Can I add an "All Button" wired control panel?

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stbasil

stbasil

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LifeTime Supporter
Jul 12, 2010
43
Wimberley TX
Hope some of you Jandy experts can help with this. My pool was finished in June 2018, and my PB installed both the home wireless network box, and the PDA wireless network box, so I can use my phone or the dedicated PDA handheld remote for pool control. However, I really miss my old wired, Pentair Easy Touch wall mounted control which we had at our former residence--so easy to just walk up to it and see the pool status without having to push buttons and wait for a connection. My idea was to just buy an "All Button" from some online source, and wire it up to my RS. This is not a big challenge for me, being a retired EE. So, I asked my PB if he would swap the PDA deal out, and give me an All Button wired wall control interface. His response was that he would have to have the factory flash the firmware in the RS controller ($421.99), and sell me a "One Touch" control panel ($772.99). I told him no thanks.

The installation manual for my AquaLink RS says "All Button and OneTouch Control System", so I fail to see why firmware needs to be changed. Can't I just buy an All Button, hook it up and go on my merry way?
20200420_115044.jpg
 
What version firmware is in your Aqualink?

I have an Aqualink system from 2002 with Rev HH with an All Button panel. I think the All Button has been supported on every version.

@PoolGate thoughts?

How to Determine the Revision of an Aqualink System
If you have the Aqualink All-Button Panel then MENU -> SYSTEM SETUP(press ENTER) -> DIAGNOSTICS(press ENTER)

If you have the Aqualink OneTouch Panel then MENU/SELECT(press SELECT) -> SELECT (for HELP) -> DIAGNOSTICS (press SELECT).

See page 13 in the Jandy iAqualink Product Guide.

Jandy Aqualink RS - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
Yep you should be able to just buy one and connect it with any 4 wire 485 cabling to your system. No configuration is needed it will just work once connected. I got a OneTouch off eBay for $135. Totally like new. No issues connected it right in. I don't even think those are flashable that sounds like BS to me. OneTouch controllers are pretty expensive you'll have to comb eBay very carefully. If I remember right mine was not listed correctly and the seller had no clue what they had. Deals are out there!
 
Thanks for the replies! Since I don't have an All Button, I cannot determine the revision level using the method above. For programming, I use either my Android phone with an iAquaLink app, which will also open a more detailed web-based interface, or I use the handheld "PDA". Neither of those gives me any "diagnostic" button under any menu option to determine the revision level, unfortunately.

I was concerned that the newer controllers may have removed support for the older-style All Button controller. For instance, one All Button listing I found online said that it would work with "QQQ firmware or older".

I did manage to find this on the web interface under Help and pressing Next to cycle through the line items:
Interface: AquaLink Touch​
Model: RS-4 Only​
AquaLink: REV T.2​
CPU p/n: B0029226​
TL Rev:​
RSSI: 5/5 Bars​
FW Rev: 4.0.6-w​
 
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AFAIK T.2 is the latest firmware.

I would call Jandy Support and ask them if the All Button control panel can be used with T.2?

Or call some other Jandy pool stores and tell them you are interested in the upgrade and give them the details and see what they say.

It would be an evil move by Jandy to remove the All Button panel from the firmware when they added support for Touch Screen panel in rev Q.
 
stbasil said:
Thanks for the replies! Since I don't have an All Button, I cannot determine the revision level using the method above. For programming, I use either my Android phone with an iAquaLink app, which will also open a more detailed web-based interface, or I use the handheld "PDA". Neither of those gives me any "diagnostic" button under any menu option to determine the revision level, unfortunately.

I was concerned that the newer controllers may have removed support for the older-style All Button controller. For instance, one All Button listing I found online said that it would work with "QQQ firmware or older".

I did manage to find this on the web interface under Help and pressing Next to cycle through the line items:
Interface: AquaLink Touch​
Model: RS-4 Only​
AquaLink: REV T.2​
CPU p/n: B0029226​
TL Rev:​
RSSI: 5/5 Bars​
FW Rev: 4.0.6-w​
Click to expand...

That is identical to mine. I would just grab the OneTouch I know for sure that works. You can always re-sell the all-button if it doesn't work.

Here's an "all-button" though for $200.

www.ebay.com

Zodiac 6890 Aqualink Rs4 All Button Combo Pool and Spa Indoor Wired Control for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Zodiac 6890 Aqualink Rs4 All Button Combo Pool and Spa Indoor Wired Control at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
www.ebay.com www.ebay.com
 
I messaged the seller above to ask if the All Button would not work with his new board, he replied that he did not try it. Also, I asked my PB specifically and he said the All Button would not work on my system (hoping he had one in his junk box!). The phone wait time at Jandy support was 115 minutes, and I did not have time for a call back, and the chat line was unmanned! I'll try again later....
 
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Here is the latest: I emailed Jandy support (now owned by a Spanish company, "Fluidra") with the information about my system revision, and was informed "Yes, the OneTouch and our All button controls are compatible with the system you currently have." So, I guess I'll start looking for a bargain on an All Button (the one linked above sold in a day or two). Thanks for everyone's inputs!
 
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I've actually lost track of what you are trying to do. Is it just a status view? If so, I am not sure how the all-button ever would have fit that bill with its single line display. Even the OneTouch doesn't do a lot in this regard. What again is the ultimate goal?

The "phone" app will work on any Android/Apple device. You could just get an old tablet and mount it on the wall with the Aqualink app opened.
 
I already have the app on my phone, and I also have a wireless "PDA" handheld. My issue is that I miss the convenience of just walking up to an "old-fashioned" wall-mounted control panel (the Pentair unit which I used to have in my former residence), and seeing what the pool temp and outside air temp is without having to find my phone, start up an app, which by the way, does not immediately display parameters, but requires additional selection of the pool controller, as if I had more than one--it was apparently designed with multiple controllers in mind, which is handy for a PB, but not for the typical homeowner.

Perhaps I have assumed to much, but I did assume the All Button (and perhaps the One Touch) wired, wall mount controllers had a continuous display of those basic status items (outside air, pool temp, etc), but maybe my assumption is wrong--I have never seen one in action. But I also just found out that apparently the All Button would not talk to my VS pump if I wanted to change it's status, for instance, turn it on so I could read pool temp.. I suppose the One Touch would (another assumption!)

So, here is a question which I should have asked already: On an All Button or a One Touch wired controller, what is the normal, continuous display information, if any?

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to comment--this is not a major issue for me, just a desired convenience. I would be asking my PB all of this, but he seems to be too busy, and/or not knowledgeable, when it comes to the answering my questions about the controllers. Thankfully, he did a great job on the pool itself, though!
 
stbasil said:
I already have the app on my phone, and I also have a wireless "PDA" handheld. My issue is that I miss the convenience of just walking up to an "old-fashioned" wall-mounted control panel (the Pentair unit which I used to have in my former residence), and seeing what the pool temp and outside air temp is without having to find my phone, start up an app, which by the way, does not immediately display parameters, but requires additional selection of the pool controller, as if I had more than one--it was apparently designed with multiple controllers in mind, which is handy for a PB, but not for the typical homeowner.

Perhaps I have assumed to much, but I did assume the All Button (and perhaps the One Touch) wired, wall mount controllers had a continuous display of those basic status items (outside air, pool temp, etc), but maybe my assumption is wrong--I have never seen one in action. But I also just found out that apparently the All Button would not talk to my VS pump if I wanted to change it's status, for instance, turn it on so I could read pool temp.. I suppose the One Touch would (another assumption!)

So, here is a question which I should have asked already: On an All Button or a One Touch wired controller, what is the normal, continuous display information, if any?

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to comment--this is not a major issue for me, just a desired convenience. I would be asking my PB all of this, but he seems to be too busy, and/or not knowledgeable, when it comes to the answering my questions about the controllers. Thankfully, he did a great job on the pool itself, though!
Click to expand...

Ha ha so now you have me wanting to go plug in my OneTouch. I actually got it because I have a specific piece of hardware I needed to program and incorrectly though the OneTouch was the only interface I could use. I did plug it in once but can't remember what the display did. I will plug it in as soon as this rain stops (tomorrow probably) and post a pic of the display screen.

The Aqualink app has the multi-device screen because there are other Zodiac devices you can control. For instance, I have a 9650iq robot that appears on this screen. The app allows me to program the robot and control it.

You could get an old tablet, install Aqualink, open it up to the app and just leave it running all the time. I frequently leave Aqualink running on my computer all the time without closing it.

I disagree about the AllButton not working I think it would. It may not allow you to set the pump speed, but it should allow you to turn it on/off and see if the pump is on/off at a glance due to that control panel having lights for pool devices.
 
Well, it finally dawned on me that I could use my old Samsung smartphone to do what I need, for free. I just turned off the phone's login requirement, and have the web controller interface displayed on the always-open iAqualink smartphone app--so I now have a wireless, dedicated controller device. I removed the SIM card and uninstalled most of the other apps. Whenever I want to view the pool status, I just press the home button to wake up the phone, and there it is, along with full pool control! I keep the phone plugged in to the charger, and it is sitting on our master bath countertop, always available when I want to check pool status before my morning swim. At some point I may figure out a way to wall mount it if I can hide the charger cable so it doesn't look ghetto. After testing for a few days, I have noticed that sometimes when the phone wakes up, the app has lost the internet connection, but touching refresh on the app quickly fixes that.

20200519_113636.jpg

Course, I could have forked over $1500 to get one of these from Jandy:
s-l300.jpg
 
stbasil said:
Well, it finally dawned on me that I could use my old Samsung smartphone to do what I need, for free. I just turned off the phone's login requirement, and have the web controller interface displayed on the always-open iAqualink smartphone app--so I now have a wireless, dedicated controller device. I removed the SIM card and uninstalled most of the other apps. Whenever I want to view the pool status, I just press the home button to wake up the phone, and there it is, along with full pool control! I keep the phone plugged in to the charger, and it is sitting on our master bath countertop, always available when I want to check pool status before my morning swim. At some point I may figure out a way to wall mount it if I can hide the charger cable so it doesn't look ghetto. After testing for a few days, I have noticed that sometimes when the phone wakes up, the app has lost the internet connection, but touching refresh on the app quickly fixes that.

View attachment 140072

Course, I could have forked over $1500 to get one of these from Jandy:
View attachment 140074
Click to expand...

This is a good idea but keep your eye on the OneTouch like I pictured above on eBay. I got that for just $125. It was a real estate agent that didn't know what they had. Deals are out there!
 
Will probably check for a cheapo OneTouch from time to time on Ebay, but the smartphone is still working great! After using this for a while, I just might remove and sell my JBox/PDA combo on Ebay. It is fully functional, but now redundant unless one really wants a waterproof handheld PDA, and we don't have a pressing need for that, especially since we don't have a spa.
 
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