Pentair Woes

[adustman]

I have a i9+3S with IC40 and one of the original power packs (1 resistor) and Intelliflow VF. I have NEVER been able to keep communication for more than 45 days from the screenlogic to the panel. The shortest was 14 days, the most recent was 3 weeks (It's been 85 F +) last 3 weeks. This has repeated almost 5 years straight now.
I've been through:

5 new pulls/runs of 22-4 to the panel
8 protocol adapters
9 UOC boards
1 main motherboard
3 I-link adapters

Recently I had a rep come out and replace everything again except for the intelliflow pump, chlorine cell (new last year), and powerpack. This time we added the wireless connection kit.
It ran for 2 weeks, I added the I-link - and it ran for about 10 more days before I can't connect.

The obvious answer is to replace the last two pieces of equipment, but it hasn't happened yet. Pentair has helped which I'm thankful for, but I've replaced the screenlogic adapter twice and I-link twice. They aren't cheap and the problem never gets solved. I'm suspecting the power pack of being bad and killing the UOC repeatedly when it gets hot outside. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[racket]

Have installed hundreds if not thousands of intellitouch products and you have had more failures at your house than I have had since I first started installing them in 2003.

There is something wrong with the power supply or something else in the installation.

 

[adustman]

My next step is to put a voltage data logger on the power bus on the UOC and see if anything shows up. Won't tell me what is wrong, but maybe give a clue.

Power supply?
You mean the low voltage transformer in the load center?

 

[crek31]

I have no idea about your particular equipment, but I will say that when I had a Pentair heater problem multiple local service folks could not figure out, I finally got through to a tech person at Pentair and they were EXCELLENT at troubleshooting on the phone. Ultimately my local guy is the one who solved it, but the Pentair guy was also helpful in brainstorming and talking it through and was able to eliminate several things that would have been dead-ends for us. Give Pentair a call and make them let you talk to an actual tech person not the regular customer service person. Good luck.

 

[ps0303]

So when you can't communicate to the outside panel, the outside panel is operating just fine and you can use the buttons on it to do things, correct?

 

[adustman]

Yes. I simply lose the ability to "talk" to the UOC. I'm quite sure something is killing the data or power on the 4 wire bus, but not sure what. I've been monitoring the 240V at the panel, and it is always 239-244 regardless of how many things turn on the same time, even hitting both A/C units in the house and the Heat pump (pool heater) all exactly at the same time. I've been using a digital MM with min/max, but obviously an analog would be best. I see some kind of "pulse" on the D+ and D- after a rest of about 0.5 VDC.

 

[adustman]

I put a datalogger on the power lines on the 4 wire bus last night for 10 hours of logging. I know I'm probably all alone here with this problem.. I've been all alone and frustrated for years. If anyone has any additional thoughts, please share.

I should add that the load center and it's accompanying low voltage power supply is also original.

 

[ps0303]

Doesn't look like I will be of much help but I am interested in knowing what if anything you find.

 

[Pool Clown]

Do you have a spa command (10 button spa side remote)? Try unplugging it from the system and see if you continue to have problems. Do you have a variable speed pump? Is it giving you the "Display not active" display on the pumps drive (like it should)? Do the same there, disconnect the comm wire. TURNING POWER OFF TO THE AUTOMATION BEFORE YOU DISCONNECT ANYTHING. I'm assuming you have tried clearing e-prompt already. How about screen logic software update for the protocol adapter AND the screen logic program on your desktop computer? There have been several updates in the past 5 years. Even though you have had components replaced, you must not assume they have been updated to the most current versions before you received them.

Welcome to the forum...

 

[adustman]

Thanks. No spa side controls. The pump appropriately shows display not active and is getting the programs it's supposed to run. I've replaced all the wires again to all the devices and I'm going to replace the low voltage power supply in the power center and the power center for the chlorinator. All the software was up to date as of 3 weeks ago; which is when the motherboard, UOC, screenlogic brick and I-link were all replaced, and I started all the programs and assignments from scratch. If it helps any, I do have an original (pre v2.0) salt cell and original power pack with one resistor.

 

[adustman]

The Pentair guys were here today. They replaced the wireless outdoor antenna and it all worked right away. Of course using the wireless is new in the system as it has always been hard-wired. I believe the board in the antenna took the "hit" vs the UOC and/or the screenlogic brick which always stopped working. (The screenlogic brick is now "protected" on the other side of the wireless).

The Pentair rep seems to be insistent that connecting the brick anywhere but the back of the main router is the problem. Which it has been for the last 3 replacements, and I had them connect it themselves to prove it this time. They are nice people, but that doesn't explain why I can connect to the brick, but not the brick to the pool and the board in the antenna fried. Every 2-3 weeks bad OUC or first device tied to UOC (antenna this time, previous screenlogic brick).

I did a little homework, and maybe someone can check their system low voltage transformer. I measured the voltages and it seems there is no ground on the transformer, but instead floating. Not what I would expect for electronics. Notice I get different voltages to ground (metal box). Here is what I got:

All voltages AC
Measured with Fluke 117 True RMS
Date: 6-18-15 1925
Method	Red	Red/White	Orange	Orange/White	Blue	Blue/White
Across legs	27	20.21	13.1
Plugged in to UOC; Leg to GROUND	14.76	11.02	9.14	11.1	6.81	7.58
Isolated from UOC; Leg to GROUND	8.2	1.37	3.65	1.84	0.72	2.61

The box is properly bonded, and is properly grounded. Just the transformer has no ground. I would expect one of the 24 vac legs to ground to show 0, and the other leg to ground show ~24 vac. Anyone care to measure theirs and confirm this please?