How To Isolate and Correct Compupool CPSC Problems

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If your Compupool CPSC Generator fails to work after initial installation or stops working after a period of time, there are a series of troubleshooting steps you can take before contacting the manufacturer. This guide covers a number of possible steps to identify your specific problem and get your CPSC Generator back into operation. If this guide does not isolate your problem, give Compupool a call at (888) 989-7258 x225 for further instructions.

Click here to view Compupool cell parts. 

Step by Step

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Step 1

NO POWER - If the LED lights and display on your CPSC unit are all off, check for the following:
a - Blown fuse - See our guide on "How to replace a blown fuse on a Compupool CPSC Generator".
b - Mismatched power - Verify that the voltage coming into the unit is the same as how the unit is configured. If different, convert the wiring on the unit to match the supply voltage. See the front half of our guide on "How To Install an In-Line Salt Chlorine Generator" for further instructions.
c - Not grounded - Verify that a grounding wire has been installed to the grounding lug. See Step 17 of our guide on "How To Install an In-Line Salt Chlorine Generator".
d - Loose grey ribbon cable - Verify that the grey ribbon cable is plugged in tightly on both ends. See our guide on "How To Secure Ribbon Cable on a Compupool CPSC".
e - Check that wires are not near screws or crimped.

Step 2

BLANK OR FADING DISPLAY - If the LCD Display is blank or fading, you unit probably has a faulty diode or Zener diode. The LCD Printed Circuit Board [PCB] will have to be replaced. See our guide on "How To Replace a Compupool CPSC LCD Printed Circuit Board" for more instructions.

Click here to view Compupool power supply parts. 

Step 3

NO DISPLAY, ALL SIX LCD LIGHTS ON - This is usually an indication that you have 110V power coming into the unit and the unit is configured for 220V. Verify that your supply voltage is 110V and convert the unit's wiring from 220V to 110V. See the front half of our guide on "How To Install an In-Line Salt Chlorine Generator" for further instructions.

Step 4

NOT PRODUCING CHLORINE - The CPSC Generator produces tiny bubbles in the cell when the cell is running, If you don't see these bubbles or your unit is not maintaining adequate levels of chlorine (measured with test strips) check the following:
a -Chlorine Output Percentage - You may have your chlorine output level set too low. Move it to 100% and monitor the results for a couple of days. If your chlorine level gets too high, back the setting down.
b - Insufficient run time - Leave the unit on for a longer period of time. About 8-10 hours is typical but this will vary with your pool's water flow.
c - Water Fault light on - See Step #5
d - Only one polarity working - See Step #7
e - Plate(s) detached - See Step #12
f - Water chemistry is off - Have a local pool store check a sample of your pool water. If any of the water chemistry numbers are out of range, add the appropriate chemicals to bring them into range. Then shock the pool, set the chlorine output to 100% and run for the pool for 24 hours. Monitor the results and bump the run time down 2-4 hours and the chlorine output percentage by 10% with 2 days of cycling between increments. Continue until you reach the optimum chlorine production.
g - Cell needs cleaning - See Step #11
h - Low salt level - If the low salt light goes on, you do not have enough salt in your pool to produce chlorine and the unit will shut off. Add salt. See our guide on "How To Add Salt To Your Pool" for more instructions.

Step 5

WATER FAULT LIGHT ON - The Water Fault Light will illuminate on several conditions. Check the following:
a - Salt just added - The Water Fault light may turn on if salt was added but not completely dissolved before the CPSC unit was turned back on.
b - Salt level too low - The Water Fault light will illuminate if the salt level is below 2500 ppm.
c - Inadequate flow - Check the filter, skimmer and pump strainer baskets to make sure nothing is restricting water flow. Also check the settings of your diverter valves to make sure they are not cutting off all or most flow.
d - Loose cell plug - Make sure the cell plug is attached tightly. See Step #15.
e - Loose wire connections - Crimp the female connections slightly to tighten the fit around the connection terminals.

Click here to view Compupool cell parts. 

Step 6

OVER SALT LIGHT ON - Take a sample of your pool water into a local pool store and have it test for salt level. This unit works best at 3500 ppm. The light comes on at 6000 ppm. If your water is above 6000, dilute the water to attain a salt level of 4000 - 5000 ppm. The unit will operate at 6000 ppm, but it will draw more current and run hotter. Over time, running hot will reduce the life of the unit. See our guide on "How to Reduce the Salt Level In Your Pool".
If your salt level is good, the unit may need to be recalibrated. See our guide on "How To Recalibrate the Salt Level on a Compupool CPSC".

Step 7

NOT REVERSING POLARITY - Your unit has two LED lights for "Polarity 1" and "Polarity 2". They should alternate periodically to show that the power to the cell is alternating to help maximize the life of the cell. If the unit is stuck on one, try crimping the female connection on the cell plug to create a tighter fit around the connection terminal.

Step 8

DISPLAY READS "IDLE" - This is an indication that the internal timers have been selected. "Idle" appears when the unit is in between timing sequences. If you are wiring to an external timer you may want to change the timer setting from internal to external. See our guide on "How To Select Internal/External Timers on a Compupool CSPS".

Click here to view timers. 

Step 9

TEMP ALWAYS 69° AND SALT READING IS ALWAYS < 2500 - This is an indication that the electrode and LCD Printed Circuit Board need to be replaced. See our guide on "How To Replace a Compupool CPSC LCD Printed Circuit Board" for more instructions.

Step 10

DISPLAY READS "Not Genuine - Call Dealer" - If this message comes up, check the following:
a - Loose cell plug - Make sure that the cell plug is securely attached to the cell head. See our guide on "How To Clean a Corroded Salt Chlorine Generator Cord Head".
b - Loose connection - Try crimping the female connections slightly on the cell plug to create a tighter fit around the connection terminals.
c - Wrong Cell ID - Go through the Cell ID Instructions. See our guide on "How To Implement the Cell ID Instructions for a Compupool CPSC".
d - Bad LCD PCB - If the unit is locked up and will not power on, the LCD PCB needs to be replaced. See our guide on "How To Replace a Compupool CPSC LCD Printed Circuit Board" for more instructions.

Click here to view Compupool power supply parts. 

Step 11

BUILDUP ON CELL - If you see significant buildup on the plates of the cell you need to clean the cell and check for contributing conditions to reduce further buildup. For instructions on cleaning the cell, see our guide on "How To Clean a Compupool Salt Generator Cell". Here's a list of contributing conditions to check:
a - Not reversing polarities - Make sure the unit is reversing polarities. See "Not Reversing Polarities" in Step 7 above.
b - Loose plates - Inspect the plates in the cell to make sure that they are all secure.
c - Bad Water Chemistry - Ensure that the water chemistry is always maintained within ranges.

Click here to view Compupool cell parts. 

Step 12

LOOSE ELECTRODE PLATE - If your water chemistry is not maintained consistently, or you do not clean the buildup off the cell plates, the plates will corrode and separate from the cell brackets. When this occurs, the cell will have to be replaced. It is very important to maintain water chemistry in your pool to extend the life of the unit's cell.

Step 13

CELL LEAKING AT TERMINAL BOLTS - If the cell is leaking through the terminal bolts, the cell has to be replaced.

Step 14

CELL LEAKING AT UNION - Check the union O-ring for wear and cracks. Replace if necessary. Re-lube the O-ring and make sure the collar is tight. Hand tightening should be sufficient. Do not over tighten.

Step 15

MELTED CELL PLUG - Make sure all plates are secure and connected to the brackets at the cell head. If not, replace the cell. For instructions on correcting the melted cell plug, see our guide on "How To Clean a Corroded Salt Chlorine Generator Cord Head".

Click here to view Compupool cell parts. 

Comments

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(81 to 105 of 105)

Anonymous  Posted: 4/11/2016 

My salt cell is not generating chlorine. I cleaned it and put it back in, but it is still not working. Salt levels are fine per a pool store test. How can I tell if it's the cell vs the controller. I was going to order a replacement cell, but the guy at the pool store thought I should have someone come and diagnose it because it might be the controller. I don't want to order the wrong thing...
 Reply

InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 3/11/2016 

Libby - It sounds like your problem is with low water flow rather than a malfunctioning CPSC. But first check the cable connections that go into the cell to make sure they are on tightly. Crimp the leads slightly to tighten the fit. Than see our guide on "How to Correct Low Water Pressure in Your Pool System". A common problem is a clogged impeller.
 Reply

 Posted: 3/8/2016 

Hi,
My compupool unit constantly has the 'no water' red light on. Seems to be a water flow problem. Recently,we replacing the pump to a higher horsepower and we had good water flow for a week or so even though the 'water fault' or 'no water' light was on. Now we don't even have enough flow to run the pool vac efficiently. The cell does not seem to be producing chlorine. We have cleaned the cell,checked terminals, taken off the pool vac, washed out filter basket and basket at the pump,hosed out and degreased the filter. Any other ideas?

 Reply

InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 2/29/2016 

Brian - Sounds like you may have a loose connector at the plug terminals. Inspect the plug for damage. See our guide on "How To Clean a Corroded Salt Chlorine Generator Cord Head". If that looks good, give Compupool a call at 888-989-7258. They should be able to isolate your problem.
 Reply

 Posted: 2/28/2016 

New to salt system pools. My Compupool will turn on, but after about 10seconds the water fault light comes on and the display screen reads "no water". As soon as the water fault light and "no water" pops up, the plug at the cell starts smoking and gives off an electrical smell. Had a pool company replace the screen in the unit a couple months ago. Not sure if they wired something wrong? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
 Reply

InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 12/1/2015 

Tsuma - I haven't come across this particular problem yet. Hopefully it is something simple but it probably has more to do with the PCB. I would suggest calling Compupool direct at 888-989-7258. They should be able to isolate this problem better.
 Reply

 Posted: 11/30/2015 

I have a Compupool CPSC36 that ran fine for four years turning on and off, controlled by a an Intermatic timer. Recently however when the timer turns on, the lights on the CPSC36 controller light up briefly but then the unit does not stay on and ramp up to 100% generation like it used to. It will however come on and stay on if I manually press the power button on the Compupool controller. Is this a worn out relay that can be replaced or some other part? I replaced the cell last year, and made sure my cell connections are clean and crimped.
 Reply

InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 10/31/2015 

sverny - I'm not sure what Salt Chlorine Generation system you have. Many factors can affect the salt reading on these systems and in some cases, even when they are calibrated correctly, they are off by 1000 psi. You may have too much salt in your system and depending on the system you have, the over salt condition may have shut down the system. If you have an "overcurrent" reading, that usually means that your salt level is above acceptable limits and that the SCG unit is having to produce higher than normal current (and heat) to produce chlorine. Take a sample of your pool water to a local pool store and have them check the salt level. If they show a high salt level, you will have to reduce the salt level in your pool by dumping a significant amount of your pool water and replacing it with fresh water. Also check that all your connections between the SCG unit and the cell are tight.
 Reply

 Posted: 10/30/2015 

I replaced my powerboard and the unit worked great in that it went thru diagnostics, powered up the cell and sensed low salt for the very first time. After adding salt I powered it up and promptly got an error stating "overcurrent" and now the unit is dead again. Can this be fixed or do I look for for total replacement from a different brand? (All this, after 3 cell housing changeouts and 2 cell replacements)
 Reply

InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 9/10/2015 

A3 - Compupool has told us that it is very difficult to weld titanium and that it cannot be done within specs by an average welder. If you would like more details on their welding procedure, call them at 888-989-7258.
 Reply

InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 9/10/2015 

ultraclean - I have not seen any information on this message. Generally all lights red is an indication that your PC board has failed or you may not have good connections. Try tightening up your leads to the head of the cell by slightly crimping the female connectors to the terminals on the end of the cell. If that doesn't work, call Compupool at 888-989-7258.
 Reply

 Posted: 9/8/2015 

My cell is a CPSC16 and of one of 4 plates the attachment (L) seems to have melted away and is disconnected. How difficult is it to solder this titanium back on again? Are there any instructions available?
Thanks
Adri

 Reply

Anonymous  Posted: 9/7/2015 

My compupool screen is flashing ultraclean and all the lights are red
on the bottom It is not producing chlorine and I dont know what to do

 Reply

InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 7/17/2015 

Scott VT - Many control issues on this system are due to loose connections. Try slightly crimping the female leads that connect to the post on the cell plug. If this doesn't solve your issue, give Compupool a call at 888-989-7258. Their tech staff should have an answer.
 Reply

 Posted: 7/16/2015 

I have had my controller for over 5 years but have changed the cells at least twice. The issue now and not mentioned above is that the controller powers up, goes thru testing, shows temp and PPM and then the cell fires up which is proven by visually seeing the cell generate the bubbles. After about 15 minutes the bubbles on the cell start to grow less until finally the cell is producing zero bubbles. There are no error codes on the controller so I have absolutely no idea why it cuts down production after startup and lessens to zero output. I have it set to 100% and have even selected super-clorinate to no avail. Any ideas out there? I am ready to dump the whole thing for the competitors model. Oh yeah, There is a major design flaw with the cell housing in that after a while tiny hairline cracks form across the threaded section and leaking starts. I have replaced the housing twice also due to this defect.
 Reply

InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 7/6/2015 

jt - Step #9 of this guide indicates that if temp is always 69 degrees and salt always reads <2500, the cell and the Display LCD need to be replaced. Try crimping the female end of the cable slightly to tighten up the cable connection to the cell plug. If that doesn't work, call Compupool at 888-989-7258 to check with them before buying either cell or PCB.
 Reply

 Posted: 7/2/2015 

I have a CPSC36 which is on its 4th season, never had any issues until last night when the 'no water' warning light came on, salt was reading less than 2500 but should have been over 3000, and the temp reads 69 degrees. Seems like a controller issue but I've also read where it could be the cell. I went through the troubleshooting steps, pressure was a little low because the DE filter needed backflushing so I did that. I also pulled the cell out and inspected it for any buildup, there was absolutely none but I gave it a quick acid wash anyway. The plates in the cell were fairly dark but there was no pitting and all of the contact points looked solid. Not sure what I was looking for but structurally it all looked good. If all signs point to a controller then I'll replace that, just don't want to do the controller when it's really the cell or vice versa.
 Reply

InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 6/30/2015 

Sanyi - Sounds like a voltage problem. Reverify that the voltage coming into the unit is the same as how the unit is configured. If different, convert the wiring on the unit to match the supply voltage. See the front half of our guide on "How To Install an In-Line Salt Chlorine Generator" for further instructions. If voltage is not the problem, give Compupool a call at 888-989-7258, They should be able to assist you.
 Reply

 Posted: 6/29/2015 

Hi everybody!
I have checked step 1... My problem is: after machine start working after 1min it simply shut down. And I should pres reset buttom to start it working again. But all the time - same - it goes down.
Any idea?
Thanks a lot.
Sanyi.

 Reply

InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 5/9/2015 

delligator - I wasn't aware that the CPSC's showed a cleaning cycle. Recheck your new wiring then give Compupool a call at 888-989-7258.
 Reply

 Posted: 5/8/2015 

CPSC electrode went bad and required replacing...cable and endcap corroded to electrode nodes. Replaced cell/electrode and cable. Control unit now displays "cleaning" and neither polarity lights are illuminated. Any troubleshooting for these symptoms?
 Reply

InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 4/20/2015 

skiffin16 - If you are replacing your old CPSC26 Power Module with a larger CPSC36 unit, as you indicate in your comment, you will also have to upgrade the CPSC26 Cell with a CPSC36 Cell. They are electronically matched. As for the cord, it generally does not have to be replaced unless you find that the head of the cord that connects to the cell, is damaged - melted. If you are going to a larger unit, CPSC36, I would recommend buying the whole unit which includes the cord.
 Reply

 Posted: 4/18/2015 

I have a CPSC26 purchased and installed 2010.. I've had to replace the fuses a few times. Last time it was with a 5A, which was recommended on the CompuPool site.

All was fine for several months, but living in Florida, I think power surge might have zapped the board.

I noticed the unit offline the other day. When I took it apart to check the fuse, I saw the fuse took a good hit, it was black.

I replaced the fuse, but getting an over current display as soon as it powered up, with a little smoke..

I shut it off immediately.. even with the fuse out, it feels like the power cord going to the display feels warm.

I tripped the breaker and ordered a new CPSC36 Power Module.

But it looks like there might have been changes to the cell cord.., will I have to replace that or the cell also..?

 Reply

InyoPools Product Specialist  Posted: 11/14/2014 

Barrie 5074 - Generally this is a problem with loose connections. See Step #5 of this guide. If that doesn't correct your problem, give Compupool a call at 888-989-7258.
 Reply

 Posted: 11/11/2014 

Water fault light is on. Flow is good, salt is good. Should the flow sensing strips be Touching the electrode strips during flow? Or free from contact?
 Reply