Pentair IntelliChlor IC20
#10 in In-GroundFull review
Pentair’s small IntelliChlor for pools up to 20,000 gallons, back in the US; the newer LT25 fits the same power center and shows salt in ppm.
The Pentair IntelliChlor IC20 rates 2.9 among in-ground salt chlorinators; the Hayward AquaTrol rates 2.4 among above-ground ones.
Hayward AquaTrol
#8 in Above-GroundFull review
Hayward’s salt system for above-ground pools up to 18,000 gallons, easy to install yourself but costly for its size and short on warranty.
Amazon $1,169$1,169
Prices were last checked October 27, 2026 and are subject to change; the price and availability shown by the retailer at the time of purchase apply.
Scores side by side
These two sit in different pool type classes (in-ground and above-ground), and each is scored against the reference points for its own class, so a rating says how well each does among its own pool type peers. How we rank explains each factor.
| Factor weight | Pentair IntelliChlor IC20 | Hayward AquaTrol |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 2.9/5 | 2.4/5 |
| Value 30% | 50 no current price (neutral score used) | 32 $1,169 for 0.8 lb of chlorine a day ($1,559 per lb/day) |
| Cell cost 20% | 0 Replacement cell $1,249 ($1,784 per lb/day) | 27 Replacement cell $829 ($1,105 per lb/day) |
| Warranty 20% | 50 3-year cell, 3-year control center warranty | 0 1-year cell, 1-year control center warranty |
| Features 20% | 50 Works with pentair intellicenter, pentair intelliconnect, pentair easytouch, pentair intellitouch, pentair suntouch, cold-water shutoff, flow sensing, boost mode | 55 Salt level readout, cold-water shutoff, flow sensing, boost mode |
| Certification 10% | 50 certification not published (neutral score used) | 0 Not certified to NSF/ANSI 50 |
Specifications
| Pentair IntelliChlor IC20 | Hayward AquaTrol | |
|---|---|---|
| Output | ||
| Pool type | In-ground | Above-ground |
| Rated pool size (maker) | 20,000 gal | 18,000 gal |
| Chlorine output | 0.7 lb/day | 0.8 lb/day |
| Salt level | 2,800 to 4,500 ppm (ideal 3,600) | 2,700 to 3,400 ppm (ideal 3,200) |
| NSF/ANSI 50 certified | - | No |
| Cell | ||
| Replacement cell | 520554 | W3GLX-CELL-5 |
| Replacement cell price | $1,249 | $829 |
| Self-cleaning | Yes | Yes |
| Plumbing size | - | 1.5 in |
| Controls | ||
| Salt level readout | No | Yes |
| Flow sensing | Flow switch | Flow switch |
| Cold-water shutoff | Yes | Yes |
| Boost mode | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | No | No |
| App | Pentair Pool (via Pentair automation) | - |
| Automation compatibility | Pentair IntelliCenter, Pentair IntelliConnect, Pentair EasyTouch, Pentair IntelliTouch, Pentair SunTouch | - |
| Voltage | 115/230 V | 120 V |
| Warranty and models | ||
| Warranty | 3 years | 1 years |
| Warranty terms | Pentair's US relaunch page gives the reintroduced IC20/IC40/IC60 a 3-year warranty when bought through a pool professional. Pentair's warranty page gives TradeGrade products bought online a much shorter limited warranty (60 days on the product page; 1 year, parts only, on the warranty page). | Manual (effective 03/01/12): AquaTrol 1 year, residential; Hayward's product page: 1 year parts, no labor. A replacement GLX-CELL-5 bought alone carries 3 years (TurboCell sell sheet). |
| Released | 2009-11 | - |