Aqualink service-mode

[Ukiwis]

I have a aqualink RS panel and when my service guy works on the pool he puts it into time-out mode.

After 3 hours it reverts back to Auto mode but it no longer follows the set program.

For instance, it's current a little after 5am here in California and my filter has been running all night. It would usually turn off at in the evening.

Despite the fact that it's running iAqualink shows the filter pump as being off.



Status shows that it is running...



I can reset everything by resetting all the breakers but would love to know how to fix it for good.

Any suggestions on how to figure it out?

TIA
KIWI

 

[HermanTX]

On AquaLink there are 2 line items under Program that should be looked at. First is the Filter Pump program. How is that set up because that is what the auto mode looks at when it goes from Time Out to Auto. The second is the Variable Speed Pump programs. My assumption is that the Filter Pump program is not set properly.

Additionally, there is a battery on the back of the PCB that keeps time when the main power goes out. But your date and time seem to be OK but if everything looks good under the Filter Pump program then you may want to check the battery. The older models had a 9V battery and the new boards have a button type battery.

 

[Ukiwis]

Thanks for your reply.
I have a "Heat Off" schedule and a "Heat On"

The default running currently is "Heat On"



So, the only thing I can think of is that the pool is being serviced between 5 and 6 pm, during such time the filter is running, and it is being returned to that state.

The guy comes in before 6pm, and puts it into time-out mode and does his stuff. He leaves and 3 hours later the equipment reverts back to where it was when he turned it off, ignoring the fact that the filter pump should have been turned off at 6pm and should not be running.

Could this be what is happening?

I've got a call into Fluidra.

 

[HermanTX]

Once it is on Time Out and 3 hrs elapses then it should activate whatever program is scheduled for that time the switch goes from Time-Out to Auto mode.
Is this a recent new issue or has it been acting like this for some time?

What I am seeing in your Heat On schedule is that Spa Heat goes from 5:35am to 11pm - since spa heat is on then that would activate your filter pump to be on even though the Filter Pump is scheduled from 8am to 6pm.

Do you have any other Schedules other than Heat On and Heat Off. Also, What is the goal of Heat Off schedule because it conflicts with the Heat On schedule.

 

[ajw22]

You need a separate schedule just for your filter/pump. Not part of the HEAT ON/OFF.

@PoolGate can give you an iAqualink example.

 

[Ukiwis]

Once it is on Time Out and 3 hrs elapses then it should activate whatever program is scheduled for that time the switch goes from Time-Out to Auto mode.
Is this a recent new issue or has it been acting like this for some time?

What I am seeing in your Heat On schedule is that Spa Heat goes from 5:35am to 11pm - since spa heat is on then that would activate your filter pump to be on even though the Filter Pump is scheduled from 8am to 6pm.

Do you have any other Schedules other than Heat On and Heat Off. Also, What is the goal of Heat Off schedule because it conflicts with the Heat On schedule.

I have the Spa Heat going on as this is a short term vacation rental and it makes things easier. It's not turned on per-se but is enabled, and guests are locked out, so all the guest have to do is click the SPA button and they're good to go. If they had to hit 2 buttons, I'm not sure they'd cope and I'd be getting calls about the tub not heating. I'll remove it and see what happens next time the pool is serviced. Thanks

 

[HermanTX]

Do you have a schedule for just the Filter Pump? That is the schedule the AUTO mode reads whether the pump is on or off when it moves from Time Out mode to Auto mode. Then you can use your other schedules such as Heat On to activate the heater, etc.

 

[PoolGate]

How in the heck are you doing multiple schedules? The only multiple schedules that I know of are for different times of the year and not designed to be switched daily for different functions. It is called "Program Group". On mine, all of the scheduled items are on the same schedule.

You do not need to really "schedule" your heater. You set the temp you want and it will turn on/off via the thermostat and change RPM to what is set under your VSP program for the heater (and idle the rpm back down to "Pool" when the heater gets to its set point). I guess you could schedule the heater but not sure why you would want to.

There is an "All Off" section if you want to turn everything off at some time.



Your VSP setup should include the keywords for your heater and filter pump.

Here is my VSP setup. It includes several keywords which should not be changed. "Pool", "Temp1", and "Temp2" are for mine. Yours would be on the below chart for "POOL/SPA COMBO". These are important since the speed set in this section determine what speed your pump runs at for various functions.



Your "SPA HEAT" and "POOL HEAT" should be set at whatever your heater needs as a minimum temperature or higher. 2400 is too low.



Here is my schedule.

 

[Ukiwis]

@HermanTX Thanks for posting that.

My VSP setup looks similar but I did have the filter pump operating at a higher RPM than your screenshot, so I've adjusted it.

The spa heating is scheduled to go on so that my guests don't need to turn it on. I had simply named the 2 programs in an attempt to have a little more control over what my guests could and couldn't do. I actually lock them out of the heater so they cannot turn on the pool heating unless they've paid for it. Part of that was scheduling the Spa heater which technically is not "on" unless Spa Mode is on. By scheduling it, It's "enabled" but not running so I don't see why the filter would need to be running....it doesn't run at any other time, unless the SPA Mode button is pressed.

Anyway, I removed the spa heater from the schedule and test time-out mode but there was no change.



FLUIDRA think there might be a problem with my board.

They were unable to view anything when clicking the help button. It starts loading then crashes and displays "waiting for connection" briefly before showing the main page.

 

[HermanTX]

They were unable to view anything when clicking the help button. It starts loading then crashes and displays "waiting for connection" briefly before showing the main page.

This issue you describe is completely different - see the link to another thread that describes this.

Super weird iAqualink problem. Need to call in the big guns

Hi everyone, I was hoping some of the iAqualink pros can help me out. I have contacted both iAqualink tech support and spoke to my PB and they did not know how to fix this. The issue is, when I go into the “Help” menu and/or “Product Info”, the screen reconnects (blue waiting for connection...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[HermanTX]

Anyway, I removed the spa heater from the schedule and test time-out mode but there was no change.

Based on a 8am-6pm Filter Pump schedule. If you go from service mode to time-out mode at 4pm then the pump will remain running for 3hrs - to 7pm. Then all will switch off. However, if you go to time-out mode at 2pm - the system should switch to auto-mode at 5pm (after 3 hrs in time-out mode) then turn off the filter pump at 6pm per schedule.
If this is not happening then it could be a board issue or you have another schedule that is possibly in conflict and causing the filter pump to continue to run. You may want to delete all schedules and start fresh with a basic schedule to test your time-out mode. That is worth the effort prior to purchasing a new board.

 

[Ukiwis]

Based on a 8am-6pm Filter Pump schedule. If you go from service mode to time-out mode at 4pm then the pump will remain running for 3hrs - to 7pm. Then all will switch off. However, if you go to time-out mode at 2pm - the system should switch to auto-mode at 5pm (after 3 hrs in time-out mode) then turn off the filter pump at 6pm per schedule.
If this is not happening then it could be a board issue or you have another schedule that is possibly in conflict and causing the filter pump to continue to run. You may want to delete all schedules and start fresh with a basic schedule to test your time-out mode. That is worth the effort prior to purchasing a new board.

This is not happening as it should. I have created a basic schedule with just the filter pump and will put it to the test.

Thanks for the link to that other thread....I'll keep an eye on it for developments.

 

[Ukiwis]

Basic schedule did not work either.

The app showed no devices running when the time-out switched to Auto, but status button showed the filter pump running when it should not have been. I also confirmed it was actually running.

I'm going to ask my pool person to simply use the service mode button rather than time out.

 

[HermanTX]

Basic schedule did not work either.

The app showed no devices running when the time-out switched to Auto, but status button showed the filter pump running when it should not have been. I also confirmed it was actually running.

I'm going to ask my pool person to simply use the service mode button rather than time out.

Actually, ask him to go from service mode back to auto mode after he does his work nd skip the time out mode.