool Clown]

123 is low current at cell. Check the following:

[michelb]

Thank you - this is perfect. I'll try this out and post the results.

Update -

So I'm getting 20.5V when the cell is on (tried setting manually to 1%, 100% and boost)

So does that mean I need a new back board? Can I try to fix the one I have?

Thanks again,

Mike

[Pool Clown]

How old is the cell, How long does the pump run daily, and what percentage do you run the cell at? (before you started having problems)

[michelb]

Cell is a bit over 4 years old. Pump runs 24/7, cell usually runs around 25-30% however we live in Canada so we only use the pool from May-Sept (about 5 months / year)

[Pool Clown]

In my area, San Fransisco, CA I see cell life at about 5 years. But thats 50% production (average) and 4 to 8 hours a day (also average), throughout the year. You may be at the end of cell life.

What kind of readings are you getting at the board's test points?

[michelb]

I'm getting 20.5V at the cell (pic 1) and at the back board (pic 2).

If you think it's the cell, I'll bring it over to my friend's place (also has an Aquapure 1400) and try it in his system to see if he gets the same error.

[Pool Clown]

You need to test the board at the test points (upper right hand corner) test points 1 through 8.

Put your test leads on points 1 and eight and note voltage. Then repeat for test points 2 and 7, 3 and 6, 4 and 5. Voltages are listed on the board (in the white square labeled transformer).

[michelb]

Sounds good. I'll do that tomorrow (it's 11:30pm here now).

Thanks again for all the help.

[michelb]

Sorry about the delay. I finally got around to checking the test points (we left for family vacation a few days after my last post).

Anyway this is what I'm seeing (tried with 2 different meters):

1-8: 80V (not 75V)

2-7: 71V (not 65V)

3-6: 21V

4-5: 0V (not 120mV)

Does that make sense? My cell still does 'function' (although I'm not sure if I'm generating any chlorine (I'm using pucks until I have the chlorine generator figured out)) but same as detailed above, if I set production too high, I get error code 125 or 123.

Let me know what I should do next. Thanks,

Mike

[Pool Clown]

What is the salinity of the pool water. If you can, have the water tested at your local pool store (no test strips) and post both what the store says AND what your unit says.

[michelb]

Thanks again for the quick response.

I did test it last week (I don't think it's changed much since) and at the time the unit was showing 3.2 and the pool store said 3.3 but I'll try to get my wife to go again tomorrow (if it makes any difference, I think the water balance is pretty good. Calcium level might be a tad low and ph might be a tad low but everything else is in the proper range).

[Pool Clown]

I have some notes that i took when i was talking to a Jandy rep one day. He suggested that while those codes point to a problem with the cell, that it could also be the back board causing the 123 code.

Did you test the cell voltage at the cell as well as at the board?

At the board tests the board.

At the cell tests the cable.

Cables do go bad, so you should always do both test points.

[michelb]

I have some notes that i took when i was talking to a Jandy rep one day. He suggested that while those codes point to a problem with the cell, that it could also be the back board causing the 123 code.

Did you test the cell voltage at the cell as well as at the board?

At the board tests the board.

At the cell tests the cable.

Cables do go bad, so you should always do both test points.

Looks like you were on the money about the salinity level. We were showing 3.3-3.4 on the Aquapure and when I had it tested a few weeks ago, they gave us around the same value but when we brought it on Friday to retest after your suggestion - it came in at around 4. The guy said that he had just recalibrated his meter. I'll bring it in to another place just to confirm but it looks like my salt level was way too high. I already drained / refilled some water and the chlorine generator seems to work better now but I think I'm still too high % so I'll have to drain and refill some more.

Thanks again for all the help - I'll check my readings once I get the water ok (and we're going away for the long weekend so it probably won't be until next week).