Programming issue with Hayward ProLogic

[ivokalok]

I have a less than year old installation of the Pro Logic and a Hayward EcoStar Pump, and I have an issue with the programming. I have a pool and spa served by the same pump. The pool return goes through popup heads, one zone of which is the spa which then spills over back into the pool. The pump comes on at high speed at 9 pm, and at 1 am drops to a lower speed (daily).

The problem I have is when I try to use the spa. If I put it in spa mode and turn on the heater....come 1 am, the unit exits spa mode and returns to pool mode at the low speed--which dumps the hot water into the pool. Worse, if I don't catch it quick enough, the Hayward Heater gets a error for too much of a temp change (cool pool water vs heated spa water) and shuts down. The only way to clear the error and get the heater working is to reboot it. A pain when wet late at night.

Am I missing some setting that will give priority to the heat/spa mode as opposed to the daily pump setting? What i wish it did, was stay in whatever manual mode I put it in until I cancel it, and then return to its regularly scheduled programming.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[jblizzle]

This does sound like odd behavior, but I am not sure if you can override the normal schedule. Have you read the manuals? I may have to dig one out and take a look.

 

[JamesW]

When you switch to "Spa Only", there is a timer that keeps the system in "Spa Only" mode for up to 21 hours. The timer can be set to manual, or any time up to 21 hours. If you go into programming, you should be able to change the settings. The default time is 4 hours.

Spa CountDn
This menu will appear only if Pool/Spa Setup is set to “Pool and Spa”. This setting is the time, after you manually switch the Pool/Spa valves to “Spa Only”, until the Pro Logic automatically returns the valves to their previous positions. It is programmed in increments of 5 minutes, from “Manual On/Off” (0 minutes) to “21:00” (21 hours). The filter is forced on during this time period.
http://www.hayward-pool.com/pdf/manuals/PLTPM-PL-P-4InstallationPriortoOct08.pdf

Another way to go to manual operation is to press the "Service" button, which will lock out all timers and prevent any automation functions from happening. The red "Service" LED will light solid.

Pressing the "Service" button twice puts the system into "Service-Timed" mode, which lasts for 3 hours. The "Service" LED will blink and show a countdown timer.

To get out of "Service" mode, press the "Service" button until the LED goes off.

http://www.hayward-pool.com/pdf/manuals/PLTPM-PL-PS-x&PL-PS-x-VOperationsPriortoOct08.pdf

 

[ivokalok]

First, thanks for the replies.

Let's say the pool is filtering (after 9 pm), and at midnight I press the spa button on the remote. I will see the 4 hour countdown on the display cycle. However, come 1 am...it will automatically switch itself back to pool mode--even if I am in the middle of that countdown.

Yes, I read the manual. I saw something about heater extend...but that, near as I can tell, has nothing to do with this issue. I saw nothing else amiss when i looked at the programming, and no other setting that would affect this.

Service mode does seem like a workaround, but a pain and unnecessary or so I would have thought. I'm surprised there isn't a more elegant/permanent way to program this equipment.

Both timers are "all" days. One for the 9pm-1am leg, and another for the 1 am-5 am leg. There is no timer set for the spa...I manually turn it on when desired using the spa button on the remote.

Should the spa countdown override the timers?

 

[JamesW]

I would think that the Spa Countdown would override the timers. Try changing the Spa Countdown to Manual On/Off.

If you want the pool pump to run from 9 pm to 5 am, then it might be better to set one timer from 9 pm to 5 am and the other timer to off. That should prevent the pump from trying to come back on at 1:00 am. Instead of going high speed and then low speed, I think that you might do better with one medium speed all the way through.

You could also try setting the pool timers so that they won't conflict with your normal spa times. Is there a reason to prefer running at night to running during the day? Are you on Time-of-Use pricing?

It might be worthwhile contacting Hayward to ask them if there is a better way.

 

[ps0303]

Your system is acting like it should. If you have overlapping timers like this and you are in spa mode, the pool timer is going to win out. This is how Hayward has it in case a customer forgets to return the system to the pool mode. A customer would more mad if they left the system on spa mode and it heated the spa for say 12 hours.

 

[ivokalok]

I would think that the Spa Countdown would override the timers. Try changing the Spa Countdown to Manual On/Off.

Tried that--no go. It still switched back to pool mode.

Going to a single average timer is A solution, but not ideal. Correct me if I am wrong, but starting at a higher flow/pressure (with pop-up heads) is likely to 'stir the pot' more and help clean the pool better than using a lesser average speed constantly. Good thought though--I may have to settle for this.

 

[ivokalok]

Your system is acting like it should. If you have overlapping timers like this and you are in spa mode, the pool timer is going to win out. This is how Hayward has it in case a customer forgets to return the system to the pool mode. A customer would more mad if they left the system on spa mode and it heated the spa for say 12 hours.

I understand your logic..but I though that was the whole purpose of the spa countdown! When the countdown was at its default of 4 hours, at the end, it would switch to pool mode--presumably for the reasons you describe. With the countdown however, there is no need to interrupt--at least not for these reasons. Right?

 

[JamesW]

If you want to start higher, you could have a switchover time that avoids the normal spa usage times. A single medium speed should work as long as the pop up heads pop up ok and have good pressure.