SOLAR PUMP w AQUATROL HP

I recently switched our pool to solar power and am not sure how to adjust the dials on our AQUATROL HP

The pump runs on solar is not connected to the chlorinatorand the AQUA-TROL HP is plugged in to house current.

Should the MANUAL CONTROL be  set to:  ON ?, AUTO ?, OFF ?

Should the small TIMER TRIPPERS  be set in (OFF) or out (ON)

I had the MANUAL CONTROL set to ON and the TIMER TRIPPERS out and the readout showed generating even with the pump off at night.

I’m confused.

Islandman73

Hi Island Man, the Aquatrol should be installed as the manufacturer recommends in the manual so it shares the same power source as the pump so if one loses power the other loses power.  It is meant as a safety precaution so your chlorinator will not be powered on when the pump is off.  The flow switch is meant as a secondary safety backup.

You should have the Aquatrol plugged in to the main power source and the pump plugged in to your Aquatrol HP.  That way the trippers on the Aquatrol timer will control the pump and the Aquatrol safely.

Salt water chlorine generators that are powered on with no water flow can be very dangerous.

Rich,

Thanks for the response but no can do…the pump is solar powered, not 110-120 volt,  so it cannot be plugged into the AQUATROL.

What I need to do is have the chlorinator work only when the water flows from the pump. The flow switch will activate when the water flows.

Ahhh, got it - thank you!  I would recommend installing something like this Flow Switch 2" Model 210 (57-f1-2212-01w) inline (before) your salt cell and wiring the power for the saltwater chlorine generator into it to cut the power if there is no flow.  I have done this on a number of setups where a variable-speed motor was installed as an extra safety measure.

InyoRich,

Thank you much.

Now we are on the same page.

Additional question: Is the flow switch you recommend a HAYWARD PRODUCT ?

Any idea where I can get one ?

Island Man

I can’t find anything like that from Hayward, but the company that makes them (Grid Controls) has been making them for about 40 years.  They are well designed and incredibly reliable.

INYORICH,

Ok I found where I can get one but I see no wires on the picture of the uit.

How and where would I hook it up to shut off chlorination if the pump goes silent ?

D

It gets hooked up to the incoming “hot” power feed for the Aquatrol so, if the flow stops or gets too low, the power is cut off. You will need to run standard 1/2" electrical conduit to it and be sure to comply with your local electrical codes.  The manufacturer’s instructions are here.

I now know about the extra flowswitch but still do not have anything confirmed as to how to set the dial and timers on the chlorinator itself.

Currently have the timers in on position (out)

The 4 oclock switch to auto

When the solar pump stops working (evening or clouds) the chlorinator stops generating light goes off and  the no flow light comes on

I completely bypass the timer when using the additional flow switch.  It won’t be necessary any longer, since the motor has its own built-in controls and you can dial the chlorinator output up or down if the pump will be running more or less than it used to so you do not under- or over-chlorinate the pool.

I do not recommend using the factory flow switch as the only indicator of flow.  They are not as reliable as the M210 switch and can fail after a few years of operation.  You do not want the chlorine generator running without any water flow.

The other benefit of bypassing the timer is that you don’t have to worry about resetting it if the power goes out.