Aqua Logic PS-4 Configuration Question

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Verne Bunsen

0
Jul 29, 2012
18
Tucson, Arizona
Hello all,

I'm a brand new member here and a brand new pool owner to boot. My family and I just moved to Arizona from Alaska, you can imagine there is not much of a backyard pool community up there, haha! My equipment consists of a pool with integrated spa (total volume of roughly 12,500 gallons based on the water bill after I filled it...) and pop-ups, 1.5 hp Jandy Stealth pump, a Jandy DE filter, a size large gas heater the specs for which I don't have handy, and a Goldline Aqua Logic PS-4 controller. I'll attach pics.

My question is regarding how to get my Aqua Logic to do what I want it to. I have it configured as "Pool and Spa - STD", since that's what it is. When the timer kicks the pump on, it defaults to "Spillover" mode. This would be fine, except that I have bottom cleaning pop-ups that are driven by the pump discharge pressure on the pool return. So, in "Spillover" mode, all returns go to the spa, and no pressure to the pool return means no pop-ups. I would like my pop-ups to be operational during the routine filtering program, but the only way I can get the controller to default to "Pool Only" circulation is to set the controller configuration up for "Pool Only", which then locks me out of being able to manually select my spa.

So, my question is: How do I tell the controller to default to the "Pool-Only" circulation cycle without losing access to my spa functionality? Ideally, it'd be great if it could be configured to cycle back and forth between "Pool Only" and "Spillover", but I realize thats probably asking for a lot, haha! I do realize the need to have new water fed into the spa, but there are pop-ups in the spa as well and when that zone is active there is a pretty health flow over the spillover. I'm confident that that will be sufficient to maintain the health of the spa water.

Thanks in advance for any input!

poolspa.jpg

equipmentpad1.jpg

equipmentpad2.jpg


It's pretty close quarters at the equipment pad, tough to get a really good angle for a picture...
 
IIRC "spillover" mode is a programmable option (I'm assuming you're seeing that designation on the computer). Check your owners manual and flow chart, and you should be able to turn that off.
 
Thanks for the reply Qwaxalot. I found the spillover enable/disable in the menu, but disabling it also locked me out of being able to select it manually. The spillover is a cool feature and I like being able to have the waterfall going when we're outside or being able to use it to quickly refresh the spa after we've been using it, so I don't want to do away with it entirely. I just want the default filtration setting to be "Pool Only", so that my pop-ups will run.
 
I have the same controller but the PS-8. The way my builder set it up was abit different, but I actually like it. There is a toggle switch inside the cabinet to turn off the Spa spillover setting. Mine is turned off. Then on the spa valve actuator set it to be slightly open when in pool mode. Thus, when in pool mode the computer thinks spa valve is 100% closed it is actually only about 85% closed. Now whenever the pool pump is running the spa is spilling over and with the valve throttled it should give you plenty of pressure for your floor sweeps. When you go to spa mode the valve opens fully and pool valve closes such that you are in spa mode only.
 
Spillover is water being supplied by the pool but being returned entirely to the spa. Bypass is water being supplied by the pool and a portion being returned to the spa, resulting in a much smaller "spillover", but still maintaining good circulation in the pool, and keeping some fresh water going to the spa.

In my view, having a plumbed in bypass with a regulating valve is the way to do this (as opposed to setting the return valve actuator slightly open to the spa (when in pool mode).
 
Thanks guys, those are both good recommendations.

Starplex, do you have any info on how that switch is configured, like does it control a relay that overrides the valve position command from the Aqua Logic or does it actually tie in to it?

Qwaxalot, in your experience, is the volume of water fed into the spa from the pop-ups sufficient to maintain the quality of that water, or is an additional bypass or spillover use necessary? There are 3 pop-ups in the spa and they cycle on for about 45 seconds every few minutes. They do produce a decent overflow when active. I'm intrigued by the idea of a bypass with a manually adjustable throttle valve, that could be a great solution. When I moved in here, the spillover was disabled so it ran in pool-only with the spa return valve cammed to take some of the flow. The problem was that even with the valve cammed just the one "notch", it made the pop-ups ineffective: plant debris was always accumulating on the floor. I recammed the valve so it would close fully and the pop-ups really came around, the pool is spotless when they run. But, significantly less spa overflow, so I enabled the spillover, which then became the default flow setting, so the pop-ups never run, hence me trying to figure out how to get this worked out, haha!
 
From the Jandy manual:
Spillover - When Dip Switch 3 is in the ON position, the Aux. 3 relay socket is activated and the return valve actuator turns.
The spillover is disabled while the spa is on. A message is displayed when spillover is turned on while in spa mode (water is
circulating to spa). The spillover requires that water circulation is to pool in order to operate. The spillover will activate when the
system switches back to pool mode.

I believe if the Dip switch 3 is off then Aux. 3 relay becomes a spare relay socket.

Isn't cracking open the discharge valve to the spa doing the same thing that a bypass would be doing without the extra plumbing work??
 
Cool, thank you, I'll have to look further into that.

I think the advantage of a plumbed bypass with a throttle valve would be the ability to more precisely control how much you are robbing from the pool return. Even just camming my spa return valve one "notch" completely neutered my pop-ups. A throttle valve would let me dial in a more effective "happy medium". Maybe, haha!
 
I have the Goldline Aqua Plus system, which I believe is the PS-4 with a SWG included. Unlock the configuration menu and go to Pool/Spa Options. You should be able to cycle through the following options: Pool/Spa Setup, Spa Countdown, Spa Spillover, and Filter Operation. Go to Filter Operation and you should be able to toggle between Pool Only (default) and Spa Spillover. This setting determines how the valves are positioned when the timer for the filter kicks in. This way, you can still set the valves to the Spa Spillover mode manually whenever you need it.
 
I don't remember the details, but I'm quite sure there's a way to operate in a "normal" pool mode and select spillover when desired from an aux button.

Question? How does a caretaker clean the spa unless it's in spa mode? Doesn't it need the spa main drain to be operating?

And, Verne, besides the more precise control that a plumbed bypass gives, it also gives the ability to entirely drain the spa into the pool (which you can't do with a cammed return valve actuator).
 

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Jim, that is exactly what I was looking for. Set that to "pool only" and it now defaults to that setting, but my spillover is still manually accessible. Thanks!

Qwaxalot, that is something that I've been thinking about myself. The heater kicks on automatically anytime the spa is selected, so I'm hesitant to use the dedicated spa timer for that reason: I don't really want to pay for that gas if I'm not actually using the spa. I guess I could just leave the heater in manual:eek:ff and turn it on when I want it? I'm still just getting all this figured out, and I travel a lot so I'm trying to make it as "hassle-free" and user-friendly for my wife as I can. You know the drill, haha!
 
Verne Bunsen said:
Jim, that is exactly what I was looking for. Set that to "pool only" and it now defaults to that setting, but my spillover is still manually accessible. Thanks!

Qwaxalot, that is something that I've been thinking about myself. The heater kicks on automatically anytime the spa is selected, so I'm hesitant to use the dedicated spa timer for that reason: I don't really want to pay for that gas if I'm not actually using the spa. I guess I could just leave the heater in manual:eek:ff and turn it on when I want it? I'm still just getting all this figured out, and I travel a lot so I'm trying to make it as "hassle-free" and user-friendly for my wife as I can. You know the drill, haha!
Click to expand...

If you want to get tricky, program the spa heater time so that it is NOT on during the timed "spa on" time. That way the cleaner will do some good and the heater won't be on. Leave the heater on the rest of the time, but it will only operate when you've manually selected spa mode (which is, obviously a one button operation!
 
Verne Bunsen said:
That would be pretty sweett, Qwaxalot! I immediately went out to look through my menus, but I don't have any timers associated with the heater, and the heater config doesn't have any time parameters. Bummer, haha!
Click to expand...

I would have sworn that the heater enabled setting was time programmable on an Aqualogic. Unfortunately, I'm at home right now and don't have access to the programming flow chart. Perhaps go online and look at the flow chart?
 
No dice, I found a manual online and dug through it. The only heater config options I get are enable/disable, name, cool down, extend, and allow low speed. The timer would be sweet, but I think this setup will be good, as long as I can get everyone to remember to turn the heater off, haha! This whole thing has been very educational, I sure know the types of things I'll look for if I ever go to replace or upgrade this system!
 
That's the reason I don't have my heater connected to the Aqua Logic controller. I have the timers set to run the spa for an hour every day to get some circulation in there and I don't want the heater to be turned on automatically. This wouldn't be an issue if you had the option of setting the timers to run in "Pool Only" AND "Spa Spillover" modes, as Verne pointed out in his original post. Unfortunately, you're stuck with setting the timers to run in "Pool Only" and "Spa Only" modes or "Spa Spillover" and "Spa Only" modes.
 
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