HELP - Pentair Mastertemp 250 Not connected to EasyTouch and now won't start

[ColoradoKid]

Hi everyone, hoping for some feedback.

I'll try and explain the series of events.

• A month ago, I happen to notice our pool water was in the high 90's deg. The temperature set in the Pentair mobile app was set for 65 deg, but it seemed the heater disconnected from the EasyTouch Panel and was on it's way heating to it's set temperature of 104 deg.
• Due to the weather in Colorado in February (freezing!) I simply manually adjusted the temperature down the heater to 65 deg and figured I'd start messing with it when the weather improves. (Odd thing, I noticed the little flame on my mobile app was always on, regardless if the heater was actually on or not. Normally the little flame only appears when it's actually heating).
• During this same time, and could be completely non related, the membrane buttons seemed to be having trouble as well as the little LED screen seemed to go in and out. (I thought maybe it could be because we have -0 deg temps).
• Due to the LED screen on the heater and the membrane not working too well, I assumed ALL the issues were related to the circuit board and membrane. I ordered a new circuit board and membrane.
• I installed the new board and membrane, turned the power back on, and now nothing kicked on. I don't see any activity in the LED screen, buttons do nothing (tried holding on the SPA button). So now I'm dead in the water. At least before I was getting constant heat out of it. So I attempted to reinstall the old circuit board just to see if maybe my new board was bad. Because at least the old board was able to run the heater.

So now I wonder, perhaps, all I needed was to replace the Ignition Furnace Control board and that would let me reconnect to EasyTouch/Pentair App?

I think either way, the membrane was going bad and assumed since the LED screen was intermittent, that needed replacing.

The heater is about 4 years old. So probably don't want to go buy another, but also don't want to just keep throwing parts at it.

Any thoughts? And which component is it that communicates with EasyTouch Panel, the circuit board or Ignition Furnace Control board?

Thank you,
Jeremy

 

[mknauss]

You mention Intelliconnect in your title, but Easytouch in your post. Those are two completely different automation systems. Which do you have?
Please complete your signature.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Kid,

When I look at the IntelliConnect manual, it appears the only way to control the heater is by the 'heater relay' P1.

This means the heater is being controlled by something called the fireman's connection, inside the heater.

For this to work, the heater is set to on and full hot. Then the IntelliConnect just closes the 'heater relay' when it wants the heater to heat and opens the heater relay when it wants the heater to no longer heat.

There is no communications between the heater and the IntelliConnect other than the small control relay turning the heater on and off.

I suggest that the first thing you do is disconnect the heater from the automaton and then get the heater running on its own. After you know the heater is working correctly, then you can connect the automaton to the fireman's input and see what happens.

The Intelliconnect also needs a water temp probe connected to P2. It could have gone bad or become disconnected.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ColoradoKid]

Hi, thanks for the replies.

Correction, I'm using the EasyTouch Panel (not Intelliconnect).

I just tried jumping the fireman switch (removing the wires to EasyTouch), and still nothing started.

I saw another thread that sounded like it has my same issue, and he said it was the "J7 Connection" being loose. What is the J7 Connection?

Thanks,
Jeremy

 

[Jimrahbe]

Jeremy,

J7 is where the 24 Volt AC comes in and goes out to the fireman's switch (and fuse)

Sounds like you blew the fireman's fuse.

Do you have a voltmeter?

If so, I suggest that you check to see that you still have 24 Volts AC.

Check page 36 in the manual.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ColoradoKid]

Fireman’s fuse is okay.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Kid,

Where do you have each lead connected???

It makes a difference.

Does it appear that the membrane panel has power?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ColoradoKid]

I just had each lead on top/bottom of where the fuse connects. Is that the correct place?

There are no LEDs on the membrane active. I know power is getting to the circuit board but not sure what's happening after that on the board.

I tried messing with all the connections (J7) and others. Still no luck.

My only guess now is the Ignition Furnace Control board is bad. But I have no idea how to determine that. Just a guess....

 

[Jimrahbe]

Kid,

If you measure across the fuse and the fuse is GOOD you should get zero volts..

If you measure across the fuse and the fuse is BAD you should get about 28 Volts AC.

Jim R.

 

[ColoradoKid]

Hi Jim,
Thank you - let me check again in the morning and now I’m REALLY hoping that’s it.

I have a 1A fuse but I know it calls for 1.25A.
Will it still work with a 1A? (I ordered a 1.25A but won’t be here for a couple days)

 

[Jimrahbe]

Kid,

I suspect it will work, but it can't hurt to try, as it won't hurt anything.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ColoradoKid]

Update:

So yes that fuse was also bad. (Hence the voltage). I only had 2A fuse available, tried that and now I’m getting ~0V across it, so it’s working.

But still nothing kicked on. And I wired the two yellows together to jump it and didn’t kick on.

I’m stumped!

Any other thoughts?

How do you know if the ignition board is bad?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Kid,

The manual has a troubleshooting tree that you should follow.

Does the display let you select Pool or Spa? And adjust the temp up and down?

Show us a pic of the "two yellow wires"..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ColoradoKid]

The Display doesn't show anything. The membrane also appears dead. Pool/Spa buttons do nothing. Up/down, nothing. No lights whatsoever.

I don't have a pic right now, but this is what I mean by the "yellow" wires. I saw on another thread to wire like this to get it started.

Nothing happened when I wired like this.

 

[ajw22]

Zoom out and show us pics of that entire electrical box in the heater.

 

[ColoradoKid]

Here it is now. (Notice I wired back the yellow wires as was before (not jumping the fireman switch)

 

[ColoradoKid]

Also just noticed this (on the new board I just installed)

 

[ajw22]

I would leave the Firemans switch jumpered until the heater works standalone. Keep the IntelliConnect out of the picture.

 

[ajw22]

Yeah, I was going down the path of asking you to look at what else might have been damaged when the fuse blew.

It looks like you blew the new board.

Do you have any idea what might have caused all that?

 

[ajw22]

Your heater has the red wire 240V plug in place. Did you remove and change that plug for any reason?

Confirm the heater is connected to 240V.