Easy Touch Com port not working

[repomaniak]

I have an Easy Touch 8 (motherboard #520657) and the com port appears to not work. I can control everything connected to the easy touch except for the pump. The screenlogic app does not control anything either. Connected to the com port is the pump (intelliflo 2 vst) and screenlogic transceiver. I can turn the pump on at the pump The pump does not say "display not active". I performed a voltage test on the board from the RO, RE, DE, DI ..and got 0.6V. I replaced the motherboard and everything worked again....for 1 day...and now it's doing the same thing. I am new to these forums and read everything I could find which was extremely helpful..but now I need help.. Thank you in advance

 

[Jimrahbe]

R,

The RS-485 com port can be loaded down by any of the devices connected to it.

I suggest that you disconnect everything but the IntelliFlo pump and the main card and see if it then works.

The ScreenLogic antenna at the EasyTouch is the most probable cause.

If you have a Pentair SWCG, it is also connected to the com port, so it will also need to be disconneted for the test.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[repomaniak]

Hello,

Thank you so much for your response.
My main motherboard has 1 com port with the pump and screenlogic transceiver connected to it. I disconnected the transceiver and reset the main breaker and there is still no communication with the pump.

Jay

 

[Jimrahbe]

Jay,

Obviously, that means either the pump or the new main card is bad. I assume you just looked at the pump and it still does not say "Display not active"..

If you based your "not working" on the pump actually running there may programing issues with the new card.

Most of the time, it is the main card and not the pump, but there is no way to tell for sure

I suggest that you PM Tom @ogdento. He may be able to repair your cards instead of buying new ones.

No matter what you do don't reconnect the ScreenLogic Antenna, until you know it is good.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[repomaniak]

Correct...The pump still does not say "display not active" but can be turned on at the pump. So what I understand is either the pump or screenlogic antenna is "frying" the com portion of the motherboard. Any suggestions how to test the antenna?

Thanks again for all the help
Jay

 

[ajw22]

Did you fully checked the cable to the pump? We have seen the connector at the pump get corroded.

Have you checked the yellow and green wire continuity to pins 6&7 on the connector?

 

[repomaniak]

The cable has no corrosion at the connector. After I replaced the easy touch motherboard it communicated with the pump for a day then stopped. Are you thinking a bad cable or connection at the pump can cause my issue?

Thanks

 

[ajw22]

It would be very unusual for a device to fry the RS-485 chip in the ET.

The ET RS-485 is fried by:

• Lightning strikes
• Shorting the yellow and green wires
• Disconnecting wires from the connector while the ET is powered
• Probing the RS-485 contacts with a multimeter

A short in any of the cables connected to the RS-485 connector can be blowing it.

 

[repomaniak]

The ET RS-485 is fried by:

• Lightning strikes
• Shorting the yellow and green wires
• Disconnecting wires from the connector while the ET is powered
• Probing the RS-485 contacts with a multimeter

A short in any of the cables connected to the RS-485 connector can be blowing it.

Thank you for the information. I can rule out 3 of the 4 except shorting yellow and green wires. I've inspected the wires and don't see anything obvious. Any further suggestions to troubleshoot?

Jay

 

[repomaniak]

I want to thank everyone here for your help. I should have came to this forum first, it would have saved me a huge headache, 14 hours of my time and 800 bucks. It turn out the board wasn't bad and I even put my original one in and it was not bad....it was the wire going to the screen logic antenna. Once again thank everyone so much.
Jay

 

[ajw22]

Sell the extra ET board here or on eBay. Someone will need it.

Check if the new board has a higher firmware level.