AquaLogic P4 is Turning Solar on when it is DISABLED

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BruceMAbrahams

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Bronze Supporter
Jul 25, 2017
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Plantation, FL
When my pool turns on, the P4 turns on the solar valve 3 even though the settings have the SOLAR OFF.
I can manually switch the actuator to shut it off but I have to do this every day.
And it doesn't matter whether the switch is in forward or opposite position.
Solar was working perfectly when it was attached to valve 2 but had to rewire to accommodate new 2 speed pump (low speed is now valve 2).
Wiring is correct because I can push the SOLAR button the panel and the pump reverts to high speed and turns solar on as it is supposed to do.

Hayward wants nothing to do with this problem and told me to I can always try resetting the control system (wiping out all settings) and then reprogram though no one knows why that would have any impact.
Pool company says it isn't there issue since the wiring is correct and the settings in the system are correct.

Any ideas? Anyone?

Thanks for your time.
 
Welcome to the forum.

Solar was working perfectly when it was attached to valve 2 but had to rewire to accommodate new 2 speed pump (low speed is now valve 2).
Click to expand...
Low speed should be on a AUX relay, not a valve.

Also, if you reassign the solar to a different valve, you need to change that assignment in the controller.
 
Thanks. I think I misspoke. Low speed is on AUX relay. Hayward says there is no logic to why the solar is turning on when the settings have SOLAR DISABLED. They wish me luck.

The pool company states: "Your 2 speed pump is connected to relays 1 and 2. Independent from your chlorine generator and solar system."

All I know is that the solar was working prior. Thoughts?
 
mas985 said:
Where did you disable solar? The main configuration menu?
Click to expand...

Correction - if I disable through configuration menu, then solar doesn't turn on at all because it is as if it is not connected. I meant to say SOLAR OFF which is achieved by the settings menu and when you get to solar you lower the temperature pass 65 degrees to OFF and that is were it is...and yet the actuator is going on when the system turns on and I have to manually flick the actuator switch to get it to turn off (keeping it in the middle off position does prevent the solar from turning on but that is obviously not what I want). Thanks again for your attention.
 
Have you checked the temperature readings for the water and solar in the diagnostics menu? A bad sensor can make things behave oddly.

Also, are you sure you have the correct valve set for solar?
Solar was working perfectly when it was attached to valve 2 but had to rewire to accommodate new 2 speed pump (low speed is now valve 2).
Click to expand...
This statement from the original post does not make sense to me since the Aux relays have nothing to do with the solar valve settings. Did you or do you have a solar pump? Do you have an Aux relay set to solar?
 
mas985 said:
Have you checked the temperature readings for the water and solar in the diagnostics menu? A bad sensor can make things behave oddly.

Also, are you sure you have the correct valve set for solar?
This statement from the original post does not make sense to me since the Aux relays have nothing to do with the solar valve settings. Did you or do you have a solar pump? Do you have an Aux relay set to solar?
Click to expand...

Answers:
Water and Solar temps are as expected (nothing signaling issues there).

Here is the current pertinent info from the menu of the P4:

Solar = enabled
Allow low speed = disabled
Aux1 = Filter low speed
Aux2 = solar
Valve3 = solar

Does that help?

And THANKS AGAIN. You are awesome for helping.
 
Why is Aux2 set to solar? Do you have a separate solar pump? What is that relay connected to?

What is Valve 1,2 & 4 set to?
 
mas985 said:
Why is Aux2 set to solar? Do you have a separate solar pump? What is that relay connected to?

What is Valve 1,2 & 4 set to?
Click to expand...

Answer: Aux2 is set to solar so that I could have the option of triggering solar if I want. This has worked over the past 10 years as sometimes the temperature may not indicate the worthwhile action of solar but being a South Florida native, I understand the heat build-up on the roof and releasing that heat into the water is beneficial.

Followup: A person recommended I (1) disable solar for 24 hours then (2) reset the circuit breakers and finally (3) enable solar. Yesterday, I completed step 3 and this morning the pump kicked on without turning on the solar! I will keep my fingers crossed that this is the fix.

While I have your attention, may I ask another question that has stumped both the pool company and Hayward: When the system switches from high speed to low speed (or vice versa) it intermittently (about 75% of the time) triggers an error in system that shuts off the chlorination with "HIGH AMPS/HIGH SALT" error. The salt level at 2900 is fine so it is the amps but the amps show 6.49 which is also perfect. And yet, I have to restart the salt water chlorination through the menu system to get it going again. Any thoughts?
 
While I have your attention, may I ask another question that has stumped both the pool company and Hayward: When the system switches from high speed to low speed (or vice versa) it intermittently (about 75% of the time) triggers an error in system that shuts off the chlorination with "HIGH AMPS/HIGH SALT" error. The salt level at 2900 is fine so it is the amps but the amps show 6.49 which is also perfect. And yet, I have to restart the salt water chlorination through the menu system to get it going again. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Assuming it is a false alarm, I know of a few people on the forum who have gotten that error when the solder joint on the back of the main board was bad.

Also with the older boards, when solar was first turned on, the hot water triggered a high amps warning. In later boards, they put in a delay for the SWG. It doesn't sound like this would be the problem but I just wanted to mention it. Also, what version software is the main board?
 

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mas985 said:
I know of a few people on the forum who have gotten that error when the solder joint on the back of the main board was bad.

Also with the older boards, when solar was first turned on, the hot water triggered a high amps warning. In later boards, they put in a delay for the SWG. It doesn't sound like this would be the problem but I just wanted to mention it. Also, what version software is the main board?
Click to expand...

Of course you are correct. I learned that hitting the SOLAR button triggers both the solar and changes the pump to high speed automatically. There is no need for the AUX2. I didn't want to touch/change it but I guess I can now.

I do not have a solar pump.

Interesting about the older system/solder joint but I guess that requires me hiring someone to remove the main board and look/fix. I might have to do that but if it isn't the issue I am still out the service call fee.

Yes, there is a delay in the SWG.

The interesting thing that you said is that the system switches from high speed to low speed after two hours of working so the SWG might or might not be active during the speed switch. This obviously would fit the logic that sometimes it is not an issue. I wonder if it only gives the error and shuts down when the switch in speed occurs when the SWG is active! Of course, if that is true, not sure how to fix that. Thoughts or is that still the solder issue? FYI - it did it again today just now when I went to check the software revision number, I saw the yellow error light and the message about HIGH AMPS.

Software version is 2.66.

Thanks.
 
Interesting about the older system/solder joint but I guess that requires me hiring someone to remove the main board and look/fix. I might have to do that but if it isn't the issue I am still out the service call fee.
Click to expand...
Most repair people will only replace the board which is $$$$. If you have ever used a soldering iron or know somebody who has, it is a pretty easy fix.

Switching between speeds should not cause any error like that. So my bet is the solder joint (behind the K1 relay).

Btw, if you manually switch speeds, does it also give the same error? Also, watch the display when the switch occurs and see if it dims, flickers or goes out.
 
I have the same controller with solar and 2-speed pump and was going to point to that AUX2 setting ... mine is certainly not set to Solar. So did that fix the solar issue? I got lost in the other topics that came up.
 
jblizzle said:
I have the same controller with solar and 2-speed pump and was going to point to that AUX2 setting ... mine is certainly not set to Solar. So did that fix the solar issue? I got lost in the other topics that came up.
Click to expand...

What fixed the solar issue (so far) was disabling solar and enabling it again after a full day.

- - - Updated - - -




mas985 said:
Most repair people will only replace the board which is $$$$. If you have ever used a soldering iron or know somebody who has, it is a pretty easy fix.

Switching between speeds should not cause any error like that. So my bet is the solder joint (behind the K1 relay).

Btw, if you manually switch speeds, does it also give the same error? Also, watch the display when the switch occurs and see if it dims, flickers or goes out.
Click to expand...

I never used a solder so I should try to find someone...
Switching speeds manually DOES NOT give the same error but your comment gave me an idea to try to switch it manually while the SWG is running. I tried it (pressing filter button) and the error did not occur thus it is only occurring when the system is switching it to low speed based on the programming of the timer.

Is this still consistent with the solder need?

- - - Updated - - -

mas985 said:
Most repair people will only replace the board which is $$$$. If you have ever used a soldering iron or know somebody who has, it is a pretty easy fix.

Switching between speeds should not cause any error like that. So my bet is the solder joint (behind the K1 relay).

Btw, if you manually switch speeds, does it also give the same error? Also, watch the display when the switch occurs and see if it dims, flickers or goes out.
Click to expand...

I never used a solder so I should try to find someone...
Switching speeds manually DOES NOT give the same error but your comment gave me an idea to try to switch it manually while the SWG is running. I tried it (pressing filter button) and the error did not occur thus it is only occurring when the system is switching it to low speed based on the programming of the timer.

Is this still consistent with the solder need?

I haven't watching it yet for the dim/flicker.
 
mas985 said:
Probably not.

Have you tried powering down the entire board and restarting?
Click to expand...

Yes.

UPDATE!!!

I confirmed by watching the board that there is no dimming, flicker, etc. in the panel BUT THE ERROR ONLY OCCURS when the SWG is on when the pump switches from high to low or low to high speed. If the SWG happens to be off then there is no error!

With this info, can thoughts?
 
Earlier, didn't you say that you turned on low speed manually when the SWG was running (energized) but there was no error?
 

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