Pentair IntelliChlor Power Center IC40 Review

Most pool owners hit a wall with the manual chlorine routine at some point. Buying it, storing it, measuring it, adding it, and still watching the numbers drift. The Pentair IntelliChlor Power Center and IC40 Cell was built to take the bulk of that off your hands. It uses electrolysis to convert table salt dissolved in your pool water into chlorine, sanitizes the pool, and then converts back to salt so the cycle can repeat itself indefinitely.

The system has been selling through AquaDoc on organic search alone, which is usually a sign that the people finding it already know exactly what they want. If you're still in the research phase, here's the complete picture.

How the IntelliChlor System Works

The setup has two pieces: the Power Center and the IC40 Cell. The Power Center is the control unit. It manages chlorine output, monitors your pool's salt concentration, tracks how many hours are left on the cell, and handles automatic safety shutoffs. The IC40 Cell is where the chemistry happens. Water passes through it, the salt gets converted to chlorine, the chlorine does its job, and then it reverts back to salt to start over.

You're not adding less chlorine. You're generating it on-site, on-demand, from a stable salt level in your pool water. For most pools that means maintaining around 3,200 ppm of salt, which is well below the threshold where you'd taste or feel it.

What Comes in the Box

The unit ships as a complete kit: the Power Center (EC-520556) and the IC40 Cell (520555). The IC40 is rated for pools up to 40,000 gallons. If your pool is on the smaller side, running the cell below its maximum capacity extends its operational lifespan considerably.

The Power Center works on both 110V and 220V input, so installation flexibility depends on how your equipment pad is wired rather than on the unit itself. Compatible replacement cells when the time comes include the IC20, IC40, and IC60.

• Pool size rating: Up to 40,000 gallons
• Voltage: 110/220V
• Model numbers: IC40 Cell (520555) and Power Center (520556)
• Compatible replacement cells: IC20, IC40, IC60
• Unit weight: 21.5 lbs
• Dimensions: 18 x 14 x 8 inches

The Features That Actually Matter Day-to-Day

Five Adjustable Output Levels

You can dial chlorine production up or down from the Power Center display based on bather load, season, or whatever your pool is dealing with at the moment. It's a push-button adjustment, not buried in a sub-menu.

Real-Time Cell Life Tracking

The display shows remaining operational hours on the cell so you can plan a replacement before you're caught off guard. Salt cells don't last forever, but knowing exactly where yours stands takes the guesswork out of maintenance scheduling.

Automatic Temperature Shutoff

When water temperature drops below the operating threshold, the system shuts off automatically. This prevents cell damage from running electrolysis in cold water and keeps you from running equipment that isn't doing anything useful during winter months.

Anti-Scale Cycling

Calcium scale is one of the main reasons salt cells wear out ahead of schedule. The IntelliChlor system periodically reverses polarity during operation to slow down scale formation on the cell plates. It's a built-in lifespan extender, not a feature you have to configure.

Pentair Automation Integration

If you're running a Pentair IntelliCenter system, the Power Center connects into it directly. That means salt levels, chlorine output, and system status show up in the same interface as your pump speed, lighting, and heater. One control point for the whole pad.

Who This System Makes Sense For

The IntelliChlor Power Center and IC40 Cell is the right call if you have an in-ground pool, you're tired of manual chlorination, and you want a sanitizing system that works with Pentair's automation ecosystem rather than around it. It's also a strong fit if you're replacing an older salt system and want a unit with modern diagnostics and integration capability.

It's less ideal for smaller above-ground pools where the IC40 is oversized for the application, or for setups where simplicity and low upfront cost are the priority over long-term convenience. In those cases a basic inline chlorinator gets the job done at a lower entry point.

What Customers Are Saying

Feedback on the IntelliChlor system consistently comes back to a few things: not having to handle liquid chlorine anymore, how stable the water stays with automated output, and the diagnostic features that take the guesswork out of knowing when something needs attention. The cell-life tracking gets called out more than you'd expect. When equipment tells you what it needs instead of you having to figure it out, pool maintenance gets a lot more manageable.

Get the IntelliChlor System at AquaDoc

The Pentair IntelliChlor Power Center and IC40 Cell is in stock at AquaDoc. We're an authorized Pentair distributor, so you're getting a genuine unit backed by the manufacturer's warranty. Free shipping on orders over $75.

If you're building out a full Pentair setup, the Pentair collection at AquaDoc covers pumps, filters, heaters, and pool lights that pair directly with the IntelliChlor system and IntelliCenter automation.