I have an Aqualink RS (installed 2010) running a Jandy VSP (installed 2023) and JXi Heater (installed 2022). Everything has been working great this season until this morning... I noticed the pool did not cool down overnight. I checked and the heater was going (not fun on a Texas summer day). The indoor OneTouch did not show that the heater was enabled (it was disabled and there are no programs with the heater). The outdoor Aqualink panel LED light for the heater was not lit. Yet, there is power to unit and it is heating. I double checked that the heater is set to Remote T-Stat (it was). I manually turned off the heater so it's not heating anymore. I will say that the top of the Aqualink RS panel is warm to the touch. Any thoughts?
Symptom - Heater won't turn off. Problem - Aqualink?
- Thread starter johnkarlhill
- Start date
John,
I assume the heater is being controled by the Fireman's circuit. If so, this mean that all the automation does is close a small relay that tells the heater to run.
Normally the heater is on and set to full hot, but nothing happens when the small relay is open. When the automation see's that the temp you want is below the pool water temp, it closes the relay and the heater turns on.
You should disconnect the two wires going to this heater relay and do the following.. With the two wires removed the heater should not heat. If you touch the two wires together the heater should heat. If you can pass this simple test, it means the heater and wiring are ok and that the problem is with the automation. The contacts of the heater relay are stuck shut, or something in the automation is telling the relay to close.
Thanks,
Jim R.
I assume the heater is being controled by the Fireman's circuit. If so, this mean that all the automation does is close a small relay that tells the heater to run.
Normally the heater is on and set to full hot, but nothing happens when the small relay is open. When the automation see's that the temp you want is below the pool water temp, it closes the relay and the heater turns on.
You should disconnect the two wires going to this heater relay and do the following.. With the two wires removed the heater should not heat. If you touch the two wires together the heater should heat. If you can pass this simple test, it means the heater and wiring are ok and that the problem is with the automation. The contacts of the heater relay are stuck shut, or something in the automation is telling the relay to close.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Thank you Jim!
Opened the panel and confirmed it is wired as a "fireman's switch".
Although, I have a system that can take the RS485 so not sure why they wired it as a fireman's switch.
I pulled the wires and when disconnected, the heater is still turning on. :-(
I guess next step is to open the heater and make certain there isn't a short in the wire.
While I'm in there, anything else to look for?
I downloaded the JXi workbook and the troubleshooting guide only cares if the heater turns on.
I'm trying to get it to turn off!
Opened the panel and confirmed it is wired as a "fireman's switch".
Although, I have a system that can take the RS485 so not sure why they wired it as a fireman's switch.
I pulled the wires and when disconnected, the heater is still turning on. :-(
I guess next step is to open the heater and make certain there isn't a short in the wire.
While I'm in there, anything else to look for?
I downloaded the JXi workbook and the troubleshooting guide only cares if the heater turns on.
I'm trying to get it to turn off!
Last edited:
Just a quick update.
Up until today, I hadn't done anything really to address the situation except turn the gas and heater off (at the heater control panel).
We had a cool front come through today so we only hit 99 and that had me thinking (wishing really) about winter.
I reset everything to default and turned the heater on at the heater at the heater cp. (I left the gas off)
To my surprise, the heater did not try to turn on and seems to be working normally... which scares me a bit.
IIRC, if I have the gas off and the heater does try to turn on, I should get an error message on the heater cp. Is that correct?
Is there any benefit of converting from the fireman's switch to RS485?
Someone mentioned that it would give more information if the unit had a fault.
Looking through the Aqualink RS and JXi manuals, there isn't much about how to program the heater if it's connected via RS485.
I don't know if it's worth the hassle.
Up until today, I hadn't done anything really to address the situation except turn the gas and heater off (at the heater control panel).
We had a cool front come through today so we only hit 99 and that had me thinking (wishing really) about winter.
I reset everything to default and turned the heater on at the heater at the heater cp. (I left the gas off)
To my surprise, the heater did not try to turn on and seems to be working normally... which scares me a bit.
IIRC, if I have the gas off and the heater does try to turn on, I should get an error message on the heater cp. Is that correct?
Is there any benefit of converting from the fireman's switch to RS485?
Someone mentioned that it would give more information if the unit had a fault.
Looking through the Aqualink RS and JXi manuals, there isn't much about how to program the heater if it's connected via RS485.
I don't know if it's worth the hassle.
- Jun 7, 2017
- 9,104
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
If the gas is off you'll get an ignition error when it tries to light. My builder also set mine to the fireman's switch instead of the RS485 so I moved it over to that. I do not see any additional information or have any more control over the heater. I have had heater faults and none of it comes over to Aqualink. It only takes a second to rewire it though. If you do, the wire/circuit tray unclips and swings down so you have access. It might be held shut with a zip tie which you'll cut and leave cut.
Final note.
I replaced the Cat5 wire from the heater to the Aqualink.
I used thermostat cable (4 conductor, solid core, sunlight resistant sheath) as RS485 instead of fireman's switch.
Heater immediately recognized RS485 connection.
Tested the ability to turn off and on at the panel and it worked.
So what was the problem?
When I pulled out the Cat5 wire, it ran through a very well hidden ant pile.
Underneath the ant pile the Cat5 sheath was half gone and wires were bare.
Most likely the wires were touching enough to close the circuit and turn on the heater.
Beyond just replacing the wire, I'm also getting as much wiring off the ground as I can.
Except for power cables, they weren't in any conduit so every single wire (salt cell cable, heater comm cable, pump comm cable, 2 valve cables) were open to the elements (and string trimmers).
I put them in a cable protector that is also sunlight resistant.
Many thanks to everyone for the knowledge!
I replaced the Cat5 wire from the heater to the Aqualink.
I used thermostat cable (4 conductor, solid core, sunlight resistant sheath) as RS485 instead of fireman's switch.
Heater immediately recognized RS485 connection.
Tested the ability to turn off and on at the panel and it worked.
So what was the problem?
When I pulled out the Cat5 wire, it ran through a very well hidden ant pile.
Underneath the ant pile the Cat5 sheath was half gone and wires were bare.
Most likely the wires were touching enough to close the circuit and turn on the heater.
Beyond just replacing the wire, I'm also getting as much wiring off the ground as I can.
Except for power cables, they weren't in any conduit so every single wire (salt cell cable, heater comm cable, pump comm cable, 2 valve cables) were open to the elements (and string trimmers).
I put them in a cable protector that is also sunlight resistant.
Many thanks to everyone for the knowledge!