Aqualink to control heat pump AND gas heater?

[mikehsia]

Hi everyone, has anyone successfully connected an Aqualink automation controller to intelligently communicate with a heat pump AND a gas heater?

Just looking for some straight answers, if there are any to be had.... I can't seem to get a straight/clean answer from documentation, Zodiac/Jandy, the PB, or the PB after service team. Been down the rabbit hole on TFP, reddit, and youtube... but I'm starting to go cross-eyed after reading the end of the internet and spending countless hours messing with the wiring/etc.

System:

• 15k gal gunnite pool with spa
• Jandy variable speed pump, Jandy PDA-PS6 combo controller (Rev 7.2), PDA RF remote (white), iQ30 iAqualink, Raypak/Rheem gas heater, Aquacal heat pump (heat/chill)
• Cartridge filters, nature 2 fusion

Where I'm at:

• I'm under the impression that PDA-X systems are limited for advanced controls and perhaps an RS based card/system will allow better RS485 based communication (mostly based on this thread: How-to: Controlling Aqualink RS System with cheap PC hardware)
• Given up on trying all the combinations/permutations of wiring to get the Aqualink controller and Aquacal HP intelligently communicating in SMART mode for now and have purchased the Aquacal Poolsync wifi controller for the heat pump to be able to wirelessly control/set the heat pump
• Gas heater is connected with the low voltage bus bar (green bar positions 1&2)
• Pool after service folks have the HP set up with a 2-wire relay based control from the Aqualink, but only does on/off... no setpoint controls like RS485 SMART controls

Looking for any guidance on if my automation aspiration is feasible at all (to get the aqualink and aquacal HP talking to one another)... or if I should just let it go..

fully realize this is a first world problem, but feel like its so close... (yet so far...)

Thanks!

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

You are not going to do it with that choice of equipment and mix of manufactures.

The Jandy PDA Aqualink system is limited compared to the Aqualink RS.

A Pentair IntelliCenter with a Pentair MasterTemp gas heater and Pentair MasterTemp UltraTemp HP can do what you want. As soon as you mix manufactures with automation you greatly increase the complexity and eliminate most manufacture support.

 

[mikehsia]

Makes sense, thanks!

 

[mfifield01]

How does the Aqualink RS work with a heat pump and gas heater? For heating the spa, I've been told the heat pump would start and heat to a set temp (say 90). Then the gas heater could kick in and take it up to your final temp.