EasyTouch Intelliflo IC60 wiring

[FTC3]

I've searched through the archives but can't seem to find any definitive answer. Hopefully the Jedi Masters can help me.

I've had the EasyTouch and Intelliflo VS installed for 3 years+ but ran the pump independently. Now I'm getting the whole system operational. I'm hooking up my IC60 but stuck on how they should connect together.

Right now I have the pump connected to a 2-pole GFCI breaker directly. Plus the RS-485 cable connected from the pump to the EasyTouch.

1. Does the pump need to hook to a relay?
2. Does the SWG connect to the filter/pump relay by itself and powered by its own 20 AMP GFCI breaker?
3. If the pump doesn't connect to a relay, is the ET8 telling the IC60 via the filter/pump relay the pump is running?

Thanks

 

[The dog]

Hi I have my pump hooked up to the line side of the filter pump relay so it has power all the time. I have my swg connected to the load side of the filter pump relay so when the pump is told to run the swg runs at the same time. I have one gfci breaker powering the filter pump relay.
The eztouch tells the pump to run via the control cable.

 

[Jimrahbe]

FTD,

What Dog says above is how most EasyTouch Systems are wired and it seems to work fine for most people. In some cases, however, this installation causes the GFCI to very intermittently trip.

If you read the IntelliFlo manual you will find that it advises you to not use the power going to the pump for anything else. All my EasyTouch systems are wired as follows:

1. The GFCI for the pump supplies power directly to the pump and nowhere else.
2. The line side of the Pump/Filter relay gets power from a different circuit breaker.
3. The load side of the Pump/Filter relay supplies power to the SWCG transformer.
4. The Pump is controlled by the serial cable between and the pump.

I highly suggest that you also install ScreenLogic.. It makes the operation of the EasyTouch so.... well easy... You can control and program from your PC. So instead of going outside to turn up the SWCG% using that little 3" LCD and a number of menu entries.. you just click one icon on your PC.. Since it costs less than $400 it is the best automation investment you can make..

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

 

[The dog]

When they say don't use the power for the pump for anything else. This is how I understand it. I think what they really mean is not to hook up any other appliance like a refrigerator or anything that has a high load. Besides if you did hook it to the same pump relay it would turn off (if on the load side).

I'd agree with nuisance trips on the gfci. But I have not experienced that. I only draw 12 amps on that circuit when the pump is in high speed.

 

[FTC3]

Thanks Jim for the response and appreciate the tip on the screenlogic. This is along the lines of what I was thinking.

With the setup you mentioned, does the system IC60 know to activate only when the pump is running? Any special programming or does it just know?

All my EasyTouch systems are wired as follows:

1. The GFCI for the pump supplies power directly to the pump and nowhere else.
2. The line side of the Pump/Filter relay gets power from a different circuit breaker.
3. The load side of the Pump/Filter relay supplies power to the SWCG transformer.
4. The Pump is controlled by the serial cable between and the pump.

I highly suggest that you also install ScreenLogic.. It makes the operation of the EasyTouch so.... well easy... You can control and program from your PC. So instead of going outside to turn up the SWCG% using that little 3" LCD and a number of menu entries.. you just click one icon on your PC.. Since it costs less than $400 it is the best automation investment you can make..

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Thanks Jim for the response and appreciate the tip on the screenlogic. This is along the lines of what I was thinking.

With the setup you mentioned, does the system IC60 know to activate only when the pump is running? Any special programming or does it just know?

FTC,

Yes... The Pump/Filter is energized anytime the IntelliFlo is being told to run, as long as you are in the Pool Mode or Spa mode. This turns the IC60's power supply on, only when the pump is running.

This function is automatic and no special programming is needed.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Jimrahbe]

When they say don't use the power for the pump for anything else. This is how I understand it. I think what they really mean is not to hook up any other appliance like a refrigerator or anything that has a high load. Besides if you did hook it to the same pump relay it would turn off (if on the load side).

I'd agree with nuisance trips on the gfci. But I have not experienced that. I only draw 12 amps on that circuit when the pump is in high speed.

Dog,

The actual reason is to prevent voltage transients, caused by the relay opening and closing, from feeding back into the GFCI and causing nuisance trips.. But.. I'll be the first to admit that this is not an issue for most people.

It must have been at one point however, since Pentair actually sells a special GFCI to help prevent the problem. My PB installed the Pentair GFCI, and based upon how cheap he is, I doubt he did it out of the kindness of his heart..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[The dog]

JR exactly. Which can be caused from an additional motor load (like the compressor in a refrigerator cycling on and off) connected to that same circuit. In fact, say you had a receptacle connected to that same circuit. And you plugged in a 120 v drill tor a saw. The motor load could trip the gfci.

I just looked at the pentair breaker you mentioned. It appears to be a rebranded version of a Siemens gfci breaker. My Siemens catalog shows the same specs as the pentair version. They both trip when they sense a fault of 6 milliamperes or more.

 

[Jimrahbe]

JR exactly. Which can be caused from an additional motor load (like the compressor in a refrigerator cycling on and off) connected to that same circuit. In fact, say you had a receptacle connected to that same circuit. And you plugged in a 120 v drill tor a saw. The motor load could trip the gfci.

I just looked at the pentair breaker you mentioned. It appears to be a rebranded version of a Siemens gfci breaker. My Siemens catalog shows the same specs as the pentair version. They both trip when they sense a fault of 6 milliamperes or more.

Dog,

I suspect, based upon what the manufactures I used to work for would do, is that the ones that Pentair sells have been culled out of the normal Siemens breakers because they all trip at the upper end of the tolerance.

I've seen this at several places where you want the spec to be tighter than the manufacturer's spec, but did not want to pay for a new design.

Of course this is just pure speculation on my part, but I doubt Pentair sells them because they are great money makers.

Jim R.

 

[FTC3]

Thanks Jim! Much appreciated!

 

[The dog]

I highly doubt that JR. Really, Siemens is going to spend extra time sorting out the gfci breakers? They all run down the same line and some get a different sticker. There's no difference just the sticker and the price you paid for the pentair name.