This board had been very helpful to me, so I thought I'd post a review in return.
I had an older Jandy AquaLinkRS (about 8 years old as far as I can tell) system with the OneTouch control panel inside. The inside interface panel was not in the best location in my living room for ease of access, but it did work. What I really hated was coming inside (into the AC) while wet, in order to change the settings. Spa mode, light colors, etc.
I read some bad reviews of the PDA remote control system (lag, battery life, etc.). I also read some mixed reviews of the first generation iAquaLink, though I liked the idea. I'm a big fan of app-based control of things. Then I saw they came out with a version 2 of the iAquaLink, and thought I'd give it a try.
All my equipment runs through an AquaLink RS6 system...pump, heater control, waterfall pump, cleaner pump, valves, lights (2 pool, 1 spa), and spa blower. I had one relay go bad (pump), and replaced it, but that's the only problem I've had with the system. The new relay was about $6.
They make a kit that just has the wireless transmitter that you plug into the controller board, if it's a recent enough board with a certain software revision. I was sure mine was too old, even though I didn't look up the revision number. As it turns out, I would have needed a new board anyway. They also make a kit with a new control board for the RS system and the wireless transmitter. That's what I got, the IQ20-RS.
Yes, I did the install myself. It really wasn't that hard. If you faint at the sight of 240V circuitry, maybe avoid it, but if you can change a circuit breaker and live to tell the tale, it's easy.
1. I went through the OneTouch control panel and wrote down all my configuration settings...names for the AUX relays, etc.
2. Powered down all the breakers in the box and the feed breaker at my main house panel so the whole box was cold. Checked this with a voltmeter.
3. Pulled off the cover panel inside the box, exposing the relays and control board.
4. Labeled the plugs that came off the old board, so I knew where to put them back on the new one.
5. The new board comes with "Pump" for one relay, then AUX1, AUX2, etc. for the rest of the relays. But it also has stickers to label the AUX devices. I put on the new stickers so the outputs would have the same labels as the old panel.
6. Pulled the old board (2 screws), and installed the new one.
7. Plugged back in all the old wires. The field wires terminate at screw terminals on the board, but the screw terminals are actually removable plugs. These all went right back onto the new board so I didn't need to redo any of the screw terminals. Nice compatibility!
8. On the old board the relay energizing wires (PUMP, AUX1, AUX2, etc.) were on the top of the board, but on the bottom of the new one. No big deal. The rest were in the same locations.
9. My old board had one RS-485 plug for the interface, in my case, the OneTouch panel, which I wanted to keep as a hardwired backup to the wireless interface. The new board has two RS-485 plugs, one for the hardwired OneTouch panel and the other for the wireless transmitter.
10. Powered the panel back up.
11. Went inside and reconfigured the new board, entering all the setup parameters, setting the clock, etc.
12. Checked operation...valve operation ok, pumps all start with the correct output, heater starts, etc.
Half way. I wanted the check the new control board first and make sure it worked normally before I tackled installing the wireless transmitter. It did work as before, with a few new options on the OneTouch panel, probably from the newer software on the mainboard.
13. Routed in the wire for the transmitter into one of the openings at the bottom of the box.
14. Removed the coverplate on the transmitter to access the switch, etc.
15. Plugged in the second RS-485 connection to the transmitter. Transmitter power light came on.
There are 3 ways to get the transmitter onto your home network. Wired...there's an Ethernet port inside the transmitter if you want to hardwire it into your network. WiFi using WPS (WiFi Protected Setup), anyone who's setup WiFi stuff in the last few years should be familiar with WPS. WiFi connection manually...there's a switch inside the transmitter for wired or WiFi. It also acts as a reset switch. To reset the WiFi settings, just switch it to wired then back to WiFi. When you do this, it goes into access point mode with a simple webpage server. You use any WiFi device (iPhone, laptop, iPad, Andriod phone, etc.) to connect to this new "network", There you select your home network SSID and enter the password if you use one. It's all very clever. You use your phone to tell it how to connect to your home network. I read a review of the version 1 iAquaLink, that said it preferred 802.11b/g networks only..and not with simultaneous N. I can say the AquaLink 2.0 works just fine with b/g/n and dualband AC just fine....all the latest/fastest WiFi routers.
16. I went into settings on my iPhone and selected the (recently appeared) iAquaLink network.
17. This brought up a login page (served by the iAquaLink transmitter). I selected my home network name, and then entered the password when prompted. A couple seconds later it disconnected from my phone and connected to my home network.
18. I setup an account at iAquaLink.com and entered the serial number of my transmitter. The servers and my iAquaLink found each other immediately and showed my device as online and operating correctly.
19. It worked immediately and all the labels and settings (OneTouch modes), device names, schedule, and info I had entered earlier were all there.
There's an iPhone app which can be used to control everything. You can also use a web interface, which emulates the AquaLink Touch. I like that one the best. When you launch the page, it takes about 3 or 4 seconds to connect, but once connected, when you turn something on, it takes about 1 second to happen. You don't have to be on your home network either...if you can get to and log into the iAquaLink.com webpage, you can control your stuff.
20. I reassembled the panel and mounted the transmitter a couple feet away from the control box and pump motors.
All in all, I'm happy with it. I got the kit from PoolSupplyWorld for about $560, and the whole job took maybe 3 hours, but I was being extra slow and methodical since I hadn't done it before. I could probably do another one now in about an hour.
I have an iPad in a Lifeproof case for use poolside, controlling my outside TV, speakers, amp, and streaming music. Now it controls the pool too, and hot tub temperature, without even leaving the hot tub.
Recommended if you're a gadget freak like I am, and have a Jandy/Zodiac control system.
I had an older Jandy AquaLinkRS (about 8 years old as far as I can tell) system with the OneTouch control panel inside. The inside interface panel was not in the best location in my living room for ease of access, but it did work. What I really hated was coming inside (into the AC) while wet, in order to change the settings. Spa mode, light colors, etc.
I read some bad reviews of the PDA remote control system (lag, battery life, etc.). I also read some mixed reviews of the first generation iAquaLink, though I liked the idea. I'm a big fan of app-based control of things. Then I saw they came out with a version 2 of the iAquaLink, and thought I'd give it a try.
All my equipment runs through an AquaLink RS6 system...pump, heater control, waterfall pump, cleaner pump, valves, lights (2 pool, 1 spa), and spa blower. I had one relay go bad (pump), and replaced it, but that's the only problem I've had with the system. The new relay was about $6.
They make a kit that just has the wireless transmitter that you plug into the controller board, if it's a recent enough board with a certain software revision. I was sure mine was too old, even though I didn't look up the revision number. As it turns out, I would have needed a new board anyway. They also make a kit with a new control board for the RS system and the wireless transmitter. That's what I got, the IQ20-RS.
Yes, I did the install myself. It really wasn't that hard. If you faint at the sight of 240V circuitry, maybe avoid it, but if you can change a circuit breaker and live to tell the tale, it's easy.
1. I went through the OneTouch control panel and wrote down all my configuration settings...names for the AUX relays, etc.
2. Powered down all the breakers in the box and the feed breaker at my main house panel so the whole box was cold. Checked this with a voltmeter.
3. Pulled off the cover panel inside the box, exposing the relays and control board.
4. Labeled the plugs that came off the old board, so I knew where to put them back on the new one.
5. The new board comes with "Pump" for one relay, then AUX1, AUX2, etc. for the rest of the relays. But it also has stickers to label the AUX devices. I put on the new stickers so the outputs would have the same labels as the old panel.
6. Pulled the old board (2 screws), and installed the new one.
7. Plugged back in all the old wires. The field wires terminate at screw terminals on the board, but the screw terminals are actually removable plugs. These all went right back onto the new board so I didn't need to redo any of the screw terminals. Nice compatibility!
8. On the old board the relay energizing wires (PUMP, AUX1, AUX2, etc.) were on the top of the board, but on the bottom of the new one. No big deal. The rest were in the same locations.
9. My old board had one RS-485 plug for the interface, in my case, the OneTouch panel, which I wanted to keep as a hardwired backup to the wireless interface. The new board has two RS-485 plugs, one for the hardwired OneTouch panel and the other for the wireless transmitter.
10. Powered the panel back up.
11. Went inside and reconfigured the new board, entering all the setup parameters, setting the clock, etc.
12. Checked operation...valve operation ok, pumps all start with the correct output, heater starts, etc.
Half way. I wanted the check the new control board first and make sure it worked normally before I tackled installing the wireless transmitter. It did work as before, with a few new options on the OneTouch panel, probably from the newer software on the mainboard.
13. Routed in the wire for the transmitter into one of the openings at the bottom of the box.
14. Removed the coverplate on the transmitter to access the switch, etc.
15. Plugged in the second RS-485 connection to the transmitter. Transmitter power light came on.
There are 3 ways to get the transmitter onto your home network. Wired...there's an Ethernet port inside the transmitter if you want to hardwire it into your network. WiFi using WPS (WiFi Protected Setup), anyone who's setup WiFi stuff in the last few years should be familiar with WPS. WiFi connection manually...there's a switch inside the transmitter for wired or WiFi. It also acts as a reset switch. To reset the WiFi settings, just switch it to wired then back to WiFi. When you do this, it goes into access point mode with a simple webpage server. You use any WiFi device (iPhone, laptop, iPad, Andriod phone, etc.) to connect to this new "network", There you select your home network SSID and enter the password if you use one. It's all very clever. You use your phone to tell it how to connect to your home network. I read a review of the version 1 iAquaLink, that said it preferred 802.11b/g networks only..and not with simultaneous N. I can say the AquaLink 2.0 works just fine with b/g/n and dualband AC just fine....all the latest/fastest WiFi routers.
16. I went into settings on my iPhone and selected the (recently appeared) iAquaLink network.
17. This brought up a login page (served by the iAquaLink transmitter). I selected my home network name, and then entered the password when prompted. A couple seconds later it disconnected from my phone and connected to my home network.
18. I setup an account at iAquaLink.com and entered the serial number of my transmitter. The servers and my iAquaLink found each other immediately and showed my device as online and operating correctly.
19. It worked immediately and all the labels and settings (OneTouch modes), device names, schedule, and info I had entered earlier were all there.
There's an iPhone app which can be used to control everything. You can also use a web interface, which emulates the AquaLink Touch. I like that one the best. When you launch the page, it takes about 3 or 4 seconds to connect, but once connected, when you turn something on, it takes about 1 second to happen. You don't have to be on your home network either...if you can get to and log into the iAquaLink.com webpage, you can control your stuff.
20. I reassembled the panel and mounted the transmitter a couple feet away from the control box and pump motors.
All in all, I'm happy with it. I got the kit from PoolSupplyWorld for about $560, and the whole job took maybe 3 hours, but I was being extra slow and methodical since I hadn't done it before. I could probably do another one now in about an hour.
I have an iPad in a Lifeproof case for use poolside, controlling my outside TV, speakers, amp, and streaming music. Now it controls the pool too, and hot tub temperature, without even leaving the hot tub.
Recommended if you're a gadget freak like I am, and have a Jandy/Zodiac control system.
