I've recently replumbed my Pentair Mastertemp 400 heater with a Jandy valve (with actuator). I wired the valve to the Pentair heater's control board. Everything appeared to be going great upon first use. Before the heater begins heating, the valve opens and water no longer bypasses the heater. However, after the setpoint temperature (102 F) is reached for the initial run, the Pentair's default behavior is to close the valve (entering bypass mode). At this point, with the bypass valve closed, there is no water circulating through the heater - it can't properly measure the temperature. In fact, it was 116 F after the heater cooldown of approximately 1 minute. Therefore, it seems unlikely the heater will turn back on in a timely fashion to maintain the setpoint temperature. Is there a way to rewire the Pentair heater so that it reads from a different temperature sensor located elsewhere in the pool intake plumbing where there is constant water flowing? I know there are probably other options such as using the fireman's switch and using an out-of-band thermostat, however, I'd really like to let the Pentair heater's built-in thermostat do its job. I'm actually surprised Pentair doesn't have this natively solved with their product. My guess is that Pentair's recommendation in their manual is to use an Intellivalve programmed to never be fully closed so that some water continues to circulate. Intellivalves are now a discontinued product! Even so, the Intellivalve is not a true bypass at that point anyway and would allow potentially aggressive water flow through the heater to prematurely ruin the heater core. Any recommendations please?
Heater bypass valve renders temperature setpoint ineffective
- Thread starter mattorola7
- Start date
- May 3, 2007
- 16,934
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
You could set the valve up so that when in bypass, it sends water to both the heater AND the bypass. This can be done by changing the actuator stops but you may have to also rotate the valve cover if it also has stops.
Also, when the heater stops, you don't want to shut off the water flow to the heat exchanger as that can cause some issues. It needs a cool down period anyway.
Also, when the heater stops, you don't want to shut off the water flow to the heat exchanger as that can cause some issues. It needs a cool down period anyway.
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Where is the water-temp sensor located now? It should be in the line between the pump and filter for longest life and most accurate temp reading.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,686
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Setup the IntelliValve stops following the Pentair Installation Instructions in…
Positions 0 or 24 allow full water flow through the heater when it is on.
Positions 7 or 17 positions the valve so water partially flows through the heater when it is off for cool down and for the temperature sensing you need.
Positions 0 or 24 allow full water flow through the heater when it is on.
Positions 7 or 17 positions the valve so water partially flows through the heater when it is off for cool down and for the temperature sensing you need.
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I don't have an Intellivalve. I have a Jandy valve that is either on or off and only turns 180 degrees. It is my understanding that Intellivalves are discontinued by Pentair and are no longer manufactured. I have a separate temperature sensor that is mounted on my pool return line so I could potentially use that as an input instead.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,451
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Their website still shows them. Are you sure of this?
Regardless, your Jandy actuator cams can be adjusted to whatever stops for the valve you wish.
- May 3, 2007
- 16,934
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
You can still change the internal cams so they do not fully close. As I said before, it is not a good idea to close all the flow off when the heater shuts down. This can damage the heat exchanger.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,686
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
You don't need an IntelliValve but the Intellivalve makes it easier setting the stop points.
A Jandy actuator will rotate whatever amount of degrees you set the internal cam stops for.
The Jandy actuator manual describes how to adjust the cam stops...
Valve Actuators - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
I have seen no announcement by Pentair of that, they are listed on the Pentair website, and still being sold.
Input to what?
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,686
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
That recommendation is consistent with what Pentair says in the Bypass Kit Installation manual.
It seems as though AI misled me a bit. I had asked Google's Bard AI about the Intellivalve and it said the valves were discontinued. Bard failed to mention that the replacement is called the Intelliflo valve! Thanks for letting me know that the Jandy actuator cams are adjustable too as I did not know this!
@ajw22, I was considering rewiring the temperature sensor input on the Pentair heater's control board (to use my own temperature sensor plumbed elsewhere into the pool return line). However, it looks like this will not be necessary after all.You don't need an IntelliValve but the Intellivalve makes it easier setting the stop points.
A Jandy actuator will rotate whatever amount of degrees you set the internal cam stops for.
The Jandy actuator manual describes how to adjust the cam stops...
Valve Actuators - Further Reading
I have seen no announcement by Pentair of that, they are listed on the Pentair website, and still being sold.
Input to what?