Trouble with Aqualink Control System

[a0128958]

EDIT as of 7/11/2012: The 8th action I tried was to disconnect the spa remote cable connection from the power center's PCB. This action resolved the problem. Conclusion is spa remote (15 years old) is defective and I'll replace it shortly.

Next time I get equipment turning on/off randomly, I'll check the spa remote first (via disconnecting the cable).

Best regards,

Bill

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I have an Aqualink Pool & Spa RS6 all button indoor control panel, connected to a Power Center PCB #8124A / Assy #8125A board, with a 52 pin ALRS 6 P&S Rev K.33 PPD in it. I've had this configuration since 2004. It's worked fine until now.

Now, in addition to turning on/off per the program settings, the cleaner motor turns on and off randomly. It's actually pretty frequent. A few minutes on, a couple minutes off, a longer/shorter period on, a longer/shorter period off, etc. It never settles down all day long.

I had to finally put the Aqualink system into 'Service Mode' to stop the cleaner motor from experiencing such frequent starts and stops, out of fear of burning out the motor. This randomness problem for what's Aux 1 does not occur in 'Service' or Time Out' modes.

The filter pump and all other Aux connections are working fine. My RS6 system is 'full up' with relays that control something (2-speed filter pump, cleaner pump, waterfall pump, spa light and pool lights).

I've tried the following actions to no avail:
1. (At the control panel) Removing any program settings for the Cleaner device (button).
2. (At the control Panel) Pressing the reset key.
3. (At the control panel) Clearing the memory using the Clear Memory function and then reprogramming everything.
4. Cycling the power to everything, including removing the battery in the power center.
5. Replacing the RS6 all button control panel with a spare that I have.
6. (At the power center) Swapping the cleaner's 3hp relay with another relay in the power center.
7. (At the power center) Swapping the two DIP integrated circuit devices (U9 and U10) on the PCB (that drive the relays).

Does anyone have any other suggestions on how to fix this?

If not, any suggestions on what item(s) is/are broken? (PPD chip, power center PCB, DIP ICs on the PCB, or all button control panel?)

And if it's a broken PCB, is there any repair service available?

Many thanks!

Best regards,

Bill

 

[a0128958]

Update so far:

I studied this (great) forum for other postings related to Aqualink systems. I found one saying that remote spa link units, if present, after they age over time, can cause problems like what I'm seeing. Indeed I have a remote spa link unit connected. So, later today I will disconnect it and remove the program settings associated with it (if any) to see if this fixes my problem.

If not, then I think via the actions I've tried so far I've eliminated everything to this point except either the power center's PCB or the 52-pin PPD (chip) on the PCB. I'm going to guess it's more likely it's the PCB, not the PPD, and thus I'll start looking for a replacement PCB.

Also, I looked into a repair service for the PCB. Turns out, at least for what I found, there's little expense difference to simply replacing the board.

Best regards,

Bill

 

[a0128958]

Update:

Indeed I disconnected the 4-button spa remote control wire connections at the power center (pulled off the black connector from the PCB).

Three days later, all remains fine. No random cleaner motor startups/shutdowns. (And since I have a energy monitoring and control system, I can verify the cleaner motor's not turning on simply by looking at one of my charts ( http://www.welserver.com/perl/plot/WEL0 ... lPower.png ). This looks nice and clean, with correct representations for pump high and low, spa, cleaner motor and waterfall turn ons/offs.)

Further, I looked at my spa remote control unit's button program. Indeed, one of the buttons had been programmed for cleaner motor turn on. This makes sense based on my observations.

I'll give it a few more days of monitoring without the spa remote control unit being connected. Assuming all remains fine, I'll then replace the spa remote control unit.

Hope this helps someone else in the future with a similar problem. Conclusion seems to be when trying to troubleshoot equipment turning on/off randomly, is to first look at the spa remote control unit.

Best regards,

Bill