Salt systems
Jandy AquaPure and AquaLink salt system service codes, explained
The Jandy AquaPure shows a three-digit service code when something needs attention, and its manual says what every code means. A handful, like 125, 144 and 145, are cleaning or salt jobs you can do yourself. Most of the rest point at the cell, the flow sensor or the power center, and Jandy sends those to a pool professional.
$120 diagnostic, credited toward your repair · set pricing on many common repairs and installations
When a Jandy AquaPure needs attention, the SERVICE light comes on and a three-digit code appears on the power center, shown twice a minute, with an alarm that beeps once an hour (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 33). Jandy's manual lists what every code means and what to do about it. A few are jobs you can do yourself. Most of them are the system telling you a part needs testing.
Many AquaPure systems are run from a Jandy AquaLink RS panel, which is why people often search for these as "AquaLink error codes". The codes belong to the AquaPure, and its manual is the place to read them. This guide covers the manual for the AquaPure and PureLink power center and cell kit, models APUREM, PLC700 and PLC1400 (Jandy AquaPure manual, cover).
Safety first
Jandy says to turn off power to the unit before attempting any service or repair (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 40), and to turn the pump off and release the system pressure at the filter's air relief valve before removing the cell, because the system runs under pressure (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 38). Cleaning the cell means handling muriatic acid: wear goggles and rubber gloves, work in a well-ventilated area, and always add acid to water, never water to acid.
The beep can be silenced for 24 hours by holding the SALINITY button for five seconds (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 33). That silences the alarm. It doesn't fix anything.
The codes at a glance
| Code | What Jandy says it means | What Jandy says to do |
|---|---|---|
| 120 | Low current to the cell, forward direction | Clean the cell if needed; check the DC cord |
| 121 | Low current to the cell, reverse direction | Clean the cell if needed; check the DC cord |
| 123 | Extremely low current to the cell | Clean or replace the cell if needed; check the DC cord |
| 124 | Higher than normal current to the cell | Contact a pool professional |
| 125 | Cell needs to be cleaned | Clean the cell if needed |
| 126 | Low forward current, and input voltage below 100/200 VAC | Contact a pool professional |
| 127 | Low reverse current, and input voltage below 100/200 VAC | Contact a pool professional |
| 144 | Low salinity, below 2.0 gpl | Add salt to reach 3.0 gpl |
| 145 | High salinity, above 4.0 gpl | Partially drain and refill to 3.0–3.5 gpl |
| 170 | Front board service condition, or not wired correctly to 120 VAC | Contact a pool professional |
| 171 | Back board service condition | Contact a pool professional |
| 172 | Flow sensor service condition, or sensor unplugged | Contact a pool professional |
| 173 | Low input voltage, or wired to the wrong voltage | Contact a pool professional |
| 174 | Water at the sensor above 108°F | Reduce the water temperature |
| 175 | Flow sensor air lock, or very low salinity | Check the sensor installation and the salt |
Source: Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 43.
The cell: 120, 121, 123, 124 and 125
These five are about the electrolytic cell, the part that makes the chlorine.
- 125 means the cell needs cleaning. 120 and 121 mean low current to the cell in each direction, and Jandy's first step for both is the same: clean the cell if it needs it, then check the DC cord. 123, extremely low current, adds "clean or replace the cell" (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 43).
- 124, higher than normal current, goes straight to a pool professional (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 43).
What you can check: with the power and pump off, look at the DC cord where it connects to the cell. Jandy's troubleshooting table says to check that connection for dirt or corrosion on the cord contacts and on the cell studs (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 42). Then take the cell out and look through it.
Cleaning. Jandy recommends removing the cell every two months to inspect it, if it tends to scale. Try a strong jet of water from a garden hose first. If that doesn't clear it, Jandy gives an acid wash procedure, and two limits worth knowing: if the acid doesn't foam vigorously, the cell doesn't need cleaning, so stop; and don't leave it in acid for more than half an hour, because excessive acid washing damages the cell (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 38).
If you're acid washing often, the water is the problem. Jandy suggests having the water tested for excess hardness and balance after an acid wash (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 38), and warns against using dry acid to lower pH in arid areas with heavy evaporation, because its by-products build up and can damage the cell (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 37). That describes most East Valley pools.
If a code comes back right after a good cleaning, Jandy's table says to contact a pool professional (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 42). A clean cell that still draws too little current may be near the end of its life, or the problem may be the cord or the power center. That's a measurement, not a guess. For the wider picture, see salt cell not producing chlorine.
Salt: 144, 145 and HH
- 144 is low salinity, below 2.0 grams per liter (2,000 ppm). Jandy says to add salt to reach 3.0 gpl (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 43). Below 2.0 gpl the system turns the cell off, and Jandy warns that running with low salt causes premature cell failure (Jandy AquaPure manual, pp. 29 and 35).
- 145 is high salinity, above 4.0 gpl. Jandy says to partially drain the pool and dilute with fresh water until the salt is back to 3.0 to 3.5 gpl, and to backwash first if you have a DE filter (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 43).
- HH on the salinity display means the salt is too high to measure (Jandy AquaPure manual, pp. 33 and 44).
Before adding or draining, check the reading. Jandy notes that a dirty or faulty flow, temperature and salinity sensor can read low, and recommends confirming with a calibrated salt meter or titration test, warning that test strips can vary by 400 to 800 ppm (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 42). If the system says low salt but the water tests fine, see why a salt system says low salt when the water tests fine.
The flow sensor: 172, 175 and NO FLOW
The AquaPure's flow, temperature and salinity sensor does three jobs, so a sensor problem can look like a flow, salt or temperature problem.
- 172 is a flow sensor service condition, or the sensor is unplugged (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 43).
- 175 is a flow sensor air lock or very low salinity. Jandy says to check the sensor is installed as shown in the manual and to check the salt (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 43).
- NO FLOW on the display, staying on, means water isn't reaching the sensor. Jandy's list of causes starts with the pump, closed valves, a dirty filter and an obstructed cell, then moves to the sensor: not installed properly, unplugged, coated with PVC glue or tape or debris, or defective (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 41).
The pump, baskets, valves and filter are yours to check. See pump running but no water flow. If those are fine, the sensor needs looking at, and a defective sensor is a job for a professional.
Power and boards: 126, 127, 170, 171 and 173
These point at the electricity reaching the unit or at the circuit boards in the power center. 126 and 127 pair low cell current with input voltage below 100/200 VAC. 170 and 171 are front and back board service conditions, and 173 is low input voltage or the wrong supply voltage (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 43). Jandy sends every one of them to a pool professional. A one-off during a storm is the supply. If it stays, the voltage and the boards need testing.
Temperature: 174 and Lo
- 174 means the water at the sensor is above 108°F, too hot for the unit to operate. Jandy says to reduce the water temperature (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 43).
- Lo means low-temperature cutoff: the water is below 54°F and chlorine production has stopped (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 44). That's normal in a cold East Valley winter. Keep testing your chlorine, and add it from another source if the system is resting.
Level 2 codes: 180 to 194
Behind the main codes, the AquaPure keeps more specific Level 2 codes, each of which triggers one of the codes above. They cover the sensor's heating element and temperature probes (180, 181, 183–186), salt below 0.2 gpl or an air-locked sensor (182), power supply and input voltage (187, 188), the relays that reverse the cell (189, 190), cell current and voltage faults (191–193), and a cell drawing far less current than it should (194). Jandy's instruction for every Level 2 code is to contact a pool professional (Jandy AquaPure manual, pp. 43–44).
Letter codes
| Display | What it means |
|---|---|
| JA | An AquaLink RS is controlling the AquaPure and its output |
| Jb | AquaLink RS is in control and Boost is on |
| bo | Boost: 100% output for 24 hours of run time |
| EC | An ORP unit or external controller has shut off chlorine production |
| Lo | Low-temperature cutoff, below 54°F |
| HH | The reading is above the maximum range |
Source: Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 44.
If you see JA, the output percentage is being set by the AquaLink, not at the power center. Jandy explains that the AquaLink has to be put in service mode before the power center's buttons will change it (Jandy AquaPure manual, p. 32). See pool automation repair if the AquaLink itself is misbehaving.
When to call
Call when a cell code comes back after a proper cleaning, for 124, 126, 127 and 170 to 173, for any Level 2 code, or when NO FLOW stays on with the pump running well. We confirm the salt independently, test the cell, the DC cord and the sensor, and read the code against Jandy's manual before anyone suggests a new cell or power center.
If you don't know what's wrong, a diagnostic is $120, and it's credited toward your repair if you go ahead. Start from salt system repair, or answer a few questions in the Pool Problem Finder. A photo of the code on the display and of the power center's label helps.
Sources
Every Jandy statement above links to this source. Page numbers are the printed page numbers.
- Zodiac Pool Systems, Jandy AquaPure Electronic Salt Water Chlorinator and PureLink Water Purification System Installation and Operation Manual, H0325600 Rev F.
Jandy, AquaPure, AquaLink and PureLink are trademarks of Zodiac Pool Systems. They are named here only to identify equipment.