If you have a Pentair IC40 saltwater chlorine generator, you may have had to change the fuse in the power center once or twice. On the older units, the fuse is located in the bottom of the power center. It is replaced (if necessary) by twisting the fuse holder out using a flat-blade screwdriver. You can perform a Pentair IC40 Fuse Bypass to make your life easier.
The problem is that the built-in fuse holder is incredibly difficult to get to. The bottom plastic also tends to get stripped. This makes it nearly impossible to loosen and remove. The spring also gets worn out, which makes it even harder still to remove even if you can get it to turn and loosen.
NOTE: This will only apply to older IC40s. The newer models have a spade fuse slot built into the logic board inside the power center. I’m not sure at what point they made this change, but our IC40 is approaching ten years old.
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Solution: Perform a Pentair IC40 Fuse Bypass and Relocate It
My solution was to bypass the built-in fuse holder and relocate it to the inside of the power center. This was an incredibly easy job to do. As an added bonus, if the fuse ever needs replacing in the future, it’s not a much easier change.
As always, when working with electricity, the first step is to TURN OFF THE POWER AT THE CIRCUIT BREAKER. Verify with a multimeter or non-contact voltage tester that all power to the power center is off before continuing any further.
Additionally, you should remove the fuse (if there is one) from the built-in fuse holder before proceeding. Since we are bypassing it, there’s no reason to leave it in place. I did this by removing it from the bottom first, removing the fuse, then putting it back in place. You may be able to remove the fuse from the inside by gently grabbing it with needle nose pliers and lifting up, but I cannot confirm this.
Disconnect Built-In In Fuse Holder
Once you have verified that there is no power to the power center, you can disconnect the built-in fuse holder. You’ll see the fuse holder in the lower back right corner, behind the salt cell connection. It has two (likely red) wires connected to it.
You can remove these two wires with a pair of needle nose pliers. Just grip the wires and gently pull away from the fuse holder spade connectors. They should eventually release. You don’t need to apply a lot of pressure.
Once you have the wires disconnected from the old fuse holder, you can cut off the connectors. Strip the ends of the wires.
Prepare and Wire The New Pentair IC40 Fuse Bypass
I purchased this inline fuse holder at AutoZone for approximately $12 here in southern California in June 2024. Your price may vary depending on your location or time of purchase. It comes with both ends wired together. You’ll need to cut the wire loop in half, then strip both ends to prepare it for connecting to the IC40 power center.
If you’ve read this blog before, you know that I’m a fan of WAGO lever nuts, and that’s what I’ll use here. Connect one of the wires from the built-in fuse holder to one end of the inline fuse holder, using one two-port WAGO lever nut. Connect the other wire to the other end of the inline fuse holder, using another WAGO.
Once you have the wires connected, insert a new glass fuse and screw the inline fuse holder together. Tuck the wires and inline fuse holder into the power center box, and put the cover back on.
Easy Future Fuse Changes
If the fuse needs changing in the future, you now have an easy change to make. No longer is it necessary to stretch behind your equipment and fight with the potentially stripped, potentially broken spring to get the fuse out. Just open your power center, pull out your inline fuse holder, open, and replace.
Now that you’ve got your fuse situation figured out, check out this post on how you can earn money with your pool with Swimply.
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