Pentair Intellicenter firmware issues

Jump to latest Follow Reply
MadRed

MadRed

Active member
May 26, 2024
34
Florida
Pool Size
13000
Surface
Plaster
I updated my IntelliCenter to 3.002 and now it loses connection to the cloud one a day. I had to physically restart it to get it back online only to go offline in some short time. I had similar issue with 1.64 but much much less frequent. Maybe once a week. I recorded a video and sent it to Pentair. Not holding my breath that they will fix it. Also, my power link are on the same wall, one inside and one outside so the distance cannot be an issue. I had to revert back to the previous firmware and so far it’s staying connected.

How is it so difficult to fix? No logging of the disconnect reasons. These software dev seem very junior. How do you not record a reason for lost connection?????

Any advice? Should I switch to hard wired set up?
 
MadRed said:
Is there a way to figure out the reason for disconnect?
Click to expand...
Nope. The IntelliCenter contains no network diagnostic or debugging tools other then it works or it does not.

In post #27 I said...

Seems to be a bug in the IntelliCenter internal web server where it stalls. It is not the Engenius bridge as I have had the same problem with both the Engenius and the 900MHZ link.

The only thing that gets the network connection back up is a full reboot of the IntelliCenter.
 
ajw22 said:
Nope. The IntelliCenter contains no network diagnostic or debugging tools other then it works or it does not.

In post #27 I said...

Seems to be a bug in the IntelliCenter internal web server where it stalls. It is not the Engenius bridge as I have had the same problem with both the Engenius and the 900MHZ link.

The only thing that gets the network connection back up is a full reboot of the IntelliCenter.
Click to expand...
Don’t you wish they had a remote restart or scheduled restart? This way I would not need to drive to my rental house to use my remote system.
 
MadRed said:
Don’t you wish they had a remote restart or scheduled restart? This way I would not need to drive to my rental house to use my remote system.
Click to expand...
I have thought about connecting the IntelliCenter power through a Sonoff WiFi relay so it can be rebooted remotely. So far it has not occurred frequently enough for the rewiring effort.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ahultin
MadRed said:
What about smart WiFi switch where there is a manual shut off switch?
Click to expand...
Whatever you utilize would best need to occur inside the high voltage center (or you are significantly complicating the wiring). The manual shutoff, assuming the controller transformer is on a dedicated circuit, is the breaker.
You could run conduit out of one of the knockouts on the load center to a single gang outdoor receptacle box with a wifi switch then back into the load center but then you'd also run the risk of some well meaning person turning it off thinking they were turning a light on/off.
 
Ahultin said:
Whatever you utilize would best need to occur inside the high voltage center (or you are significantly complicating the wiring). The manual shutoff, assuming the controller transformer is on a dedicated circuit, is the breaker.
You could run conduit out of one of the knockouts on the load center to a single gang outdoor receptacle box with a wifi switch then back into the load center but then you'd also run the risk of some well meaning person turning it off thinking they were turning a light on/off.
Click to expand...
I already have a manual kill switch by the equipment. I was thinking of replacing it with smart switch. Original is 20 amp, the one I bought is 15 amp Leviton switch.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3850.jpeg
    IMG_3850.jpeg
    357.2 KB · Views: 6
  • IMG_3838.jpeg
    IMG_3838.jpeg
    311.5 KB · Views: 6

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Zooming in it looks like that's a 220 switch, if so, i don't beleive there is a 220 smart switch, you'd have to go to something like a sonoff relay. In that case it would be faster/easier/cheaper to just use a shelly mini only on the system transformer lead.
 
MadRed said:
It’s 20 amp 120 277V
Click to expand...
So, depending on how it is wired, it may be disconnecting both poles, I am assuming this is on the feed line to your intellicenter so it quite possibly disconnects both hots. you wont be able to do that with a standard smart switch and you dont want to/cant legally within NEC disconnect only one hot leaving half a leg open on the 220 items.
 
Ahultin said:
So, depending on how it is wired, it may be disconnecting both poles, I am assuming this is on the feed line to your intellicenter so it quite possibly disconnects both hots. you wont be able to do that with a standard smart switch and you dont want to/cant legally within NEC disconnect only one hot leaving half a leg open on the 220 items.
Click to expand...
This switch was there before IntelliCenter. It controlled pump only. It’s a kill switch that pool service uses to turn off the pool pump. So I am not sure how it is wired but every time my IntelliCenter disconnects, I flip that switch for 20 seconds and back. IntelliCenter jumps back online.

I appreciate your replies but not sure I understand why another switch such as smart switch cannot do the same.

Let me know as I may be misunderstanding and don’t want to cause a problem.
 
based on what I gathered, it sounds like you had a single circuit coming from your main panel to the pool pad thru this switch. When you upgraded, they left this configuration and added intellicenter to it. I'm assuming that switch is being used as 220v , cutting both hots, but it could have been used 120 cutting the hot and the neutral (less likely). If 220, there is not currently a similiar replacement dpst smart switch, you would need to use a relay device to replace that switch but would lose the manual switch (unless you put the relay in line with the existing manual switch)
1. Is the breaker in your main panel single pole or double pole (1 handle or two tied handles)
2. Can you take a photo of the wiring on the switch
3. do you have an intellicenter with load center (cicuit breakers) or without?
4. Can you take a photo of the wiring in the intellicenter panel.
 
Ahultin said:
based on what I gathered, it sounds like you had a single circuit coming from your main panel to the pool pad thru this switch. When you upgraded, they left this configuration and added intellicenter to it. I'm assuming that switch is being used as 220v , cutting both hots, but it could have been used 120 cutting the hot and the neutral (less likely). If 220, there is not currently a similiar replacement dpst smart switch, you would need to use a relay device to replace that switch but would lose the manual switch (unless you put the relay in line with the existing manual switch)
1. Is the breaker in your main panel single pole or double pole (1 handle or two tied handles)
2. Can you take a photo of the wiring on the switch
3. do you have an intellicenter with load center (cicuit breakers) or without?
4. Can you take a photo of the wiring in the intellicenter panel.
Click to expand...
1. Single
2. I’ll take it later
3. No Load center. I have IntelliCenter LITE
4. I’ll take it later

Doesn’t the making on the switch means 120? Or does that mean 120-277?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3838.jpeg
    IMG_3838.jpeg
    293.5 KB · Views: 6
MadRed said:
Doesn’t the making on the switch means 120?
Click to expand...
No, the markings mean it can be between 120 and 277. It is definitely a dual pole switch so it could just be switching off both the hot and neutral (based on the answer to question 1). If that is the case then everything is running 120 and potentially a smart switch could work.
1. What size is the pool breaker in the main panel?
2. Is the main breaker gfci?
 
Ahultin said:
No, the markings mean it can be between 120 and 277. It is definitely a dual pole switch so it could just be switching off both the hot and neutral (based on the answer to question 1). If that is the case then everything is running 120 and potentially a smart switch could work.
1. What size is the pool breaker in the main panel?
2. Is the main breaker gfci?
Click to expand...
Here is a picture of a panel. I think left side breakers may have been slightly moved. And right side has the heater.

Also, all lights are now LEDs sitting after transformers. And the pump is IntelliFlow punt connected to IntelliCenter.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1440.jpeg
    IMG_1440.jpeg
    361.7 KB · Views: 3
Pool pump and pool heater are both 220v, pool light is 110v
I assume it's the pump breaker which powers the intellicenter and that is 220 which means that switch is being used 220v
Pull the cover off the line voltage compartment of the intellicente (if you're comfortable doing so) and snap a photo.

When you have a moment, it's helpful of you update your signature line with your equipment list (intellicenter lite, pump model, heater model, sanitizer source, test kit etc)

Also - the pump breaker for nec compliance and general safety, especially as i beleive you said this is a rental, needs to be swapped to gfci. It's a $100 diy or likely a $250 electrician (which would take them 15m)

Electrical GFCI - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply