Jandy Aqualink RS + PDA trouble

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pmj

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Jan 4, 2023
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Hello all, I have an Aqualink RS + PDA + Aquapure installation that was already in place when I bought this house in 2009. A week ago the PDA would not respond to its ON button -- no backlight, no text on screen. I changed the batteries, but the problem remained. Troubleshooting instructions say I need a new PDA.

Having no working PDA, on the Aqualink RS panel "bezel" I used the left-most button to change from AUTO to SERVICE. Then I ran the pool pump and pool cleaner manually for a few days in SERVICE mode. One dark night the RS panel switched to AUTO by itself and turned on the waterfall pump (at 2 AM) -- I switched the RS panel "bezel" to SERVICE and turned off the waterfall. Yesterday I ran the pool pump in SERVICE mode for 6 hours, but the pool pump would not turn off with the RS panel "bezel" button for the pool pump. I cut the circuit breaker labeled JANDY on the RS panel. Now when I turn on that breaker, the RS panel "bezel" goes through a reset sequence twice (the LEDs all light up in sequence) and then goes to AUTO mode. The reset button on the "bezel" is not jammed -- if I push it with a pen the panel "bezel" goes through a reset sequence and then goes to AUTO mode. It won't switch to SERVICE mode or respond to any other button on the RS panel. Troubleshooting instructions say to replace the RS circuit board when the "bezel" is unresponsive, but I'm astonished that both the PDA and the RS circuit board worked for 13 years and then both failed within a few days of each other. I probably broke the RS circuit board, but I don't know what I did wrong.

I ordered a new circuit board and PDA, but I'm afraid to hook them up without understanding what caused the circuit board in my old system to fail -- or if it is just stuck in some weird mode. I don't want to destroy another expensive setup. Please help.
 
There are 3 Buttons on the left of the Bezel and they sequence with press of button.
Auto - allows external control such as with PDA or phone app
Service - allows manual control at the panel
Time Out - similar to Service but after you press a button such as to turn on pump - it will stay in that mode for 3 hrs then automatically switch to Auto mode.

This may have what happened to you as sometimes the little red light is hard to see in daylight so thinking you were in service mode and actually in Time Out mode.

In Auto mode - even if your PDA is not working - the panel will continue to use the scheduled program whatever that may have been set.

It does appear your PCB is malfunctioning if you are no longer able to switch between the 3 modes.
You could try to power off the whole panel for several minutes and then switch back on to see if that helps reset the PCB.

With regard to your new PCB - did you purchase a board just with a new PDA? Did you consider purchasing the new RS PCB that would allow you to use the iAquaLink phone app? You would need to purchase a PCB and a new Antenna System.

Show a picture of the new PCB you purchased along with revision number on the back of the chip.
 
HermanTX said:
There are 3 Buttons on the left of the Bezel and they sequence with press of button.
Auto - allows external control such as with PDA or phone app
Service - allows manual control at the panel
Time Out - similar to Service but after you press a button such as to turn on pump - it will stay in that mode for 3 hrs then automatically switch to Auto mode.

This may have what happened to you as sometimes the little red light is hard to see in daylight so thinking you were in service mode and actually in Time Out mode.

In Auto mode - even if your PDA is not working - the panel will continue to use the scheduled program whatever that may have been set.

It does appear your PCB is malfunctioning if you are no longer able to switch between the 3 modes.
You could try to power off the whole panel for several minutes and then switch back on to see if that helps reset the PCB.

With regard to your new PCB - did you purchase a board just with a new PDA? Did you consider purchasing the new RS PCB that would allow you to use the iAquaLink phone app? You would need to purchase a PCB and a new Antenna System.

Show a picture of the new PCB you purchased along with revision number on the back of the chip.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the quick reply, Herman. We live in the San Francisco area, and we had record rainfall, so maybe moisture got into the RS enclosure because I had it open so much, and it needs to dry out. I bought a combination circuit board, antenna, and PDA on eBay. It hasn't arrived yet. It is described as a PDA-P4, software revision 7.1, dated 6/22/22. www.ebay.com/itm/374433715288. My wife asked me to order the same system we had before (PDA not iAqualink) to avoid involving the Internet in our pool control.
 
pmj said:
I bought a combination circuit board, antenna, and PDA on eBay. It hasn't arrived yet. It is described as a PDA-P4, software revision 7.1, dated 6/22/22. www.ebay.com/itm/374433715288. My wife asked me to order the same system we had before (PDA not iAqualink) to avoid involving the Internet in our pool control.
Click to expand...
OK great. It should be just remove wires from old PCB and connect to new PCB. Take a picture of your old with wires attached just as a back up. Replacing the antenna is good as well as they are subjected to the environment.
Post a picture of your new system when you get it.
If you are use to the PDA then great that you found a replacement.
The new RS PCB does allow you to run both a PDA and over the internet, but you need 2 antennas - one for each system. Should you ever have the desire to have full remote access (like when you are traveling). The PDA is great for at home use.
 
Is your system RS or PDA based? Do you program the system with the PDA or use the computer or phone interface?
 
My system is Aqualink RS but with only a PDA, not iAqualink. The existing antenna and control board do not support an internet connection, only a PDA The replacement unit I bought (but haven't received yet) is the same -- no iAqualink.

By the way, the original control board ("bezel") works OK again for manual control. I took out the control board from the enclosure and dried it with a hairdryer. We had an enormous amount of rain here in the San Francisco area and I think that moisture got on the control board. So now I am able to run the pool pump and booster pump manually until the replacement PDA, arrives. My non-functioning PDA was the original problem (no backlight and no text, even with brand new batteries). I'm also getting an updated antenna and control board. The existing ones were here when I bought the house in 2009.

Thank you for responding to my inquiry!
 
pmj said:
Yes that's the only way to program the schedule, or set the pool temperature. There are manual buttons for turning on and off the pumps, but nothing for scheduling.
Click to expand...

Do you have a WiFi antenna or just the PDA antenna? Your system is a PDA system, not an RS system. RS systems use either a phone app or web browser for programming and the PDA is strictly for turning things on and off. If you are able to program with the PDA, then it is a PDA based system. When you convert to RS, your PDA menus will change and programming will no longer be an option.

See these pics. One is for WiFi and one is for the PDA. I have both. My system was converted from PDA to RS using the IQ20-RS conversion kit. The last pic is my original PDA PCB which was replaced with a similar one that says "RS" on it.

1673096581192.png
1673096594586.png
1673096737555.png
 

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It will be cheaper for you to buy the RS PCB board and ditch the PDA. PDAs are expensive and you will never use it again once you convert to an RS system with the phone app and web browser functionality. Just buy used off ebay. We can tell you the exact model to search for if you are interested. It takes about 10 minutes to replace the board and convert. My PDA collects dust on a shelf. I do use it very rarely if the kids want to play in the pool at night and I want to go to bed since none of them have the phone app. It lets them turn things off before they go to bed and change the colors on the lights.
 
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