easytouch psl4 light control

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kylwilson92

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May 17, 2021
13
Diamond Bar, CA
I'm in the process of selecting a pool/spa controller. I'm leaning towards the Pentair EasyTouch PSL4 controller however it says it controls 3 color lights. Does that mean 3 physical lights or 3 light areas? For example I'm running globrites and my pool has 2 lights, the baja shelf has 1, and the spa has 1. I would never run only one pool light without the other so can those be considered "1 light" by the system? So my "3 light" setup would be Pool lights, Baja Light, Spa Light. Does that work ? thank you
 
Kyl,

Sorry, but the "Lite" version of the EasyTouch is the worst possible choice that you can make for a pool controller.. The "L" means lite as in the type of salad dressing that everyone hates.. :mrgreen:

It has no load center

It only has a max of 4 programs or schedules

It only have 2 Feature Circuits..

As far as the lights go, each light that you want to independently control will need a relay and a low voltage transformer.. You are correct, if you wire two lights to one relay and one transformer, the light will turn on and off at the same time and will always be the same color as each other.

All EasyTouch 4's come with 4 relays.. But one is called the Pump/Filter relay and can not be used to control anything else.. The leaves you with 3 relays.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jimrahbe said:
Kyl,

Sorry, but the "Lite" version of the EasyTouch is the worst possible choice that you can make for a pool controller.. The "L" means lite as in the type of salad dressing that everyone hates.. :mrgreen:

It has no load center

It only has a max of 4 programs or schedules

It only have 2 Feature Circuits..

As far as the lights go, each light that you want to independently control will need a relay and a low voltage transformer.. You are correct, if you wire two lights to one relay and one transformer, the light will turn on and off at the same time and will always be the same color as each other.

All EasyTouch 4's come with 4 relays.. But one is called the Pump/Filter relay and can not be used to control anything else.. The leaves you with 3 relays.

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
Thanks Jim,

Yes I know it lacking but my pool is very simple I don't have any waterfalls or features. My only "feature" is the spa spillover. With it not having a load center how will that effect my setup?
 
Kyl,

The load center is where the circuit breaks go.. Without a load center you will need to have a sub panel or get power from the main house panel.

The big deal is the number of programs.. As an example.. If you wanted to run the pump from 8 am until 8 pm. That will take 1 program.. If you wanted to turn on the pool lights from 5 pm until 10 pm, that will take another program. If you wanted to turn on your spa light, that will take another program.. If you have a VS pump and want it to run at a different speed between say 10 am and noon, that is another program. etc..

I have zero problems with you buying a lite version of the EasyTouch.. My job is to provide you with facts and your job is to ignore me if you wish.. :mrgreen:

All that is important is that you understand what you are getting before buying it.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jimrahbe said:
Kyl,

The load center is where the circuit breaks go.. Without a load center you will need to have a sub panel or get power from the main house panel.

The big deal is the number of programs.. As an example.. If you wanted to run the pump from 8 am until 8 pm. That will take 1 program.. If you wanted to turn on the pool lights from 5 pm until 10 pm, that will take another program. If you wanted to turn on your spa light, that will take another program.. If you have a VS pump and want it to run at a different speed between say 10 am and noon, that is another program. etc..

I have zero problems with you buying a lite version of the EasyTouch.. My job is to provide you with facts and your job is to ignore me if you wish.. :mrgreen:

All that is important is that you understand what you are getting before buying it.

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
Thanks Jim! I appreciate all the help. What would be the next level up, just above the PSL4 in control panels with pentair? Any suggestions? I liked the PSL4 cuz it was inexpensive and included remote bundle with screenlogic.
 
kylwilson92 said:
and included remote bundle with screenlogic.
Click to expand...

Kyl,

They included ScreenLogic as a way to entice people to buy the lite EasyTouch.. :(

The lite version will work for people that have simple pools.. You just need to be aware of what it can do.

You should think about what all you want the automation to do.. Then see if the lite's capabilities will do what you want..

Tell me how you envision your system working and I'll tell you what is can or cannot do.

Include what kind of pump Single Speed, 2- speed, or VS.. How do you plan to sanitize your pool? Will it be a saltwater pool?

Any water features, bubblers etc... Heater? solar? Landscape lights, pad light? Pool lights

What things you want to have work automatically and what you only want to turn on with a button or icon.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
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Jimrahbe said:
Kyl,

They included ScreenLogic as a way to entice people to buy the lite EasyTouch.. :(

The lite version will work for people that have simple pools.. You just need to be aware of what it can do.

You should think about what all you want the automation to do.. Then see if the lite's capabilities will do what you want..

Tell me how you envision your system working and I'll tell you what is can or cannot do.

Include what kind of pump Single Speed, 2- speed, or VS.. How do you plan to sanitize your pool? Will it be a saltwater pool?

Any water features, bubblers etc... Heater? solar? Landscape lights, pad light? Pool lights

What things you want to have work automatically and what you only want to turn on with a button or icon.

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
I mainly want it to automatically control the intelliflo VS pump and salt water iChlor system. I do want it to run during different times of day. For example I want it at its least power consumption from 4pm-9pm everyday.
I want to be able to set the heater to turn on and off and set the temp from my phone but I don't need it to be on a schedule.
I don't need the pool lights on a schedule but they are color changing so I would like to be able to manage the colors from my phone. I have 2 pool lights, 1 baja light, and 1 spa light. Turning them on from my phone or switch is fine.
I don't have any water features or bubblers.
I want to be able to turn the spa Jets on and off from my phone.
I will have a suction side vacuum that I would like automated. That's pretty much it.
 
Kyl,

How big will your pool be in gallons.. The iChlor is only rated for 30K pools which in real life means 15K pools. We always recommend that the cell be rated for at least 2 x the volume of the pool..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
tommelton said:
Convert an Easytouch Lite PSL4 Indoor Controller to an Easytouch 8 - that was found in a previous thread here on the forum: Pentair Automation Systems - Further Reading
Click to expand...
That is just to update the remote. You'll need the main board for a real EasyTouch. I think there is a way to modify it to make L to a ET, but others will know more. Best bet is to get a n EasyTouch4 with IC40 and be done. You can pick up the remotes and indoor panels on ebay cheap if you watch.
 
Kyl,

I mainly want it to automatically control the intelliflo VS pump and salt water iChlor system. I do want it to run during different times of day. For example I want it at its least power consumption from 4pm-9pm everyday.

You assign speeds that you want the IntelliFlo to run to "Circuits".. To schedule the pump to run those circuits would require a "program" for each speed and time.. So if you want to run the pump from 8 am until 4 pm, at say 1200 RPM, that would require one of your four programs.. If you wanted the pump to start back up at 9 pm and run until midnight that would take another program. If you wanted the pump to changes speeds at say 10 am until 11 am to run your vacuum that would take another program.. The ET-Lite has 4 programs.. It will work, you just have to figure out what is important to you..​

I want to be able to set the heater to turn on and off and set the temp from my phone but I don't need it to be on a schedule.

You can set up the system to tell the pump to increase speed when the heater comes on.. If not on a schedule, no program is needed.​

I don't need the pool lights on a schedule but they are color changing so I would like to be able to manage the colors from my phone. I have 2 pool lights, 1 baja light, and 1 spa light. Turning them on from my phone or switch is fine.

If not scheduled, then turning the light on and off and changing colors via the phone is not an issue and uses no program.. BUT.. If you want the lights to go off automatically, that will need a program. If you want to individually turn on the 2 pool lights, and the baja light and the spa light, that will take all three of your Aux relays plus 3 transformers.​

I want to be able to turn the spa Jets on and off from my phone.

You can turn your Spa on via the phone no problem.. The pump will run at whatever speed you have assigned to the Spa Circuit. Just remember to shut if off.. No program. If you have a blower motor, then that will take up one of your three Aux relays​

I will have a suction side vacuum that I would like automated.

If you want a valve to turn to allow the suction side cleaner to work, then you would need one of your two Feature Circuits and a program to make that work.​
​
​
The iChlor will work anytime the system is in the Pool or Spa mode.. You adjust its output from the EasyTouch.. No programs needed.​
​
Looks to me like the Lite version will work for you, if you are careful with how you program it. But as usual, you almost always get what you pay for.. :mrgreen:​
​
Thanks,​
​
Jim R.​
 
Jimrahbe said:
Kyl,

I mainly want it to automatically control the intelliflo VS pump and salt water iChlor system. I do want it to run during different times of day. For example I want it at its least power consumption from 4pm-9pm everyday.

You assign speeds that you want the IntelliFlo to run to "Circuits".. To schedule the pump to run those circuits would require a "program" for each speed and time.. So if you want to run the pump from 8 am until 4 pm, at say 1200 RPM, that would require one of your four programs.. If you wanted the pump to start back up at 9 pm and run until midnight that would take another program. If you wanted the pump to changes speeds at say 10 am until 11 am to run your vacuum that would take another program.. The ET-Lite has 4 programs.. It will work, you just have to figure out what is important to you..​

I want to be able to set the heater to turn on and off and set the temp from my phone but I don't need it to be on a schedule.

You can set up the system to tell the pump to increase speed when the heater comes on.. If not on a schedule, no program is needed.​

I don't need the pool lights on a schedule but they are color changing so I would like to be able to manage the colors from my phone. I have 2 pool lights, 1 baja light, and 1 spa light. Turning them on from my phone or switch is fine.

If not scheduled, then turning the light on and off and changing colors via the phone is not an issue and uses no program.. BUT.. If you want the lights to go off automatically, that will need a program. If you want to individually turn on the 2 pool lights, and the baja light and the spa light, that will take all three of your Aux relays plus 3 transformers.​

I want to be able to turn the spa Jets on and off from my phone.

You can turn your Spa on via the phone no problem.. The pump will run at whatever speed you have assigned to the Spa Circuit. Just remember to shut if off.. No program. If you have a blower motor, then that will take up one of your three Aux relays​

I will have a suction side vacuum that I would like automated.

If you want a valve to turn to allow the suction side cleaner to work, then you would need one of your two Feature Circuits and a program to make that work.​
​
​
The iChlor will work anytime the system is in the Pool or Spa mode.. You adjust its output from the EasyTouch.. No programs needed.​
​
Looks to me like the Lite version will work for you, if you are careful with how you program it. But as usual, you almost always get what you pay for.. :mrgreen:​
​
Thanks,​
​
Jim R.​
Click to expand...
Hi Jim thanks for all the detail and helping me make the best choice, just wondering why I need 3 transformers? If I purchase a 300w 120V to 12v transformer couldn't the electrician just run the lights in parallel? That way they will all get 12V.
 
I had 1 transformer for 3 lights originally, but now have 3 transformers. I like the ability to choose to turn off my bubbler lights (1 transformer) and have each of my GloBrites on a their own. With individual transformers and EasyTouch you can use the ColorSwim feature.
 
Kyl,

That is how the EasyTouch is designed... The ET controls the high voltage (120 volts) going to the primary side of the transformer... If you wire the lights to the same transformer, they will all turn on and off together.. Plus, since cycling the power is how they change colors, they will all be the same color at the same time.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
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