Can I trigger a 120V vent fan & light when the controller calls for heat?

[gunsul]

System: Pool/Spa combo
Controller: Pentair EasyTouch 8
Gas pool heater: Pentair Sta-Rite, Max-e-therm

It's been getting pretty hot in my pool room. I'm putting in a vent fan to help with that. More so, I'd like to be able to visually know from the house when the heater is on or off. So I'm putting a light outside the pool room so I know when the heater is on/off. I'd like the fan and light to come on whenever the system calls for heat.

My first thought was to just add an Aux relay into the circuit that calls for heat. (Controller gas heater switch/heater fireman's switch circuit.) Problem is the heater uses 24VAC and the controller relays are 24VDC. I'm also not sure how happy the heater system would be shoehorning in a relay into its low voltage circuit...

2nd thought was to just tie into the 120V that feeds that pool heater blower fan when it comes on. Well there's 6 wires going into that fan and I don't want to brick my heater just because I'd like a light I could see from my house.

3rd idea is maybe programming the controller to tell it I have both a gas and electric heater and want them in Dual mode. Use the (special purpose relay output) ELECTRIC HEATER to control an Aux relay that goes to my fan/light? I'm guessing that's not a powered signal either and I'd need 24VDC to drive a relay with that signal.

If you made it this far, thanks for the read! I realize this is a pretty random request and has the potential to cause some damage/injury if not done correctly. Please believe I will not do anything unsafe with this project. I'm open to any other ideas!

 

[Jimrahbe]

Gun,

You don't need to 'fool' anything..

The Electric Heat relay output turns on any time that any heater is calling for heat..

I use it to control the heater in my standalone spa.

Just plug a spare Aux relay into the electric heat connector and it will turn the relay on any time the water temp is below the set point.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[gunsul]

Just plug a spare Aux relay into the electric heat connector and it will turn the relay on any time the water temp is below the set point.

BOOM. You DA MAN!

Follow up question. How can I get the last week of my life back?

 

[1poolman1]

System: Pool/Spa combo
Controller: Pentair EasyTouch 8
Gas pool heater: Pentair Sta-Rite, Max-e-therm

It's been getting pretty hot in my pool room. I'm putting in a vent fan to help with that. More so, I'd like to be able to visually know from the house when the heater is on or off. So I'm putting a light outside the pool room so I know when the heater is on/off. I'd like the fan and light to come on whenever the system calls for heat.

My first thought was to just add an Aux relay into the circuit that calls for heat. (Controller gas heater switch/heater fireman's switch circuit.) Problem is the heater uses 24VAC and the controller relays are 24VDC. I'm also not sure how happy the heater system would be shoehorning in a relay into its low voltage circuit...

2nd thought was to just tie into the 120V that feeds that pool heater blower fan when it comes on. Well there's 6 wires going into that fan and I don't want to brick my heater just because I'd like a light I could see from my house.

3rd idea is maybe programming the controller to tell it I have both a gas and electric heater and want them in Dual mode. Use the (special purpose relay output) ELECTRIC HEATER to control an Aux relay that goes to my fan/light? I'm guessing that's not a powered signal either and I'd need 24VDC to drive a relay with that signal.

If you made it this far, thanks for the read! I realize this is a pretty random request and has the potential to cause some damage/injury if not done correctly. Please believe I will not do anything unsafe with this project. I'm open to any other ideas!

View attachment 543606

Your remote (wired on the wall, or handheld) will tell you the heater's status (on or off).