RE: Controlling three power actuators with EasyTouch?

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Floridanative123

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Jun 16, 2014
44
Jacksonville Beach
RE: Controlling three power actuators with EasyTouch?

We are in the process of a build and have waterfalls and bubblers on the list of features with laminars or deck jets still under consideration (need to decide soon). My PB said that the Easytouch 8 can only handle two power actuators, so it would not be possible to have each of the three water features to come on separately. Instead, two would need to be plumbed together with a manual valve two shut one or the other off. Has anyone found a work around for this or found a way to make it work? I am speced for the Easytouch 8 but as I understand the jump up to intellitouch is significant. -Thanks
 
Re: Controlling three power actuators with EasyTouch?

I'm pretty sure that the EasyTouch can control five valves. Two are dedicated to switching between Pool and Spa, two that are user selectable, and one for solar. I also believe that the solar one can be used as your third valve, if you are not using solar. Not something that I have tried, just what I remember. Maybe someone else can confirm this.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Re: Controlling three power actuators with EasyTouch?

When I got home I looked in my manual and I might just be full of "stuff". I could not find anything that leads me to believe that the Easytouch can directly control more than the two user selectable valves.

Sorry for any confusion,

Jim R.
 
Re: Controlling three power actuators with EasyTouch?

It looks like if you wanted, you could add the optional 2-speed relay and a 24 VAC transformer for an additional valve output. But you'd have to give up one of your Aux circuits to control it. Let me know if you want any details.

Jim R.
 
Re: Controlling three power actuators with EasyTouch?

You have only 4 sockets for the use of valve actuators. Two, if applicable, would be dedicated to pool/spa function. That would leave two as long as you don't have solar, and/or a filter pump driven cleaner. You need to be able to reverse the polarity of the valve actuator for forward and reverse operation. The two speed, solar,elec heater, and spa relay sockets are only two conductor, no ability to reverse their polarity. I suppose you could make them work, but the valve actuator would only turn in one direction and never rotate back,without manually flipping the switch on the actuator by hand. Not really functional. I dont think you would want to set those up with each having their own actuator and here is why. I'm guessing that this water feature has it's own pump. With three actuators, you could, in theory, have all three closed off and be able to turn the pump on i.e. dead heading the pump. Now you could set it up where when the pump comes on, one dedicated valve actuator opens (feature circuit), Even with that there would be a second or two where the pump would dead head until the valve opened enough. What would work better (for the pump) would be to only have two of the three water features controlled by a valve actuator. IOW, One would always be open.
 
Re: Controlling three power actuators with EasyTouch?

Pool Clown,

I believe the 2-speed optional relay is a DPDT or at least a SPDT relay which would give you a set of N/C and N/O contacts, which I believe is all you need to allow you to "reverse" the valve. I'll post a circuit diagram when I get off work. If you don't mind looking it over to see if I missed something, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Re: Controlling three power actuators with EasyTouch?

Extra valve1.jpg

I believe that this should work.. You would need a 120 volt to 24 volt transformer and a single pole, double pole relay. I'd use the optional 2-speed relay, just because it fits, is the right coil voltage, and already has the two pin connector that can connect to the Aux 7 Relay (Any AUX circuit will work). Basically when the Aux 7 circuit is off the relay is de-energized and the normally closed contacts provide 24 volts AC power the RED input wire (Let's call this drive Right input). When the Aux 7 circuit is on, the relay energizes and the 24 volts input power is switched to the White input wire (Let's call this drive Left).

Pool Clown.. If you get a chance, please double check this and let me know if I've missed anything. You bring up a good point about dead-heading the pump something to think about before the plumbing is installed.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Re: Controlling three power actuators with EasyTouch?

Jim, I know that if i came upon this wiring on a system that was less than 3 years old (in warranty), i would have to void the warranty. Why? Because there is the issue of taxing the x-former. Although you probably wouldn't ever have a need to do it, the ability to do it is still there. You would in theory be able to energize all 5 actuators at once.

I am aware that there is a breaker in place to protect the transformer.

Do you get where i'm going with this?

Even if you were not using the one x-former for all 5 , but splitting between two, now you have this extra wiring and an extra XFM in the panel. It just isn't something I, as a warranty station, want to see. I'm sure you can find someone here that will approve this, I can't.
 

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Re: Controlling three power actuators with EasyTouch?

Well, if I was using the existing transformer I'd say you would be correct as I would have modified an EasyTouch to do something it was not designed to do. But in this case, since this would be an additional transformer, the only interface between the EasyTouch and the new circuit is the connection to the Aux 7 port and it is connected to an approved EasyTouch Relay. So I'm thinking you'd have a pretty hard time backing up your warranty rejection. But, you bring up a pretty good point that the OP should consider. Is it worth the risk of losing your warranty over the increased cost of moving up to the Intelliflow with additional relays. As an official Pentair representative, I fully understand that you can't approve this type of change. When I asked you to look at the circuit, I just wanted your personal opinion if it would work or not, because you seem to know what you are doing. At that time I did not realize you were a Pentair rep. I apologize if I put you between a rock and a hard place. It's a good thing for me that I don't live in CA. :crazy:

Respectively yours Jim R.
 
Re: Controlling three power actuators with EasyTouch?

Thank you all for all this info, and for the pros and cons of what sounds like a workable solution. The warranty point is a concern, I will explore how much it will cost me to jump up from the EasyTouch 8 to an appropriate Intellitouch. I think I remember my PB saying it was "a lot" to make the jump when I was inquiring about both systems while I was scoping my pool (before I knew I was short a factory appropriate relay). -Thanks again. Shep
 
Re: Controlling three power actuators with EasyTouch?

So my PB is really not comfortable with installing and programming the IT, though he is reluctantly willing. He has done 100s of ET systems but only two IT and it sounds like the last recent one is not running flawlessly. He also thinks it will take 10 days to get an IT, which does set things back. I tend to think I should probably just go with the ET to avoid drama. There is rumor of Pentair updating these systems to a single platform, sounds smart, but who knows when that may happen. Anyone notice a big difference in programming the two systems?
 
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