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“Cell inspect due” displayed on your AutoPilot Pool Pilot controller is not actually an error message. Instead, this is an advisory message serving as a reminder to inspect the cell to ensure it is clean. The Pool Pilot will continue to produce chlorine as normal when this message is displayed. Press the “SELECT” button to clear this message.

SaltPoolGuys.com is the nation’s largest AutoPilot Pool Pilot salt chlorine generator dealer offering shipping throughout the United States. We sell the complete line of AutoPilot Pool Pilot systems, replacement cells & parts. In this video we show how to remove the cover from an AutoPilot Pool Pilot Digital DIG-220 controller. WARNING: It is EXTREMELY important that the power is completely turned OFF to the Pool Pilot controller BEFORE removing the cover.

What is your Pool Pilot Soft Touch ST-220 telling you? Service Light with Single RED Flash & Flow-Ok Light is Off: In this error mode the Pool Pilot Soft Touch is NOT producing chlorine due to a flow related issue. Please refer to our Pool Pilot no flow troubleshooting guide. Service Light with Double RED Flash: In this error mode the Pool Pilot Soft Touch IS producing chlorine however it is a warning that the system needs attention to prevent a complete loss of chlorine production. Please refer to our test instructions provided below to diagnose the system. Service Light with Triple RED Flash: In this error mode the Pool Pilot Soft Touch is NOT producing chlorine due to low amps. Please refer to our test instructions provided below to diagnose the system. Service Light with Quadruple RED Flash: In this error mode the Pool Pilot Soft Touch ? ? ? Low Salt Light: This is indicating that the unit has detected that salt has dropped below 2400 ppm. Check salt level and adjust to 3000 ppm to ensure that chlorine is able to be produced. Add Salt Light: This is indicating that the unit has detected that salt has dropped below 2000 ppm and the unit is not able to produce chlorine at this low level. Check salt level and adjust to 3000 ppm to start chlorine production. Pool Pilot Soft Touch Diagnostics Mode: If your unit is providing a service light with double or triple red flashes you will want to perform the test below and provide us with the results for troubleshooting by our technical staff: If the unit is not already in “boost” mode you will want press the “boost” button and allow the system 60 seconds for boost to activate fully before moving on to the test instructions provided below. Accessing the diagnostic mode: Press and hold BOTH the up and down arrows at the same time. Hold them pressed until the output display lights go out, leaving just the bottom light illuminated (approx. 5 seconds). You will want to make note of these test results. You can e-mail or call us for tech support based on these details. The first value to be displayed is the salt concentration in Parts Per Million (PPM). This value is measured by counting the number of flashes of the top 3 lights. In the case of salt, the top light is not used, the next to the top flashes the 1000’s digit and the third light flashes the 100’s digit in ppm.Example: 2 flashes/pause/8 flashes/pause Read: 2,800 PPM The second value is the water temperature in degrees Fahrenheit. When this is displayed, the second light from the bottom is on. The top light flashes the 100’s digit, the next the 10’s digit and the next the units of temperature.Example: 8 flashes/pause/6 flashes/pause Read: 86 Degrees F When the third light from the bottom is on, the cell voltage is displayed. The top light is not used. The second light flashes the 10’s digit and the third the units of voltage.Example: 2 flashes/pause/8 flashes/pause Read: 28 Volts When the fourth light is on the cell current in amperes is being displayed. The top light displays the 10’s digit (not normally used), the next the units and the third the tenths of amps.Example: 5 flashes/pause/5 flashes/pause Read: 5.5 Amps Now that you have your test results you can e-mail or call us with the results for technical support.

AutoPilot offers an optional to install pump relay for their Pool Pilot Digital DIG-220 units. This relay allows your Pool Pilot Digital controller to operate a one or two speed pump acting as a digital time clock. How the Pump Relay Interacts with Different Types of Pumps: One-Speed Pumps: When a Pool Pilot Digital pump relay is used with a standard one-speed or single speed pump the Pool Pilot Digital can be programmed to turn the pump on and off in 1 or 2 cycles per day. Example A with 1 cycle per day: The Pool Pilot Digital could provide a 12 hour pump run time by turning the pump on at 7 am and turning it off at 7 pm. Of course you can set the pump to run at any desired time based on your specific needs.  Example B with 2 cycles per day: The Pool Pilot Digital could still provide a 12 hour pump run time however in this case you may want the pump turning on at 7 am and turning off at 12 noon. Once again at 3 pm the pump could turn on and power down at 10 pm completing a 12 hour daily in 2 different cycles. Again you can set up 2 cycles per day in any time configuration desired. Two-Speed Pumps: The interaction between the Pool Pilot Digital pump relay and two-speed or dual speed pumps works in a different manner. When the Pool Pilot Digital signals for the pump to power on it would do so in the high speed setting. When it is time for the Pool Pilot Digital to power the pump off the pump would turn down to low speed. With a two-speed pump the Pool Pilot never completely powers the pump off. Variable Speed Pumps: Since variable speed pumps include their own digital control units and are always supplied with power the Pool Pilot pump relay kit is not needed and is not compatible with variable speed pumps. How to Program the Pump Relay: By factory default your Pool Pilot Digital DIG-220 controller doesn’t know that it is controlling your pump. You will need to simply enter the installer menu and set up the interaction between the two pieces of equipment. The instructions below will walk you through this step by step. You will first need to make sure your Pool Pilot Digital replay is wired and installed as per the included instructions from the manufacturer. Press the “menu” button on your Pool Pilot controller. Press the up or down arrows to cycle through the menu options until “installer menu” is highlighted. Once “installer menu” is highlighted PRESS and HOLD the “select” button for approx. 13 to 16 seconds. Once inside of the menu you should see an option to “select language”. Bypass this selection by using the up or down arrows until “pump control” is displayed. Press “select” to enter the pump control setting. You will notice by default the factory setting is programmed as “external timer”. You will need to change this to “one-speed pump” or “two-speed pump” based on the model pump that you have installed on your pool. Once you’ve selected the correct style of pump press “select” to save the setting. Using your arrows once again to scroll to “Pump Program 1 and 2” and press the “select” button. This setting allows you define the on / off times that your pump will operate. You can select either 1 or 2 cycles for the pump to operate. You will at least need set “pump program 1” and can optionally set a 2nd cycle through “pump program 2” if desired. Most pool owners just choose 1 cycle. Follow the on screen prompts followed by pressing “select” to save the settings. Using your arrows to scroll through the main installer menu choose “Set Time of Day” if you have not yet set the current time. Again press “select” to enter the time of day menu and follow the on screen prompts to set your current time followed by pressing “select” to save the setting. Once you are returned to the main installer menu scroll using your arrows to “exit menu” and press “select” to return to the main screen.

We receive inquiries from customers on a consistent basis reporting that their pool has little to no chlorine. In many of these cases there is not a equipment related issue at play instead it could be a water chemistry issue even when a water test shows well-balanced normal water conditions. If your Pool Pilot is showing an error code you will want to refer to our equipment troubleshooting guide or contact our technical support. There are several situations in which you may not be able to read a chlorine level in the pool, yet there are no error displays on the AutoPilot. Some are Operational and some are from Chemical Reactions. A quick test is to place the units in BOOST mode, wait 30 seconds, loosen the lower cell union, and then take a water sample after the cell. Test for chlorine, which should yield a higher level than what’s in the pool. Chlorine Demand Chlorine demand is the amount of chlorine needed to treat all of the contaminants in pool water. Some pools have extremely high chlorine demand while others have normal or even low chlorine demand. You could have a perfectly working salt chlorine generator running at peak efficiency combined with a increased or high chlorine demand and still yield little to no chlorine. Sunlight (UV) exposure, inclement weather, slides, pool parties and water features are all factors that can cause increased chlorine demand. Cell Too SmallIf the salt cell being used is undersized for your pool and its chlorine demand your Pool Pilot system will not be able to create enough chlorine to meet the demand. Borderline sizing, that is, if you have a 20,000 gallon pool, do not install and 20,000 gallon rated cell, will probably not provide enough chlorine. Contact us to learn if your Pool Pilot controller can accommodate a larger sized cell. Pump Run Time InsufficientSimilar to undersized cells, you must run the pump long enough to be able to generate sufficient levels of chlorine daily. Upsizing the cell will allow you to lower your pump run time. StabilizerStabilizer is the most common chlorine demand issue that we deal with. Maintaining proper stabilizer levels ensures that your chlorine is protected from UV rays of the sun. Not maintaining proper stabilizer levels ensures that the sun will rapidly degrade the chlorine being produced by your salt pool chlorine generator. For residential pools the stabilizer level should be maintained at 60 – 80 ppm. Even at a median 30 – 40 ppm your pool will have somewhat rapid chlorine loss especially during the peak of summer. PhosphatesThe industry is still learning about phosphates and at what points they can cause issues with chlorine levels. Ideally you will have a phosphate level of 0 ppb. When troubleshooting chlorine demand issues we recommend treating any phosphate level about xxx ppb. Phosphates serve as a food source for algae. Phosphates are introduced to pool water by lawn fertilizer, laundry detergents, some household cleaning bleaches & tile/vinyl cleaning agents. Some pool owners living near agricultural areas or golf courses have had phosphate levels via airborne sources. A chemical treatment is needed to eliminate phosphates when found in pool water. Sodium BromideUnfountantley another common issue that can create high chlorine demand is the something that pool stores will sometimes sell to pool owners to fix algae problems. Many pool stores market “yellow” or “mustard” algae removal products containing SODIUM BROMIDE. Although the clerk at the pool store or even the package the treatment comes in advertises it as being “salt pool compatible” it can cause extreme issues in relation to your chlorine levels. Every year we troubleshoot dozens of pools with issues caused by the addition of sodium bromide. To remedy the addition of sodium bromide:Turn the AutoPilot Pool Pilot controller down to 0% output. Add Sodium Hypochlorite manually, daily, to maintain 5 ppm or higher until you’re able to maintain a chlorine residual overnight. Determine this by testing your chlorine at night and again in the morning. Expect the chlorine level to be lower in the morning, due to the reaction of the sodium bromide. Add your chlorine after your morning test. Once you’re able to maintain the chlorine residual, you can turn the AutoPilot back on. Usage (“Bather Load”)For residential pools the usage (known in the industry as “bather load”) is a less common issue in relation to chlorine demand although it is certainly something to take in to consideration. On commercial and public pools however it is one of the most important things to factor when looking at chlorine demand. An active adult swimmer can lose a pint or more of perspiration in a hours time. Sunny conditions Hot water Nitrates Sodium bromide Other contaminants

What is a generic or aftermarket replacement cell? A generic or aftermarket cell is a replacement cell made by a company other than the original manufacturer. The original manufacturer is AquaCal AutoPilot (“AutoPilot Systems”). What are the advantages/disadvantages of generic/aftermarket replacement cells? Value?: The perceived advantage of generic/aftermarket replacement cells is that the customer will save money as compared to buying the original manufacturer’s equipment. However a quick search around the web will show that aftermarket cells often last years less than the original cells. Also with our deep discounting and rebate programs we’ll usually even beat the cost of most generic/aftermarket cells. Warranty: Unfortunately unscrupulous marketers of the generic/aftermarket cells offer warranties that appear to good to be true. It turns out that past history will show that these warranties are too good to be true in most cases. One of the largest distributors of generic/aftermarket cells has over 150 complaints with the Better Business Bureau as of this writing. Their rating with the BBB is “F”. We have seen some sellers promote 3, 4 and even 5 year warranties. Make sure you read the fine print and ask for the name of the company that actually back ups the warranty. Do you research! We’ve actually done it for you — look below: Why doesn’t SaltPoolGuys.com sell generic/aftermarket cells? Our Reputation: We have a stellar reputation as an authorized AutoPilot Pool Pilot dealer. There are hundreds of customer reviews around our website and independent third party websites pertaining to our company. Simply put our ownership will not sell our reputation or customers to make a quick buck selling inferior products. Liability: Generic/aftermarket cells could pose serious safety threats. For legal and liability reasons we refuse to put our business and customer’s safety in jeopardy.

An exclusive feature of AutoPilot Pool Pilot salt pool chlorine generators is temperature compensation. This feature automatically adjusts the output % setting of your Pool Pilot controller based upon the changes in seasonal water temperatures. This exclusive and very useful feature conveniently compensates for spring time water temperature increases (more purifier is needed to avoid under chlorination and algae growth) and cooler fall/winter water temperature decreases (less purifier is need to avoid over chlorination and unnecessary cell usage). The purpose of this feature is to aid in proper chlorine production throughout the year with little or no adjustment needed by the pool operator. You will notice that the purifier output % setting will automatically adjust from your set point. As the temperature fluctuates every 5 degrees higher or lower, the output will adjust 25% of the setting, and either increase or decrease the output cycle automatically. At certain low water temperature points, the maximum purifier % can not be adjusted until the water temperature once again increases. At 55 F the unit goes to a 1% fixed output. This cold water temperature block out is designed to conserve cell life in a period of time when chlorine production is not typically needed. In cold water conditions if chlorine production is needed beyond the 1% fixed output boost mode can be activated for a 24 or 72 hour period with chlorine production at 100% during this time period. Boost mode can be deactivated manually during this time by once again pressing the boost button if a full boost cycle is not required.

This article applies to the vast majority of AutoPilot Pool Pilot installations. It will not apply if ORP automation is being used to control the chlorine production of the AutoPilot Pool Pilot salt system.  SaltPoolGuys.com is an authorized dealer of AutoPilot Pool Pilot salt systems. We offer a full selection of AutoPilot Pool Pilot parts & cells along with complete systems.  Adjusting the Purifier PercentageUse the “UP” and “DOWN” arrows to adjust the purifier output percentage (can be adjusted from 0-100%). Once you’ve reached your desired purifier percentage setting you then press the “SELECT” button to lock the reading in. Once you have set the desired purifier level the temperature compensation feature will take over until the purifier is adjusted manually once again (see “Temperature Compensation” below for more details.) What is the purifier percentage?When you are adjusting the purifier percentage of your AutoPilot Pool Pilot you are setting how often the cell is powered to produce chlorine. The cell has active and inactive or idle periods of time. Examples based on an 8-hour pump run time: @ 25% purifier chlorine will be produced for 2 hours and the cell will idle for 6 hours @ 50% purifier chlorine will be produced for 4 hours and the cell will idle for 4 hours @ 100% purifier chlorine will be produced for 8 hours and the cell will idle for 0 hours As you can see the higher the purifier percentage setting the more chlorine will be produced. It is important to remember that pump run time also affects the amount of chlorine being produced. In the above example, we used an 8-hour pump run time. Using the 50% purifier example see the list below for examples of how pump run time will affect chlorine production: @ 50% purifier and an 8-hour pump run time chlorine will be produced for 4 hours and the cell will idle for 4 hours @ 50% purifier and a 12-hour pump run time chlorine will be produced for 6 hours and the cell will idle for 6 hours @ 50% purifier and a 24-hour pump run time chlorine will be produced for 24 hours and the cell will idle for 0 hours As you can see in the above examples it is extremely important to take pump run time into consideration when choosing the ideal starting purifier percentage as increases or decreases in the pump run time provides more or less of a chance for the unit to produce chlorine within the same purifier percentage setting. Ideal Purifier PercentageWith a properly balanced pool and at least an 8-hour per day pump run time, the manufacturer recommends starting the purifier percentage at 50%. If your pump run time greatly exceeds 8 hours per day you’ll want to curb down the 50% level to prevent overwearing of the cell. When learning your ideal purifier % level you should regularly check the chlorine level and adjust as need be. With that said your proper output setting will vary based upon several factors including time of year, stabilizer level, pool size, location, exposure to sunlight, number of users, vegetation around the pool, water balance conditions and pump run time. Temperature CompensationAutoPilot Pool Pilot controllers feature a temperature compensation system. This technology allows the Pool Pilot to automatically make fine output adjustments as the water temperature changes. The tri-sensor works in conjunction with the chlorine % feature to automatically adjust chlorine output based upon changes in water temperature. The idea behind this feature is that less chlorine is needed in cooler water conditions and as the water warms more chlorine is needed to properly maintain the pool. This unique and exclusive feature really sets AutoPilot Pool Pilot salt chlorine generators apart from the rest of the industry. It helps to conserve the life of the cell in cooler conditions and keep your pool sparkling and safe in warmer conditions. Cold Water Lockout: As the water temperature drops below 65F, the AutoPilot Pool Pilot controller will activate a high chlorine percent lockout, and may not allow chlorine adjustments up to 100%. The feature prevents the AutoPilot Pool Pilot controller from over-driving the salt cell under colder temperatures, thus preventing premature salt cell wear. At 55F or colder water temperatures, the controller will adjust to a fixed 1% output, this preventing over-chlorination and premature salt cell failure. Cold Water ConditionsWhen the water temperature drops below 65°F, the Pool Pilot controller will activate a high purifier lockout. With the water temperature at these levels, you may not be able to adjust the purifier level up to 100%. At 55°F or colder water temperatures, the controller will adjust to a fixed 1% output and will not allow for the purifier level to be raised manually. This helpful feature prevents the controller from overworking the cell under colder temperatures, preventing premature cell wear. Boost ModeBoost mode sets the purifier level to 100% for a specified period of time. Standard boost mode runs for a 24-hour duration while super boost mode runs for 72 hours. Note: If boost mode is activated on a Pool Pilot Digital DIG-220 controller which is configured to control a one-speed pump the pump will continue to run past the its standard shut off time until the boost cycle duration is complete. To activate boost: Press “BOOST” button once. To activate super boost: Press & hold “BOOST” button for 8 seconds. To deactivate boost: Press “BOOST” a second time.

Freeze protection is a feature included with AutoPilot Pool Pilot Digital DIG-220 and AutoPilot Pool Pilot Digital 75003 control units. The feature will turn the pool pump on when water drops below 40°F if the Pool Pilot control is properly configured to control the pool pump. This feature is for one-speed pool pumps and does not apply to two-speed or variable speed pool pumps. This feature can reduce the possibility of freeze damage to the pump, filter, and pipes in milder climates where freezing weather is not typically expected. There is no warranty or guarantee of this feature. It is still always very important to take any and all precautions to ensure that freeze damage does not occur. The Pool Pilot freeze protection feature will NOT work properly unless all of the following conditions are met: The Pool Pilot must be powered continuously. An external switch or timer should not be used to turn off the Pool Pilot power during the freezing weather. The Pool Pilot must control the power to the circulation pump. DIG-220 Models: The Pool Pilot “Pump Control” must be programmed for one-speed pump. When the tri-sensor indicates that the water temperature is below 38°F, the control unit will override the normal timed program cycle and run the pump 30 minutes minimum or continuously while the water temperature is below 38°F. 75003 Models: The Pool Pilot “Set Relay 1” must be programmed for one-speed pump and the circulation pump must be wired to relay 1. When the Tri-sensor indicates that water temperature is below 38°F, the control unit will override the normal timed program cycle and run the pump 30 minutes minimum or continuously while the water temperature is below 38°F. The Pool Pilot uses a temperature sensor located in the AutoPilot Pool Pilot tri-sensor assembly to determine water temperature. If the AutoPilot Pool Pilot tri-sensor is located so that it cannot accurately detect the cold water, then the freeze protection becomes ineffective. (For example, if the AutoPilot Pool Pilot tri-sensor is located inside a protected or warm location and the other pool components are located in an unprotected area, the other pool components could freeze before the tri-sensor detects the cold water.)

This is a question that we’re asked quite often. It is also a question that most industry professionals don’t quite have an accurate answer to. We’ll help clear it up in this article. There is no shelf life to salt cells. Most of us are familiar the term shelf life when it comes to the milk in our refrigerator or spare batteries in our junk drawer. The good news about salt cells is that there is no shelf life. You could place a new salt cell in your garage today and it will be just as good 10 years later. There is no set amount of time a cell will last. This is a common misconception even among pool service techs. A cell doesn’t last a set amount of hours. Sure you may be to find an average amount of time that a cell lasts but factors can alter this average greatly. Is it an OEM or generic cell? An OEM cell means that the original equipment manufacturer made the cell. In this case, the cell would be manufactured by AutoPilot Pool Pilot. While a generic cell is made by a 3rd party company not affiliated with AutoPilot Pool Pilot. A recent industry study showed that an OEM cell outlasted a generic cell by 120% life! That’s right, the OEM cell outperformed a generic cell lifespan by 120%. So for the sake of this article, we’re strictly talking about cells manufactured directly by AutoPilot Pool Pilot and not any sort of generic product. Alright, so we’ve learned that we don’t measure cell life in time. So just how do we measure the life of an AutoPilot Pool Pilot salt cell? Cell life is measured in the amount of chlorine the cell can produce over the life of the cell. The AutoPilot Pool Pilot PPC1 cell will produce the equivalent of 200 lbs. of pure gas chlorine in its lifespan. The AutoPilot Pool Pilot PPC3 cell will produce the equivalent of 300 lbs. of pure gas chlorine in its lifespan. The AutoPilot Pool Pilot PPC4 cell will produce the equivalent of 575 lbs. of pure gas chlorine it is lifespan. The AutoPilot Pool Pilot PPC5 cell will produce the equivalent of 1,000 lbs. of pure gas chlorine in its lifespan. 100 lbs. of pure gas chlorine equals: 100 gallons of liquid chlorine 112 lbs. of trichlor chlorine tablets 150 lbs. of cal hypo chlorine    So what affects how long a cell will last? Take a look at our “What affects the life of my AutoPilot Pool Pilot salt cell?” article for more details on this.