Need help programming equipment

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Janers77

Janers77

Gold Supporter
Aug 8, 2021
51
Sacramento, ca
Pool Size
24000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-40

Hi Folks,​


I just can't figure out how to program my pool equipment. It is getting worse each week, I don't think it should be this hard. My story.....When I first bought my house I did my best to learn how to maintain the pool and program the equipment. 2 years later I had to deal with Breast cancer treatment and recovery. I ended up hiring a pool company to help me. Overall they did a great job. Just recently my pool started getting green algae in the low flow corners. The pool company kept adding liquid chlorine and tabs. I pushed back on this and pointed out that I have never had to do that with a salt cell. Ends up they never turn on/up my salt chlorinator.

A week ago, when they reprogrammed the system (should have been a.simply turn on and up the salt cell), they told me that my filter pump actuator died and needed to be replaced. ($352) Then the back value on my pool sweep cracked open and the coupling in the wall where it connects is cracked. They replaced the actuator and fixed the pool sweep. The system is still not working like it used to. I have an error message of "Pool Bridge comm" and the varible pump only runs at high speed when the solar is working. The pool company has said numerous of times that Hayward (is bad) does not communicate with Pentair (is great) and that is the problem.

My pool was built in 2005 and some things are at or past it’s time. Plus the equipment is a hodge podge of different manufactures. But it is what it is and I don’t have a spare 10K to replace everything with the same manufacture. I have located and downloaded each equipment manual but it can be overwhelming. So many configuration options!

Here is my questions… Is my pool set up a common system, are these normal repairs and how can a pool owner educate themselves to understand how this bloody thing works so they don’ have to depend on 5-10 different options from “pool experts” that are never in agreement? I really feel like I am being ripped off. Thank you in advance for any advice.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
77,

Generally you can't mix brands of "electronic" equipment and have them work together, but there are some exceptions...

Your pool guys sound like typical idiots, so no telling what the real story is.. :scratch:

Show us some pics of your equipment pad.. I'd like to see your pump(s), your automation system, and how your plumbing is configured..

Take several pics for different sides of the pad.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
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Welcome to TFP.

You have been through a lot. Let’s see if we can help you understand your pool and equipment.

Post pics of your equipment pad so we have an idea of how things are hooked up.

Do you have your own test kit? If not get the TF-100 Test Kits or the Taylor K-2006C.

We can then walk though the setup of each of your equipment as well as your water chemistry.

I suggest you read though these links…

www.troublefreepool.com

Pool Care Basics Archives

Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
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Thank you all! Thanks moderator for moving this post in the right place and cleaning it up. Appreciate it. :)

@ajw22 and @Jimrahbe Attached are the pics of the equipment. I do have a water testing kit but realized that I bought it in 2018, sure it has expired. I will order the one you recommend today.

I was testing my own water and adding muriatic acid when needed. I would have them test my water to be sure I was testing it correctly. I tried the strips but they were too hard to understand/read. Maintaining the water was the easy part for me also the brushing and clean the skimmers baskets and sweepers. I was able to figure out how to clean or change my filter cartridges.

As for the equipment, these are the things I have done on my own-
  • When I moved in, purchased and installed an upgraded wifi antenna and remote.
  • I replaced all the hot tub jets.
  • Installed a new salt cell 2 years ago and clean it about every 6 months. We have high calcium water here.

Recently I had a pool company do the follow work:
  • Last year my aux pump for the sweeper died and had a new one installed.
  • The mother board for the Aqua logic crapped out and had a company put a new one in. This might have started the problem. The pool dude said that the motherboard is an upgrade and cause of that, it will not talk to the Pentiar varible pump. I am sorry, but I am in high tech, when a product is upgraded the manufactures try to be sure that older models are still compatible. But then that is computers and not swimming pools. (to Jims point)

​

 

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77,

Thanks for the pics...

If you can follow the little cable from the side of the IntelliFlo pump back to your automation and see if it is connected to anything..

I know very little about the AquaLogic being able to connect to your IntelliFlo pump, so let's see if @JamesW has any input that might help..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Janers77 said:
The pool dude said that the motherboard is an upgrade and cause of that, it will not talk to the Pentiar varible pump.
Click to expand...
It will talk to a Hayward pump, but I don't think that it can talk to a Pentair pump.

Most likely, you would need a IntelliComm II Interface Adapter if you want to control the pump from the automation.

Even then, you can probably only do two speeds as that is all the system recognizes.

Right now, the board is set to variable speed pump.

That won’t work.

You can set it to single speed to turn on or off power, but that’s not a good solution.

You can set it to a two speed pump and use the relays to control the IntelliFlo through the IntelliComm II interface.

Or, you can just run the pump in standalone mode if that will do what you want.

www.pentair.com

IntelliComm II Interface Adapter

The IntelliComm II Interface Adapter provides automatic control of IntelliPro and IntelliFlo variable speed and flow pumps with Pentair Compool systems as well as Jandy and Hayward automation controllers.
www.pentair.com www.pentair.com


1628464446660.png
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1628464647509.png
 
It takes the Hayward OmniLogic with Firmware Revision 3.2 and the Pump Converter accessory board (HLPMPCONV) to control Pentair Intelliflo VS pumps.
 
The IntelliComm has 4 programs, but the AquaLogic can only recognize two as a pump.

You can use two other speeds if you have two more relays, but the AquaLogic won't recognize them as pump operations and functions like the SWG won't work unless the relay is identified as a pump speed.
 

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77,

I would be interested in how it worked before your pool guys swapped boards...

One reason I wanted you to follow the cable back to the automation is to see if you might already have IntelliComm module..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
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Thanks guys, Once the sun starts going down, (too hot to be outside right now) I will take off the front panel of the Aqua logic and get some pics as best as I can. It is like a bowl of spaghetti in there.

In April, a pool company replaced the Aqua Logic Goldline PS8 circuit board (618.00 included install). They told me that since the circuit board is the latest model, it will not talk to the Pentair and suggested I buy a new variable pump . That didn't sound right to me and my current pool company said that it was a dead
JamesW said:
Can you show a picture of this sticker?

View attachment 362782

Can you show a picture of the inside of the control box with the front panel removed if you feel comfortable doing that?
Click to expand...

relay and they put a new one in. Also a couple of years before I replaced the Local Display.
 

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Janers77 said:
In April, a pool company replaced the Aqua Logic Goldline PS8 circuit board (618.00 included install). They told me that since the circuit board is the latest model, it will not talk to the Pentair and suggested I buy a new variable pump .
Click to expand...

Goldline introduced AquaLogic in 2003. Hayward acquired Goldline in August of 2004. Hayward discontinued AquaLogic in 2008 and replaced it with Hayward ProLogic. They should have replaced your Aqualogic board with a ProLogic board.

Aqualogic was before the dawn of VS pumps and never directly supported them through their RS-485 digital interface. So we are trying to figure out how your VS pump operated with your Aqualogic board. The ProLogic board can do all the Aqualogic board could do.

The ProLogic board will control a Hayward VS pump. The higher end Hayward OmniLogic board can control a Pentair IntelliFlo pump.
 
JamesW said:
What is the exact part that they replaced?
Click to expand...
Which time? LOL. Last week they put in a new ac. In April they replaces the Aqua Logic Goldine ps8 circuit board. (blue thing)
JamesW said:
Are you saying that the pump increases speed automatically when the solar comes on?
Click to expand...
Yes right now the Settings and timer are noted below. When it turns on at 9am, high speed, solar valve kicks in. 10am the cleaner kicks in, pump at high speed (3100 RPM). At Noon the cleaner shuts off. The pump then is either in low speed (solar temp has reached) or high speed (solar temp has not reached).

On the display, the Filter light is blinking 9-5pm. The check system light is on. The display says "check system - Pool Bridge comm"

Do you think it has something to do with the "Spa" speed being programmed? I do not have a Spa pump. Just one for the jets.

Settings
Spa heater1 - 86 degrees
Pool Heater1 off

Spa Solar off
Pool Solar 87 degrees
Super Clorinate off
Spa Chlorinator 0% off

Pool Chlorinator 50%

Spa high Speed 20%
Spa low Speed 50%

Pool High Speed 60%
Pool Low Speed 50%
Wireless channel #4

Timers
Filter pump Hi-all
9am to 11am

Filter pump Lo all
11:15am to 5pm

Spa all off

Cleaner all
10am to noon

Super Chlorinate 1 hours
 

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