Hayward Goldline PS-4 Controller and Solar Valve Operation -

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Kevin_ellis1

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Jul 3, 2011
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I just had a new pool built (with Solar) and it is controlled by a Hayward Goldline PL- PS-4 (solar sensor is installed). The solar is controlled by a Goldline GVA 24 Electronic valve wired to the valve 3 relay and it is in the on1 position. I have the Solar turned on (enabled) in the Config menu and have solar priority on. The manual states that if solar is enabled the valve will turn on when the water temperature is less than the desired temp setting (89 degrees) AND the the solar sensor is at least 8 degrees hotter than the water.

Based on this, it seems that I should start with the valve in the off position (water bypasses the solar unit) and that when the above temperature requirements are met the controller would open the valve and start pumping water to the system. However, I tried this and the valve did not open on a day when it was 110 degrees and the pool water was 83 degrees (the pool Temperature sensor is located between the pump and the filter - not close to the solar valve). I then opened the valve, allowing water to go to the solar unit (with ecostar pump at 50%) and my pool temperature sensor started going up fast and within 15 minutes said my pool water was over 100 degrees.

Question 1: In what position should the valve be placed initially when activating the solar?
Question 2: Does the controller open and close the solar valve based on the solar sensor and water temperature or is the operation of the solar system controlled in another way?
Question 3: What is happening when I turn on the solar valve and my pool water temperature goes up giving me a false temp?

Anything else I may be doing wrong?

Any help would be appreciated. :cheers: :cheers:
 
Re: Hayward Goldline PS-4 Controller and Solar Valve Operati

1) It doesn't matter, the controller should force the valve position to where it wants it if everything is setup correctly.
2) The controller adjusts the valve based on the temperature readings.
3) It sounds like your pool water sensor is installed in the wrong place. It should be between the pump and the filter, well before the solar return. It sounds like it is installed after the solar return.

You might not have the valves setup correctly. They need to be setup so that the controller moves them in the correct direction.
 
Re: Hayward Goldline PS-4 Controller and Solar Valve Operati

Thanks. My pool water sensor is located between the pump and filter and seems to work fine until the solar valve is turned on.

Should the valve switch be in the on1 or on2 positon, or does it not matter?

Could the fact that the solar valve doesn't open or close by itself be related to the way the heater is configured? My unit says heater 1 is the spa and heater 2 is the pool, even though i have only one heater? Should the heater be set to automatic?
 
Re: Hayward Goldline PS-4 Controller and Solar Valve Operati

and my pool temperature sensor started going up fast and within 15 minutes said my pool water was over 100 degrees.
Click to expand...

That doesn't sound right. After solar turns on, the pool temperature should rise very slowly unless of course that is the actual temperature of the water. Where does the solar return plumb back into the pad equipment?

Also, the solar sensor needs to be near the panels and directly in the sun otherwise it won't turn on the valve. Where is your's located? In the diagnostic menu, you can see the temperature of each sensor so make sure the solar sensor is much hotter than the water sensor.

The controller will turn the solar valve to the off position when the pump is not running so that is a good way to determine the on1/on2 setting.
 
Re: Hayward Goldline PS-4 Controller and Solar Valve Operati

Thanks for the info - I probably should have prefaced my questions by stating that I am completely new to pool ownership and had to fire my pool builder after the pool was built as he knew nothing about configuring and programing the Pro logic equipment, especially with solar added to the mix. Needless to say I have been struggling for three weeks Trying to decode the poorly written hayward manuals and trying understand how the pool functions.

So with that said, my solar sensor is located on the side of the house below the roof where the panels are mounted and receives direct sun from mid morning to late afternoon (about the same exposure as the panels). I checked it in the diagnostics menu and it seemed to working fine this afternoon. The solar was plumed into the system immediately after the water exits the filter. The water returns from the solar, goes through a check valve then dumps in the main line which goes under ground and to the heater input (i think). When the water exits the heater it goes to the infloor system, or can be diverted to a spa fountain or pool returns.

My solar valve is wired to valve three in the PS-4 and since my first post i have configured it and it now turns on and off automatically depending on input from the solar sensor and the pool water sensor. However, today when I came home after work my pump was running at 35% (about 5
PSI filter pressure) and no water seemed to be moving thru it (even though the filter window was full of water). Any idea how much pressure i need to push water up one story and have it move through the collectors properly? Also, should my solar be returning through my in floor system?
 
Re: Hayward Goldline PS-4 Controller and Solar Valve Operati

The rise alone needs 11 PSI plus you need some for the head loss in the plumbing. I run mine at about 14 PSI which is barely enough for priming the panels. However, you might find that may not be enough for the in-floor at the same time so you may need to run at higher speeds.

Where is the vacuum release valve located? Normally it is at the highest point of the panels.
 
Re: Hayward Goldline PS-4 Controller and Solar Valve Operati

Sometimes they are located in the end of one of the panel headers and are hard to see unless you are up close. But I would assume that you have one if the panels self drain after the pump shuts off. I would also assume that it is up high where most installers put them so you will probably need 12-15 PSI at the filter to keep the valve closed and keep the flow rate up.
 
Re: Hayward Goldline PS-4 Controller and Solar Valve Operati

This is a photo of my solar pluming. Are either one of the black valves a Vacuum relief valve or are they both back flow check valves? I can't find a VR anywhere else, and am afraid to walk on the tile roof.

Thanks for the info on PSI for the solar panels-- I increased my solar pump speed to 65% on the VSP, PSI went up to about 14, and a good volume water seemed to be moving through the system.

Do most pools with solar and in floor cleaning have an electronic valve that shuts off the in floor system flow and send it to the pool returns when the solar is running? My infloor does not seem to work very well and bubbles a lot when the solar is returning through the in floor?

Thanks for your help.

The pool novice.
 
Re: Hayward Goldline PS-4 Controller and Solar Valve Operati

I don't see a photo. But the VRV will probably be on the roof so like I said, if the panels drain after the pump shuts off, you more than likely have a VRV.

I wouldn't expect the in floor cleaning system to with solar on. The solar drops the pressure too much.
 

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Re: Hayward Goldline PS-4 Controller and Solar Valve Operati

Thanks. I talked to the Solar Installer and he told me where to find it. It is much smaller than I thought and is located at the highest top corner of my system.

I have got everything working good at this time. Appreciate the info.
 
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