Help Needed, Bought Used SWG (IC40)

[oilstain]

I just picked up a used IC40 for $25. The rub is that the water flow switch is busted. That part I should be able to figure out and replace.

However, this is all I have, so I need a way to tell it to turn on, power it, ect.

What are my options? At this point, I'd like to look for the lowest priced options possible. Has anyone built a quick and dirty way to interface with it? Outside that, what works with it, so I can start hunting ebay and the list of Craig?

Thanks, and as usual, you all rock!

 

[Philo]

I can't imagine that you won't have to buy a Pentair Power Center. Ebay $300.

 

[oilstain]

Anyone have a picture of the Power Center opened up?

Looks like all the brains are on the IC40 itself, I bet the Power Center is 95% transformer...

 

[Jedisparky]

Ya, mine is a transformer with a small controller board for connecting to my Easytouch 4 and the four pin connector for the IC40. But minimum you'll need that as well as a time clock to turn it off when your pump is not running.

Sent from my 2PS64 using Tapatalk

 

[xyz]

Mi IC60 worked well with a 36v switcher (per the threat you kicked to get us here). I think I put the reference in that link. But that only gets you power, and I think the way to turn it on is with an RS485? I know a guy that spent some time chasing the Pentair Protocol. Let me know if you want me to send you a link for the power supply.

 

[oilstain]

Thanks xyz, I saw the link from the other thread to http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005CLCJA6/ guessing that's the one.

I'm curious as to what the ICxx is looking for, as for a 'stand alone' being the ICxx and the Power Center, there are no additional inputs, just the two units. So, I wonder if all the IC40 would be looking for is the keep alive pings 'keep alive pings? cool, I must have a supported power supply!', or is there something else going on like the IC40 says 'hey, I want to turn on' and the Power Center says 'Okay, go for it'.

Somewhere down the road, I might be interested in building out some complexity, but if I can simply get my $25 IC40 to turn on when the pump turns on, I'd be thrilled. If I have to watch for pump power to activate a little arduino or raspberry pi to start sending out the keep alives or certain signals to make it happy, I think I can manage that. I just don't know what the IC40 will be looking for.

Currently, I've yet to even buy salt (test kit in the mail), let alone plumb the thing in (and fix the switch) so I'm trying to gather as much info as I can find. Not surprisingly, as I head down the pathway to specific needs on this topic, resources and knowledge get sparser and sparser!

Any info you (or the "I know a guy" guy) could provide on the Pentair Protocol would be hugely welcome!

 

[xyz]

I'm pretty sure it is RS485. From the automation, you can change the % and you can get status, temperature, etc.

However, when you just get the power supply, the front panel stuff does the trick, so maybe if it doesn't get 485, all you need is power? I'm curious now.

Yes, that power supply should work for you. Give it some room so it can cool.

There are better power supplies, but switches are pretty cheap, and pretty reliable. They have pretty good protection too. And this one has an adjustable voltage output.

- - - Updated - - -

OK so I looked at a photo of the power center, and it looks a LOT like the board in it is the same board in my Easytouch. I think this board can be bought.

 

[xyz]

As I thougth, you can buy it, but for 200 bucks. It seems it mostly has power devices on it, so I'd venture it is a filter/rectifier. My guess is the 4 connections for automation are RS485, power and ground.

Anyway, it *may* work with just the switcher and with no control connection will default to the front panel. Worth a try for sure. If not, I'd guess that there is a jumper on the cable coming from the unit to signal it that it is connected to a dumb power supply vs easy/intelli-touch.

 

[oilstain]

Thanks for the responses! I probably won't be ready to dive into actually working on this for a few weeks, but as I said, gathering information at this point.

I'll definitely try with just the power supply from Amazon, who knows, maybe it will just work!

Really appreciate the help!

 

[oilstain]

If anyone is running that external power supply (which I doubt, since in the other thread a software update seemed to fix the cycling problem) and if you feel adventurous and curious, please run the 36vDC red and black to the SWCG directly without hooking up the RS485 wires to anything, and see if it will work.

However, (as far as my understanding goes on how xyz wired his up) unless the 240v is coming in off of the pump's relay, there is a chance the SWCG would be 'live' even if the pump is NOT running. The ICxx family has a flow switch, so it shouldn't turn on or present any problems, but just be aware that it may try to run (or at least have the potential to run) even if the pump isn't actively on.

The flow switch is meant as a safety feature, not a means of control, so if anyone comes along to try to rig up their $25 IC40, don't try to rely on the flow switch only.