Easytouch8/Screenlogic2/Wireless Connection Kit Problems

Jump to latest Follow Reply
M

mhosborn

0
Jul 2, 2011
312
Broken Arrow, OK (Tulsa)
I'm having a heck of a time getting a brand new Easytouch8 (520705), the Screenlogic2 Protocol Adaptor (520500), and Pentair's Screenlogic Wireless Connection Kit (520639) to "talk" to each other. I spent an hour on the phone yesterday with Pentair, but we really didn't make any progress troubleshooting the system.

I'm connected as follows:
-- Screenlogic2 Protocol Adaptor (520500) connected to my Apple Airport Extreme router via Cat5 cable.
-- Screenlogic2 Protocol Adaptor (520500) connected to inside Wireless Kit Transceiver (520639).
-- Inside Wireless Connection Kit Transceiver (520639) connected to power.
-- Outdoor Wireless Kit Transceiver (520639) connected to Com port on Easytouch8.

I downloaded and installed the latest firmware for the Screenlogic2 Protocol Adaptor via my Mac, so I'm pretty sure the Protocol Adaptor is working. When I start up the Screenlogic application on my Mac, though, it's not able to connect to my Easytouch system, even though it "sees" the Screenlogic adaptor.

My home router is located on the 2nd floor of our house, so running a cable between my Easytouch outdoor panel to my Screenlogic Protocol Adaptor really isn't an option (hence the purchase of the Wireless Connection Kit 520639).

The first Pentair tech support guy I talked to verified that he could see my Screenlogic2 Protocol Adaptor at his end. During the course of this support call, he needed me to remove the cover on the outdoor Wireless Connection Kit transceiver to check the status of the LEDs on the circuit board inside it. Because it's mounted about 9 feet high, I had to hang up in order to grab a ladder and remove the cover. (Which I did, and didn't see any LEDs lit on the circuit board).

When I called Pentair back, I wasn't able to get the guy I was talking to, and ended up with someone else. This guy was trying to tell me that I had things configured incorrectly, and that I should have put the Screenlogic2 Protocol Adaptor (520500) in the Easytouch panel outside and connected it to J20 on my Easytouch panel. I questioned this, as I pointed out how was I to connect the Cat5 cable on the Screenlogic Protocol Adaptor? He said the indoor/outdoor transceivers eliminate the need for the Cat5 cable. At this point, it was getting dark out, so I couldn't continue working on it.

If the 2nd tech guy I spoke with was right, then Pentair's documentation for the Screenlogic Wireless Connection Kit is woefully inadequate, as there's a diagram in the "manual" for it that shows the Screenlogic Protocol Adaptor inside, with the only outside connection being the outdoor transceiver connected to a Com port on the Easytouch panel. (Actually, the "manual" is pretty bad, as it shows an Intellitouch system and shows a Screenlogic Wireless Router in the diagram on page 2 of the manual....I've no idea what this router is for, and don't even see it listed on Pentair's site).

On Pentair's PoolFYI forum, another (non-Pentair) individual who's familiar with this system said I have it connected properly, and that it should work.

I apologize for this lengthy post, but am hoping someone else out there has this same setup and can point out some things I can check to get things working.

Thanks!
 
The manual is rather confusing, but it does specifically say that:
Connect the ScreenLogic2 Protocol Adapter (pages 15 - 16): Connect a 22-gauge four-wire cable to the Protocol adapter and to one of the available COM ports on the circuit board located in the Load Center. If both ports are in use, you can wire into the COM port connection block.
Click to expand...
 
Jason...thanks for your advice. But "Ben" over on Pentair's support site (PoolFYI) specifically told me that whoever told me that the Screenlogic2 Protocol Adaptor should be installed outside at the ET8 panel was wrong, and that it should be inside the house, connected to the Screenlogic Wireless Connection Kit (520639). I suspect the Protocol Adaptor might be installed directly to one of the COM ports of the ET8 if it's hardwired with a Cat5 cable to the existing home router...but I can't run a Cat5 cable from the ET8 panel to the home router because of where the router's located in the house (it's upstairs in our house).
 
Ah, I wasn't paying enough attention. The Screenlogic Wireless Connection Kit is the same as a four wire direct connection, at least when the two radios are talking to each other correctly. Unfortunately, when something doesn't work with the wireless link there is very little indication about what is going wrong.

One way to debug things is to get a long piece of four wire cable and run it temporarily out the window and directly connect the Protocol Adaptor to the main unit. If that works, switch to using the Wireless Connection Kit but put the long wire between the indoor transceiver and the Protocol Adaptor and try moving the indoor transceiver outside the window so it has direct line of sight to the outdoor transceiver. If that works, experiment with different locations for the indoor transceiver until you find a location that is as practical as possible where it still works correctly.
 
Jason, it may get to the point where I have to run a long 4-conductor cable between the Protocol Adaptor and the ET8 COM port, but it appears to me the problem is with the indoor transceiver itself. I say this because the only light that's lit on that unit is the Power light....all the others remain off. It seems to me at least one of those other lights should be blinking periodically if the box is working correctly?
 
You are essentially correct. But you don't know why you aren't getting any activity blinks. There are quite a few possible reasons, including out of range of outdoor unit, defective indoor transceiver, defective outdoor transceiver, outdoor transceiver turned off, outdoor transceiver not connected to main unit, comm bus shorted or open between main unit and transceiver, and on and on. The challenge is to narrow down the list of possibilities.
 
Fortunately, Pentair is doing a wonderful job of supporting their products. Their tech support staff (well, except for the one guy who would have had me connect things incorrectly) has been outstanding. They are going to send me a replacement Screenlogic Wireless Connection Kit which, I'm hoping, should fix the problem. I will report back here after I've received and installed it. (I had earlier tried relocating the indoor transceiver to a point about 10' away from the outdoor transceiver, with no change in symptoms; no blinking lights, etc.).
 
It's nice to see that they were willing to send someone a new wireless connection kit! I have had nothing but problems with my system since the day I had it installed 2 yrs ago (it has NEVER worked like it is supposed to!). I have probably spent 8 hrs on the phone with different tech support, had a local tech support onsite for 6 hrs with no solution to the problem, been sent new protocol adapters, sent my protocol adapters back to them for reprogramming/updating. As it stands currently, I have completely lost connection AGAIN! I have no control over my equipment/programs, etc. The only way that I can even turn anything on is to go out to my panel and put it in service mode and manually start the pumps. This has been my biggest regret purchase I have ever made as it is nothing but headaches and a big waste of money! They haven't once offered to send me a new wireless connection kit which may fix my issue? Really fed up with Pentair in general!
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Bama Rambler said:
Golfingff, Why don't you try calling or emailing them again and pointing them to this thread or just copy and paste it into the email and see if that helps.
Click to expand...

I have a similar issue, but I can connect and use the system with my Asus tablet that uses Android, but when trying to use the Screenlogic program on the PC it sees the system but will not connect even after successfully doing an update and also going through the IP configuration successfully. I've tried the whole unplug power to everything and restart troubleshooting but still not able to connect via my pc.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Bill
 
When you enter the address of the adapter into the SYSTEM NAME box on the PC program be sure to use only upper case characters in the 6 character alpha numeric portion as thus:

Pentair: F4-6C-5E

I had the same problem as you until I entered the system name correctly.
 
I have the same product and could not connect through my Comcast router. I called Comcast and had them open up every port on my router which they did. Comcast was not very smart it did not want to cooperate so I just had to keep talking to them telling them what I needed them to do. 30 minutes After they opened up all ports I connected with my computer and everything worked great.

So your own personal router may be open but your IP provider may have you blocked.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply