IntelliTouch stopping controlling Intelliflo VF

[skipath]

Hi folks - long-time lurker/avid consumer of the tons of useful information on this site.

As the title says - primary equipment for our existing in-ground pool/spa is an Intellitouch 9+3 and an Intelliflo VF pump, all installed in 2006. I recently spent a couple long days rewiring the system to bring it up to current code: moved the feeder out of the IntelliTouch load center to a separate Siemens panel board so I could put GFCI breakers on every load.

100% certain everything was hooked up correctly; system ran normally yesterday, starting and stopping the pool at the scheduled times.

Today, however, while the IntelliTouch turned the pool on at the scheduled start time, the Intelliflo pump did not come on; turning the pool or spa on or off with the Intellitouch itself in service mode, or the wired (indoor and spa side) or wireless remotes turns everything else on and off, but the pump doesn't run.

Things I've tried/checked:
- Confirmed the pump has power (wired directly to a 20 amp 2-pole breaker on the panelboard, which has additional feeders to the Intellitouch pump relay to feed a separate Intellichlor. Pump has 240v all the time; Intellichlor has power only when the pool is turned on (IntelliTouch switching the relay correctly).
- Restarted both pump and controller several times and in different order (pump or controller first)
- Confirmed IntelliTouch is communicating with the pump - pump LCD shows "Keypad Inactive", Intelliflo Status on the Intellitouch remotes shows the pump at position 1, system normal but not running
- Disconnected the IntelliTouch control cable from the pump, was then able to control the pump manually via its LCD - starts, runs, and regulates flow correctly
- Tried removing everything else (spa side and indoor remotes, wireless remote, Intellichlor) from the IntelliTouch RS485 bus
- Deleted and re-added the pump configuration in the IntelliTouch

The IntelliTouch is controlling all the valves and relays correctly when switching from pool to spa and back and as cleaner and heater turn on, so I'm guessing it's not a board issue in the Intellitouch.

Unfortunately service call is a couple days out and hold times at Pentair tech support this afternoon were 4+ hours.... anybody got any thoughts?

Thanks in advance

 

[Jimrahbe]

Skip,

For the pump to run from the IntelliTouch a few things have to happen.

The pump's display needs to say something like "Display not active" It appears your pump does.

The pump must be assigned a speed to run. For example, to run in the Pool mode, there needs to be a speed assigned to the Pool Circuit.

A schedule must be active for the Circuit that you want to run. For example Pool set to run 8 am until 8 pm.

If you were screwing with the pump type (VS, VSF or whatever) it can wipe out all your original speeds.

On the EasyTouch you need to make sure the Status of the pump is ok. Menu, Setting, IntelliFlo, Pump #1, Status. Your IntelliTouch should have something similar. It should say "normal"

Another thing to check is your RS-485 com port. Obviously, it is what tells the pump to run. To make sure it is actually working, using your IntelliTouch or remote, increase your SWCG's output a lot, then go and look at the SWCG to make sure it actually changed it's output. Put the SWCG's output back where it was.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[skipath]

Thanks Jim.
- Confirmed - pump says "Display Not Active" when cable is connected
- Pump programming didn't change - it has custom flows for pool, spa, heater, and freeze modes
- Pool is programmed to run from 9 AM to 5 PM, starts/stops correctly (as evidenced by Intellichlor coming on, calling for heat, etc.)
- I did remove and re-add the pump with the correct type (VF)
- Intellitouch says pump status is OK when connected - it just doesn't run
- Confirmed SWCG config works ok

Absent any better ideas, I'm guessing a couple breaker cycles may have damaged the comms chip in the pump. 16 years in (it's the orignal, installed in 2006) it's more than served, will replace with a VSF as a next step.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Skip,

Unfortunately, that is all I've got.

I can't think of anything else other than a bad chip in the pump.

Although, it would be worth a shot to actually look at the pins where the RS-485 cable connects to the pump. We have seen several with heavy corrosion. Might not help, but it can't hurt.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[skipath]

Great minds think alike - pins checked and cleaned, no obvious corrosion. Pump time!