Automation......Thought I Was Confused Before It Arrived

Jump to latest Follow Reply
sag365

sag365

0
LifeTime Supporter
Jan 29, 2015
43
Ft. Myers, FL
Even before my Zodiac Z4-PSi arrived, I was looking at the installation manual and scratching my head. Now I am flat out confused!

What I have in boxes in my garage are a Pentair Intelliflo VSP, Zodiac Z4-PSi, and an Aquatherm heater (Aquacal). My first question is, according to the instructions, to wire the pump to the relay on the Z4 controller. Does this mean there is no power to the pump until the relay kicks on? Therefore the pump control panel itself is off? If that is the case, how does the pump know what speed to run at when it kicks on? How does it get its instruction from the controller?

My second question is, unlike the pump, the wiring diagram does not show a heater relay, only Aux 1 (which is shown connected to a blower), Aux 2, and Aux 3. Do I connect the heater to an Aux position on the Z4 controller, or wire the heater directly to the breaker and just use the 'Heater' position shown on the 'Green Terminal Bar' (top center of diagram) and connect it to the Y and Z positions on my heater's control board (Jandy control)?

Z4 Pic.jpg

Thanks for any insight.
 
Not for sure with the zodiac, but for my Pentair Solartouch the Pentair VSpump is wired for power direct to the breaker and the the contol low voltage cable is wired to the Solartouch. Should be the same for your pump and heater, power wired directly to the circuit breaker and low voltage control wires wired to the contoller.

- - - Updated - - -

The pump relay is only used to turn the pump on or off if it is not a VS pump.
 
I scanned through the Zodiac manual quickly and it does have the ability to send pump speed to a VS pump. Also, the manuals for your pump and heater will have instructions for wiring to automation that will help. Between the three manuals it should help clear it up.
 
Your pump should have come with a separate cable to wire to automation. I think mine had 4 wires but only two were used for my Solartouch. You do not want to wire power to the pump from the relay in the Zodiac, it needs to be wired directly to the breaker. The Zodiac will turn it on and set speed through the controller cable based in settings in the Zodiac.
 
OK. Same as the heater. Yes, there is a long cable that came with the pump. Have to find out where to connect in on here!

Actually, way on the right of the Green Terminal Bar it says "Spare Input" for screws 9 and 10. Wonder if that is it?

Thanks.
 
Yes, same as the heater. If that spare input is programmable to tell it that a VS pump is connected to it then that is likely the answer. Somewhere in that 80 page manual is probably one sentence that cryptically tells you how to control a VS pump. My experience with pool equipment manuals is that they are not clear and it takes a lot of digging to figure it out. Made worse because most of us rookies only do it once. Good luck.

Maybe you will get lucky and someone who has a Zodiac will come along and know just what to do.

- - - Updated - - -

sag365 said:
Found this on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wmwcUlVvnI
Click to expand...

Yeah, there you go.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
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