Hayward GVA-24 Valve Actuator Only Opens Half Way

[Gynot]

My return GVA-24 Actuator turns only half way. The only way around this is to go manual.

Up until yesterday it was turning a bit more [two-thirds] until this morning when I opened it up and obviously moved something causing this. The reason for opening it was to check for debris or something broken. It looked clean and haven't found anything cracked or broken.

How can I get this to act as it should automatically?

 

[Jimrahbe]

G,

Check out this video... https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...=6uzF9DjEyBA&usg=AOvVaw2Eu-SuIYdVSV9G2CHmc2WA

Jim R.

 

[Gynot]

Thanks a bunch Jim. Checked out that video and the one that follows it and fixed it in about 10 minutes. Very nice.

For some reason I lost my "Spillover Mode" on my control panel and now just have "Pool Only" or "Spa Only". Does this have to do with me repositioning the cams? Of course I can achieve it from manually moving the return valve midway, but would rather get it back to where it was and just press a button on the remote or control panel. I have no clue how to program it in my Goldline Aqualogic system. Since I'm not sure if this is related to the current post, would it be better for me to start a new post or continue from here?

Tony

 

[Jimrahbe]

Did your spillover run all the time the pump was running?

Post a couple of pics of your equipment pad..

Did you have have an actual spillover mode, where you pushed a button and the spillover started and stopped??

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Gynot]

Yes, spillover from the spa was default whenever my pump would kick on.

See pics below.

To your last question, sort of. It reads "Spillover" on the remote. We would press the corresponding white button and cycle through the three modes, "Pool", "Spa". and "Spillover". Although the panel doesn't have a dedicated spot reading Spillover you'd again cycle through modes by hitting "Filter" a few times and it would show up in the readout, then [in both cases] the valves would change position accordingly.

OT: I'm aware of the "Check System" error and need to take in a water sample as it says low salt.

Tony

 

[Jimrahbe]

Tony,

Not sure when you took the pic of the valves, but they are not in the correct positions..

When in the Pool mode, both valves should have the OFF tab pointed to the Spa pipes.. This means water is sucked from the pool and returned to the pool

When in the Spa mode, both valves should have the OFF tab pointed to the Pool pipes. This means water is sucked from the Spa and returned to the Spa

When in the Spillover mode, the Intake valve should be set to suck water from the Pool and the Return valve set to return water to the Spa.. This is what causes the spillover.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Gynot]

Thank-you Jim. My pool works exactly as you've written, if you don't mind the massive bubbles and gurgling from the spa. When I had the previous spillover set up it would end up in the position you see in the pic above. Splitting the return between both pool and spa avoids the bubbles and gurgling, yet still allows the spillover and what I'm trying to get back to. This is a great setup especially when entertaining and keeping the noise down in general.

How can I get the return valve to stop at the position pictured above automatically?

Tony

 

[Jimrahbe]

Tony,

Automated valves turn from one stop to the other.. and nothing in between... If you want it to stop where it is in your pic, then you will have to make it one of the two mechanical stops..

You would end up with the Pool mode and the half spa and half pool mode...

The real way to do this is to have what is called a make up system.. Basically a Jandy valve and a check valve that by-pass the Return valve and let some water always go to the spa when in the pool mode.. I am surprised that your system does not have it...

I am also surprised that your spa does not drain when the pump is off...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Gynot]

Jim, I have a check valve which was not pictured above. See additional pic below and look to the lower right.

How is it that when I would select "Spillover" in the past that it would give me what I'm describing above with no additional equipment and not needing to go manual? I just need to figure out how to reset that.

I've had the spa go down on me overnight and often wondered why, but less than a foot by the time the pool kicks on in the morning, so never really bothered me.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Tony,

That check valve "should" keep your spa from draining back into the pool...

Back up a few feet and show me a couple of pics of your whole pad.. One from the front and one from the side..

The way I described the operation above is how the spillover works when controlled by automation.. I have no clue what yours was doing..

Jim R.

 

[Gynot]

I appreciate all the help Jim and hope it's not becoming a bother.

Here's a few more pics. I know the wiring looks like crud and not my doing. Since I know near to nothing about wiring and since it works I've left it alone along with the plumbing since install in '09.

Tony

 

[Jimrahbe]

Tony,

Nice looking set up...

Sorry I was not clear.. I need to see more of the equipment pad.. I need to see where all the pipes and valves interconnect. I need to see from the owl end toward the filter and then from the filter towards the owl...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Gynot]

Thanks. Sorry about that, I thought you meant "key" pad and control panel?, haha.

Here you go.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Tony,

I was trying to see if you have a manual make up system, but it does not appear that you do..

Tell me again what is wrong with the spillover now.. I assume it just sends too much water over the spillway, is that correct???

How did your old system work? When in the pool mode, did any water flow over the spillway? When you went to the Spa mode could you heat just the spa?

It is impossible for that valve to have three positions when automated, so I am not sure how it worked before???

Have you done any plumbing changes that involved the Jandy valve that sends water to your fountains?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Gynot]

"Tell me again what is wrong with the spillover now.. I assume it just sends too much water over the spillway, is that correct???"
The way it's been running today and yesterday is perfect, but keep in mind to get this return valve position I have to turn the valves manually.

"How did your old system work?"
For the past 12 years this alternate spillover was achieved by simply cycling through the three modes on the remote and selecting "Spillover" or cycling through modes on the panel and again selecting "Spillover". It knew to stop the return valve midway [see return valve position pic above] and not go full spa return and have the bubbles come on along with the gurgling sound.

"When in the pool mode, did any water flow over the spillway?"
Yes.

"When you went to the Spa mode could you heat just the spa?"
Yes

"It is impossible for that valve to have three positions when automated, so I am not sure how it worked before???"
I understand completely. The downside is I didn't take a shot of it yesterday before I set it to going fully into pool mode which was my initial post. I'd be happy to pull it apart and get some close ups of the innards. Just give me the word.

"Have you done any plumbing changes that involved the Jandy valve that sends water to your fountains?"
No. That was all done when we had the pool revamped in '07.

The fountains only work manually beginning with the single Jandy valve that we rotate to turn all three fountains on at once. The red handled valves control each individual fountain for fine tuning water flow. These are never touched; only the Jandy valve is. BTW, these are obviously connected to the return. The only downside of this setup is if I forget that the fountains were on and I heat up the spa that hot water is dumping into the pool through the fountains.

 

[Gynot]

Before reading online yesterday I had no clue how to turn either valve manually with the actuator attached. I know positively that the return would automatically stop midway to achieve the "Spillover" like I described above. "Spillover" is no longer an option at this point. I'm baffled.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Tony,

I am puzzled also.. When in the Pool mode you say that water was spilling over from the Spa and into the pool, correct?? If so, what changed when you selected the Spillover mode?? Everything should have been the same...

If you were in the Spa mode with no spillover and then selected spillover mode, the Intake valve would move to the pool mode and the Return valve would move to the middle causing the spa to spillover..

Is this how it was working before??

Hang in there, we can get this figured out.. maybe..

Jim R.

 

[Gynot]

Thanks for working with me Jim. I really appreciate it. If you need a few days to go over the following I understand. For now I can run manually until we figure things out.

I rarely ran Pool Only mode, so I can't be positive about how it operated, but you're probably right and I never thought much of it. Most of the time it was either Spillover of Spa Only. Now and then I'd fiddle with the switches under the valves to drain the spa, but that was about it and even that was by guessing.

After giving up on pool guys a year and a half ago I've taken over, but also tried to keep matters simple. Since the initial issue of this thread came up I've realized how much I didn't know and understand. That bugs the heck out of me, yet pushes me to know more.

"If you were in the Spa mode with no spillover and then selected spillover mode, the Intake valve would move to the pool mode and the Return valve would move to the middle causing the spa to spillover.. Is this how it was working before??"

Yes it was, positively.

Starting from scratch. If I want the Spillover mode to be set up as I've described, automatically stopping midway, how would I set that up on the board and remote? Reposition the cams in the actuator?

Then if I want Spa only mode how would I set that up?

Since I rarely go Pool only I'm not too concerned about that mode. Should I be for proper circulation?

Under the valves, what are the extra positions on the switches for? "ON1, OFF, ON2" How should those be set up?

 

[jimmythegreek]

Can you post a few equipment pad pics from down lower like 3ft off ground from front and right side so we can see all the pipes. Leave heater out we know its there. I dont see around the pump well in your pubs. Jim has it right with the actuator something else was setup out of the notm

 

[Jimrahbe]

Tony,

I suspect that that Jandy valve that now controls the fountains, was originally part of your make up plumbing..

You will need to adjust the cams on the Return actuator as follows...

1. Set one cam so that it causes the Off tab to stop, when it points directly at the Pool pipe or 9 o'clock.. (ie: Pool pipe is full off)

2. Set the other cam so that it causes the Off tab to stop when pointed straight down or 6 o'clock. (ie: Both the Pool and Spa pipes full open) If this were my pool, I would set this cam so that the Spa valve was only open about 20% instead of full open, but that is up to you. At 20% open the off tab would point to about 4 o'clock position.

3. This is where the little on/off/on switch comes into play.. The valve moving process is an open loop system, because there is no feedback to the automation. The automation does not really know where the valve is... it just assumes the valve is where it thinks it should be. So, if you turn the system on and go to the Spa mode and the valve moves to the wrong position, then moving the little switch from one "on" to the other "on", will move the valve where it needs to be.. When things are initially connected, you have a 50/50 chance of things being correct, if not, the switch makes them correct.

Here is what should happen when running...

When in the Spa mode, the Intake valve should suck water from the Spa (pool pipe shut off) and the Return valve should return all the water to the spa (Pool pipe shut off) with no spillover.

When in the Pool mode, the Intake valve should suck the water from the Pool (Spa pipe shut off) and the Return valve should return 50% of the water to the pool and 50% to the spa.. (I would set this to 80% pool and 20% spa, but that is up to you..)

You should never need to push the spillover button again.

Try it and let us know how it turns out..

Thanks,

Jim R.