How do you set multiple pump speed schedules on an Pentair EasyTouch automation panel?

[Skenn81]

Due to circumstances that are too long to put on a pool forum my buddy has inherited a pool with a new Pentair EasyTouch automation panel hooked up to a new Pentair variable speed pump. I have been brought in to help him try to get this whole thing working right as he has no instructions and being that I hang out on these forums offered to give him some help in the research.

So far, through YouTube, we have figured out how to set multiple schedules for the pump and where to go to set the pump's speed in RPMs. My confusion on this is that I am used to setting schedules on the pump itself and not sure how to change my line of thinking to get multiple speeds set on this big panel. On the pump itself you have the options of speeds 5-8 to be programmed and then set a start and stop time for each one. So speed 5 can be 2700 rpms from 9a to 12p and then you can set speed 6 at 1200rpms from 12:01p to 9p type of thing. It's what I have done on mine for years and I get how to do it.

How do I need to think about doing that on this big system as well? I want different speeds on the pool pump at different times but don't know how to convert what I used to do on the pump itself to what you do on this panel. I can set up to 9 Pump schedules but on those schedules I don't see a place to associate them with any sort of RPMs. When I go to the IntelliFlow section of the menu tree I can set the pump RPMs but I only see how to set it for the pump itself not for any kind of schedule.

Does this make sense? I am sure it's possible to do, just need to figure it out.

Also, no wifi yet on this thing, thats the next part to figure out, it has the box up there but we dont know if it has the right parts hooked up right, thats for another thread at a different time.

For reference this is what he has:

 

[Jimrahbe]

81,

When the EasyTouch is being used to control the pump, all the scheduling and speeds are inside the EasyTouch. Nothing stored in the pump is used.

If you look at the pump's display, it should say "Display Not Active". This means the EasyTouch is in control of the pump. If you want control of the pump, you have to put the EasyTouch in the Service Mode. Then you can use the pump's controls to manually run the pump.

The EasyTouch uses what they call "Circuits" to turn things on and off and control valves and speeds.

Each "Circuit" can have one speed assigned to it. The most obvious one is the "Pool" Circuit. To add different speeds, you use Feature Circuits and add speeds to them. So you can remember what is what, you can changed the "Circuit Name" into something you can remember. It can be anything you want.

If you look at the screenshot below, you can see my speeds for the Pool and Spa circuits and you can see where I have used Feature Circuits that I named Skim Low, Skim High and Waterfall to add more speeds to the mix.

Set up page 4.JPG

• Jimrahbe
• Apr 19, 2019

The way this works is you want your Pool Speed to be the lowest speed you ever want to run and schedule Pool for the entire time you want the pump to run. As an example 8 am until 8 pm.

Then, with the Pool Circuit on, you can turn on additional circuits on to tell the pump to run faster.

Keep in mind that if the pump sees two or more speeds, it will always run the fastest one. So, when the Pool Circuit is running at 1200 RPM and I turn on Skim High, the pump will increase its speed to 2000 RPM, if I then turn on Skim Low, nothing will happen, as we are already running faster than 1500. If I then off Skim High, the pump will decrease its speed to 1500.

Play with that and then tell me how it works for you.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Skenn81]

If you look at the pump's display, it should say "Display Not Active". This means the EasyTouch is in control of the pump. If you want control of the pump, you have to put the EasyTouch in the Service Mode. Then you can use the pump's controls to manually run the pump.

Yup, this is correct I saw that so that means the panel is working. So on his we wont be touching the pump, I'll leave the panel on there closed and only focus on the panel.

The EasyTouch uses what they call "Circuits" to turn things on and off and control valves and speeds.

Each "Circuit" can have one speed assigned to it. The most obvious one is the "Pool" Circuit. To add different speeds, you use Feature Circuits and add speeds to them. So you can remember what is what, you can changed the "Circuit Name" into something you can remember. It can be anything you want.

Okay, so a circuit is a speed control if I try to relate it back to what I know from my own pump? I was thinking a circuit is like a circuit breaker, so like on his there is a circuit for the pump, the heater, the salt, lights, etc. But that's not what it looks like in your picture.

Then, with the Pool Circuit on, you can turn on additional circuits on to tell the pump to run faster.

On your picture how does that all work? It's set for Pump #1 but then you have circuits named Spa and Waterfall. When your Waterfall circuit goes on does that also do something else where it's turning on the waterfall behind the scenes? Or skim high and low? Are your valves or other items being controlled by additional automation? What I am thinking for his is then 1 circuit for pool, like you have, we can jack that one down to the minimum needed for the salt system to have its flow switch triggered. Then a second circuit for a higher speed for a few hours each morning to get the pool cleaned and the debris skimmed out. Start with the basics.

On his, on the picture, for example AUX 1 are this lights, AUX 2 is the bubbler sets they have in their shallow end, so those arent other circuits, just buttons on it.

 

[Jimrahbe]

81,

I was just showing how the speeds work, there is a lot more about how the whole EasyTouch works..

The EasyTouch comes with a fixed set of what Pentair calls Circuits. Not sure why they picked that name, as it just causes confusion. The default Circuit are as follows..

Pool
Spa
Aux 1 -All Aux circuits have relays to control 120 or 240 volts that turn external devices on or off.
Aux 2
Aux 3
Aux 4 thru 7 if an EasyTouch 8
Feature Circuit 1 thru 8 - Feature circuits do not have relays and are used to control pump speeds and valves

Aux 1 "circuit" is your lights. When you push the Aux 1 button on the main panel the Aux 1 Circuit comes on and this closes a relay, which turns on the lights.
More than likely the Aux 1 Circuit Name was changed to "Lights"

Here is a list of my Circuits, Circuit Names and Circuit Functions. I only show this so you can get an idea of how everything ties together. At the top of this screenshot you can see the titles of Circuits, Circuit Names and Circuit Functions. Below that you can see on the left the default Circuits, you can see where I changed their names so I can remember what they do, and on the right, where special functions are added. Circuit Functions should be left generic unless really required, like for color changes LED lights.

Set up page 2a.JPG

• Jimrahbe
• Jun 11, 2020

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Skenn81]

On your first picture in the first response you have Spa listed as the second feature circuit and then on the second picture there is no Spa. You say:

The default Circuit are as follows..

Pool
Spa
Aux 1 -All Aux circuits have relays to control 120 or 240 volts that turn external devices on or off.
Aux 2
Aux 3
Aux 4 thru 7 if an EasyTouch 8
Feature Circuit 1 thru 8 - Feature circuits do not have relays and are used to control pump speeds and valves

That means your Pool circuit is physical but then skim low and high are features that talk back to the pump itself? On your first picture, "Setup IntelliFlow" there are 8 circuits listed but those arent 8 feature circuits then as Pool and Spa are listed, so the pump itself can have both physical and feature circuits applied to it? Lets take your Skim High as an example, all Skim High does is ramp up the RPMs on the pump itself and doesnt turn anything on or off?

So the term I should be using for what I want to do is "Feature Circuit"?

So what I want to do with him is set up the pool circuit to be basic pool minimum like you said, and then make a feature circuit for high speed. I have to go see where is bubbler and lights are in this mix, as those would be standard named circuits and not the 1 - 8 features. I think right now I just need to first turn down his pump as it's blasting 2700 RPMs for 12 hours a day. I saw this in the pool circuit in the menu so dialing that back is a good start. We could then set up a second high speed feature circuit for when he needs to clean.

My questions are most likely going to be basic and seemingly repetitive as I try to figure this all out. I'll just say that now in case you are banging your head on your desk wondering why I am trying to get this straight.

 

[Skenn81]

Lets try this simple situation:

I turn the main pump speed down to something like 1250 RPMs. I want to set a speed that will run it at 2700 RPMs for 1 hour for vacuuming purposes. I know how to lower the RPMs for the main pool circuit now and can go take care of that. How would I set up a second feature for higher speed for vacuuming and then without having access to wifi or the app how would I turn on the second high speed mode when I (he) need to clean?

 

[Jimrahbe]

81,

You can turn on Feature Circuits right at the little LCD using the Menu button and arrow keys. Much easier with the app, but not hard at all with the menu button.

Example... Pool scheduled to run from 8 am until 8 pm at 1200 RPM. At 10 am you decide you want to vacuum at 3000 RPM. You have already set up a Feature Circuit that you named "Vacuum" and assigned a speed of 3000 RPM.

Menu, Menu, Select F - Circuits, Select Vacuum, Select On or Off.

The pump speed will ramp up to 3000.

You could also use an Aux Circuit to do the same thing, you'd have a button, but you'd waste a relay.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Skenn81]

Okay I will try setting up feature circuits next time I am over there. From the videos I have seen when using the panel itself and not the app, on the circuit menu 1 - 8 are the actual physical relay ones and 9 - 18 are the feature virtual ones. Does that sound right? It's what you said here except the panel menu instead of the app menu, as I didnt see it labeled as feature on the device itself.

Aux 4 thru 7 if an EasyTouch 8
Feature Circuit 1 thru 8 - Feature circuits do not have relays and are used to control pump speeds and valves

 

[Jimrahbe]

Yes,

On my system they are Aux or Ft (for Feature Circuit)

Jim R.