Easytouch Intermittently Turns The Spa-Side Remote Feature Off -- DIY Controller Build

[Stoopalini]

Anyone ever come across this issue, where the Easytouch system (PS4 in my case) intermittently turns the Spa-Side feature off by itself?

I have a DIY circuit designed with optocouplers connected to the is4 terminals, with a wireless receiver momentarily triggering the is4 ground terminal to one of the is4 control terminals when a signal is received. When I initially turn on the Spa-Side Remote feature, it all works perfectly. But after some random period of time (sometimes several hours, sometimes just a few minutes), it stops working due to the Spa-Side Remote option switching Off in the Easytouch menu. If I turn the feature back on at the ET panel, everything is fine again until it turns itself back off.

Here's a rough diagram of the circuit



It's a pretty simple design. I used optocouplers to keep the is4 terminals isolated from the ESP32 controller's power circuit. All 4 channels work as expected when the Spa-Side remote function is turned on, I just can't seem to keep it from switching itself off after a period of time.

 

[ajw22]

This is a WAG but you do not have an LED connected between the BLK and ORG that the IS4 has. The ET may be looking at some resistance on that circuit to determine that the IS4 is connected and if it does not see it then it disables the feature assuming there became a problem with the cable or device.

 

[Stoopalini]

Ya, that’s a good thought. I wonder what the resistance value is on the current limiting resistor tied to the LED in the actual is4 remote?

I’ll test with a few values and see if it works.

 

[Stoopalini]

So I tried a 470 Ohm current limiting resistor with an LED, between the BLK and ORG terminals, and it is still turning itself off.

Funny thing, the LED never lights up either. Using a meter, I'm not seeing any voltage on the ORG terminal at all.

 

[Jimrahbe]

S,

Here is the basic schematic for the is4...

img027-1.jpg

• Jimrahbe
• Mar 14, 2017

There is a ground on the black pin and pushing the momentary switches puts this gnd on one of the inputs.. (1R, 2Y, 3G and 4B). There is about 5 VDC on the inputs pins from a pull up resistor, which momentarily drops to gnd while the switch is pushed. This turns on whatever circuit you have set up for each input to trigger.

The Led turns on when the heater is on.. But I have no heater and not something that I have tried.

I suspect the reason things shut off, is because all the inputs do is turn on a standard "Circuit".. Like all circuits that are not scheduled, if you turn them on and don't shut them off, the circuit will only run until the egg-timer turns it off.. The default egg-timer is 12 hours, so unless you have adjusted it, the circuit will only stay on for 12 hours.. You can set the egg-timer for more or less than 12 hours.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Stoopalini]

Thanks Jim, but the problem I’m having is that the “Spa Side Remote” setting in the Easy Touch menu keeps changing back to “Off”.

When I go to the panel and switch it back to “On”, my remote works perfectly. But a little while later, the Spa Side Remote setting flips itself back to off.

Im not talking about features or circuits here, but the main menu setting for telling the ET that there is a spa side remote connected.

 

[Jimrahbe]

S,

Sorry, but I can't think of anything that would cause that to happen..

If you turn the is4 enable on for a couple of minutes, and then reboot your EasyTouch, does the enable stay on or not??

Do you have ScreenLogic??

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Stoopalini]

Ya, it seems pretty odd to me too.

Yesterday, I turned Spa Side on, and then hit the reset button to reboot the ET, but it still switched the Spa Side back off after a while.

Today, I turned Spa Side back on, and then toggled the breaker for the ET ... that seems like it may have fixed it? Or, it could be a combination of the 470 Ohm resistor + LED between the GND and ORG, as well as the circuit breaker reset. Although based on your comment above, the LED shouldn't really matter ....

Either way, it seems to be holding the setting now. Maybe just another ET quirk ...

What I did was take two ESP32 micro controllers, and built a wireless remote unit for the is4 function. It cost me about $30 in parts, where $15 of that was the remote control enclosure I bought to house the circuitry. It's just a lot simpler for the wife and kids to be able to grab the remote to turn the pool lights, yard lights, waterfall, and pump highspeed on/off using the new remote, rather than going to the equipment pad or using a smart phone.

Oh, and yes, I do have Screen Logic.

 

[Jimrahbe]

S,

So, does the spa side remote icon, on the ScreenLogic delay page, turn from green to gray when the is4 enable goes off??

I really have no idea what could cause the issue, just looking for something that might be connected..

Let's hope it keeps working.

Jim R.

 

[Stoopalini]

Hmm, not sure. Where do I find the spa side remote icon?

 

[Stoopalini]

Ahh, never mind, I found it. Seems to be staying on now

 

[Stoopalini]

Just an update to this ... it's still holding the setting today, so I believe it's now resolved. Still not sure if it was just the breaker reset which did it, or if it's a combination of the breaker reset and the LED/resistor being in place ... but I'm just glad it's all working now

 

[Stoopalini]

Looks like I spoke to soon. Yesterday, the Easytouch system turned the "Spa Side" setting back to "Off" on it's own again.

If anyone has a Spa Side remote, and could check the resistance value between the BLK and ORG wires, it could be helpful. Although I don't use spa mode, and don't have a heater ... so I don't think the LED would ever be lit