Pentair EasyTouch - Control Panel & Remote Won't Run Pool

[NewToPools_Texas]

Hello,

We had an inground pool and new equpment pad installed just about 3 and a half years ago. We are now suddenly experiencing an issue where the 3AMP switch in the top right of the control box, trips upon power on (shortly after - LCD panel lights, and a couple of the buttons show power - but then the 3AMP trips). The remote can no longer connect to the box, and shows the wrong date/time that never updates.

I'm attaching pictures of our box and setup.

The pool can only be run if I go to the variable speed pool pump and power it on manually. Otherwise, the 3AMP electrical keeps tripping. We've taking the control board out and put it back in, as well as have flipped the breakers on the box itself. I've had 3 pool guys come out, but obviously none know what's wrong. As it's getting cold here, I really want the box to be operational again since that's my only chance to have the pool kick on by itself if temps dip to a freeze.

What can you recommend? I'm willing to try anything at this point.

Pics: Pentair EasyTouch Issues - Google Drive

Thank You!!!
Mike

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

Disregard this answer see new post below....

Jim R.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

When you said upper right I assumed we were talking about the valve circuit breaker, but after looking at your pics, it is the electronics circuit breaker that is popped.

That is not a good sign and points to a bad main board...

I would disconnect all external inputs on the back of the main board, other than the temp sensors and the main power plug in the upper right side of the main board and see it the breaker still pops with all the valves and relays disconnected...

I know a guy who knows all about the main boards, so I'll see what he has to say...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Dirk]

Jim, can you confirm? If Mike's Pentair VS is like mine, it's going to go into freeze mode with or without the ET. That's a setting in the pump, which can be adjusted, but by default will protect the pump's electronics by running the motor, which will in turn protect your plumbing, because the water will be circulating. Unless the pump's freeze mode setting has been defeated (if that's even possible), I think you're OK, freeze-wise, until you sort out your ET...

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

I personally don't like freeze control... If I were in your situation, I would turn the pump on manually and run at some low RPM 24/7 until I could get the Easytouch up and running.

Running my IntelliFlo at 1200 RPM, 24/7 costs me less than $20 bucks a month... Pretty cheap freeze insurance...

That said, as Dirk points out, the pump should have its own freeze control settings when not connected to the EasyTouch.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[NewToPools_Texas]

As usual, THANK YOU ALL -- this is literally the best pool resource I've ever found. I took apart and individually unplugged and re-plugged inn the various connections until such time that I was able to identify the issue. It was isolated to when the remote receiver was attached to the main board. With that, I re-connected everything and left the receiver unplugged from the main board. When I disconnected it, I found a board that had apparently fried. My questions from here are : 1.) Do I need to just replace the board, or the entire device? 2.) From the picture, is anyone able to definitively tell me which model it is? 3.) Any recommendations on where to my buy this most inexpensively? 4.) Finally, do I need an electrician?

Finally, thank you - I've left the pumps on until we figure our way through this repair.

Here are the photos from the remote/receiver device :
Pentair EasyTouch Receiver for Remote - Google Drive

Thanks again, I look forward to your advice!

 

[Dirk]

Is that the transceiver for ScreenLogic? I tossed that thing and its brother at the other end and hard-wired the ScreenLogic Interface Adapter directly to the ET board. Two less pieces of junk to deal with. Wire was a few dollars. Crawling through the attic... priceless! (But worth it.)

 

[NewToPools_Texas]

Wow - I'd love that. Need some help here though - this is not my area of expertise. I don't think I have screen logic, I just have the big bulky easytouch remote device. I think that's the transceiver that receives the signal. Need to figure out what to buy and where from but I can't make heads or tails of that #. Dirk, sounds like you did the right thing - it would only connect if we stood next to that wall any way (unless outside - then it was perfect).

 

[ogdento]

Hey Mike,
Just to make sure I'm understanding your last post correctly... the outdoor panel works fine when you leave the transceiver board unplugged... but if the transceiver board is connected the "electronics" breaker is tripped?

If that's the case, it's likely that the transceiver comm port is fried - so the board would need to be replaced (when the comm ports fry, the boards often draw much more current than normal which could trip that breaker). 3A is a lot of current for these things so it's "possible" - but less likely - that the comm ports on both the transceiver and the outdoor board are fried... cross that bridge if you get to it.

What is the FCC ID on the back of your remote? That id tells you which transceiver you need... P4HEASYTOUCH2A uses pentair part 520946Z (later board with a Laird chipset), while P4HEASYTOUCH uses pentair part 520341 (older board with a Linx chipset - the board itself has 520113 etched on it).

You don't need an electrician to swap these out.

You can get the transceiver boards new at online stores for $225-425 (sunplay has great prices, i am not affiliated with sunplay), or used on eBay for $75-125 (disclaimer: i do sell these on ebay, pm me if interested)

Hope that helps!
Tom

 

[ogdento]

Whoops, I didn't see your second set of photos... you've got the board with the Laird chipset (the fcc id on the back of your remote is P4HEASYTOUCH2A) so you need Pentair part 520946Z

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

I would ditch the remotes and go with ScreenLogic2... Here are a couple of screenshots from my PC to wet your whistle ... You can use your PC, Tablet or even your phone.

Programming and changing things are 10 x easier using ScreenLogic2...

Here is a good link... https://sunplay.com/collections/pentair-easytouch-control-systems/products/pentair-screenlogic-interface-and-wireless-522104

There are two types of antenna for the standard Pentair remotes... If the equipment is only three years old you have the latest one... The old one will not work for your remote.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ogdento]

Oh man, not to drag this thread out but something very bad happened to your transceiver... the terminal marked Red on the 4-pin comm port is scorched on the back of the board! This is the 15vdc supply.

Any chance you've had a lightning storm or other power surges lately?

Before you reconnect anything, go to the outdoor board and make sure there's only 15vdc (could be as high as 18) across the pins marked Black and Red on the 4-pin comm port connector.

 

[NewToPools_Texas]

Jim,
What would I need to buy to make this change, and is this something a true novice can do himself?

Ogdento,
I agree. I could even smell the burn. I'm unaware of any lighting or power surges - but can see it impacted the Red 4-pin. When you say "go to the outdoor board" and make sure there's only 15vdc -- what are you referencing? I attached pics of my control board on the actual easy touch box, as well as the transceiver in two separate links above.

Please advise and THANK YOU.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

All you need is this... https://sunplay.com/collections/pentair-easytouch-control-systems/products/pentair-screenlogic-interface-and-wireless-522104

It is basically a wireless link between the EasyTouch and the Protocol adapter. The adapter talks "Pentair" at one end and "Ethernet" out the other end. It is very easy to install and anyone can do it.

Before you go off and buy it, you need to make sure your main board has not been damaged by whatever took out your old antenna. With the bad antenna disconnected and the EasyTouch in Auto, the pump's control panel should say "Display Not Active".. If it does your main board is ok..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ogdento]

Hey Mike,
On the outdoor panel that's shown in your first photo (the thing in the easytouch box with the lcd display on it)... if you flip that down you'll see all the connections that are on it. Find the comm-port (where the transceiver cable was connected)... it has "comm port" and "J20" screen printed on the board with red, yellow, green, black labels on the pins. If you measure dc volts putting one probe on red and the other on black, you should get around 15 volts or so.

 

[Dirk]

Mike,

If you go with ScreenLogic, and plan to hard wire it to your ET, and not use the wireless units, the Interface Adapter is available by itself. I poked around a bit, and strangely enough, I couldn't find any for sale that were less than the bundle that Jim linked for you! Weird. This is the part by itself:

Pentair IntelliTouch iTC15, ScreenLogic2 | 520500

Sunplay offers the wireless connection kit by itself (everything but the ScreenLogic Interface Adapter) for $179. So you can see that's not an incidental set of components. Maybe give Sunplay a call and see if they can order you just the Adapter for less than the bundle.

My snake of a contractor "volunteered" to take back my wireless connection kit since I didn't use it. Nice of him not to mention what it was worth... :grrrr:

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

You can use the wireless link, or you can hard-wire, either one works the same as far as ScreenLogic is concerned. I ran with the hard-wire for several years until recently...

My neighbor took a direct lighting strike and I got what was left over.. I believe it came in on the hard-wire cable between my ET and the house. It took out the main board in the ET and then happily followed the cable into my house and blew up the Protocol adapter, which of course is connected to my house network. It then blew up a network switch, and all the audio visual gear attached to that switch. Thankfully, most of the computer stuff was attached to a different switch.

Long story short, I no longer use the hard-wire approach. It may never happen again, but if it does, I want all the damage to be outside my house, just like what happened to you..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Dirk]

I don't like wireless, but Jim's got an excellent reason to use the transceiver, I gotta admit...

 

[ogdento]

I picked up a "for parts" screenlogic protocol adapter on eBay for 100 bucks... it just needed a software update and works great. If you're not worried about warranties it's not a bad way to go.

Regarding the wireless connection kit - as Jim said it is a great way to protect your equipment from lightning etc. You can also just use a pair transceivers (new or old style) to do the same thing. I use a pair of old-style transceiver cards (520341) to connect screenlogic, intellitouch indoor, and easytouch indoor controllers to my pool from my test bench.

 

[NewToPools_Texas]

Great advice and great information - I appreciate it. One last question, which likely I screwed up due to me running my pump in manual mode while my EasyTouch was out of service. The box now works and it appears as though the schedule no longer controls the equipment. When I took out the board we also took out the battery board on the main EasyTouch. I programmed it to come on today, and #1 lit up and it says auto pool -- but the pool pumps did not come on. When I looked at the VFD pump it did say running on a schedule, but it doesn't look like it actually was. I turned it on manually again today even though everything but the wireless tranceiver (now disconnected) seems to be working fine. Since the pool builder did the original programming and I've never had to troubleshoot issues since, is there any easy "how to" to make sure everything is set correctly and that the pumps turn on with the schedule on the box ?