Easy Touch Controller won't power up

[mikeogator]

New guy here. I read through many of the publicly available posts to try to troubleshoot my issue and want to make sure I am on the right path and not duplicating threads that already exist.

Yesterday my power company decided to randomly swap out my power meter. It caused a 3 second power outage. After some time I realized that after all my network and computers came back up my pool was not running. I immediately did all the simple things resetting breakers etc and found no sign of life at the controller. I did however find that my main pump had power and I manually turned it on to let the water flow through the filter.

After reading through your many helpful posts I went out today with my multi-meter and started to probe around. I found that the Easy Touch Controller Transformer is actually powered by a GFI outlet in my panel. I also found it is working correctly and there is 120v going into the transformer. I then switched my attention to the other side of the transformer and went to look for the three low voltage AC inputs coming in. I found none. I tested with and without the board connected both times on the connector side. Based on previous comments I unplugged the valve connections and tested again, no power.

I'm really thinking I have a blown transformer but am a bit hesitant to jump to that conclusion based on previous threads. In my simple brain with the connector removed from the board and power to the transformer I should see something on one of the three low voltage AC connections. Seeing nothing draws me to this conclusion. Am I missing something? What else should I do to confirm it is a transformer before ordering the $180 replacement part?

Thank you in advance for your feedback.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

Tell me exactly how you used your meter to test the transformer inputs and outputs. Where did you have the probes???

1. Only an idiot would wire an EasyTouch so that the AC power to the System Transformer was GFCI protected...

2. There is no doubt, that the system transformer could be bad.. but in my entire life I have only seen a few bad transformers that were not caused by connecting 240 volts to a 120 volt input.

3. Most meter load center have a bypass that is used when the meter is removed, so there should not have been any power outage???

4. Does your EasyTouch have three small breakers in the upper right of the panel? If so I assume you checked them.

5. Please tell me what color wires are connected to your system transformer's two input leads?? Or show us some pics of the wiring..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[mikeogator]

Thanks for the quick reply.
I measured on red connector in the picture on the exposed metal, I also cheated and lifted the connector just enough to measure (after I accidentally broke the clip), and lastly I put pins in the connector when not connected to the board to measure.

1) I think they cheated to get 120v not protect the transformer. you can see they tapped white and black off GFCI.
2) no comment
3) probably right but there was
4) they don't look like breakers. I could not figure out how to reset. picture included
5) black to black and white to purple from GFCI (picture included)

I thought you were asking for this too but I guess this is standard.... red/white orange/white blue/white come from relay and the solid versions come from transformer directly

Mike

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

I just wanted to make sure that to test the three low voltage AC input to the card, you tested as follows..

Between Blue/White and Blue for 12 volts AC
Between Org/White and Org for 18 volts AC
Between Red/White and Red for 24 volts AC...

And that you were not trying to test between Ground and any of the above wires. (which would be zero volts.)

Sounds like you did all the right tests and it sure sounds like the transformer is bad...

I don't see anything else obviously bad...

Let's see if Tom has any other suggestions.. Calling @ogdento

Thanks for putting up with my questions..

Jim R.

 

[ogdento]

The breakers look fine to me, but it's easier to tell from a photo if it's kindof from the side rather than head on. But let's re-test the voltage, taking the breakers out of the equation.

Each pair of wires (blue and blue/white, orange and orange/white, red and red/white) has a breaker in one leg... I can't remember if it's on the stripe or solid, you'll have to check. And we'll do the test first on the blue wires... which are the 10 (or 12, depending on your transformer) volt outputs that power up the board (it's really about 15vac unloaded)

You're going to test the voltage before the breaker... so you'll put one lead on the board power connector - to whichever wire is not interrupted by the breaker - and the other lead on the side of the breaker that connects to the transformer secondary (rather than the side that goes to the board power connector). Make sense? If you don't get 12-15 volts but you know the primary is getting 120v, then your transformer is bad. If you do get a good voltage output then something's up with the breaker.

 

[mikeogator]

Makes perfect sense. Ran the test and nada. I'm going to order the part. I will let you know the result hopefully before the new year. Thank you for all you suggestions!

 

[mikeogator]

Just installed the new transformer. Did not replace the relays initially as it was too much of a PITA. Good news is relays weren't bad and the transformer fixed my automation system!

Thank you for all your support and guidance!

Happy New Year in the spa

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

Glad you got it fixed..

I'll add that to the very small list of bad transformers that I have ever seen...

Thanks for the feedback..

Jim R.

 

[ogdento]

Glad to hear it and thanks for the update!

Quick post mortem question... On the old one, do you see a low resistance on the primary or is it open? I ask because I think they still put an inline fuse on the common primary wire (tucked under the plastic wrap)... If it's there and blown, the primary coil is likely damaged and not salvageable... I'm just curious if that's what happened.

 

[ogdento]

... because to Jim's point, I don't think they die all that often!

 

[mikeogator]

... because to Jim's point, I don't think they die all that often!

Assuming I just put a meter between black-and-white on the input I get 1 M ohm

 

[ogdento]

Hey Mike thanks for checking. I think you meant purple instead of white? (there's only black/purple/yellow) But yeah, with the transformer disconnected, if you put the probes on black and purple (which is the 120v primary coil) it should be about 9 ohms. It's interesting you're getting such a high resistance... I was expecting it to be either open or short!