How to use IC40 as standalone

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marksammut

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Oct 20, 2024
10
florida usa
I have IC40 (3 months old) connected to easy touch 8 that developed fault on comm. The relays and schedules and all still work. I’ve set schedule on vr pump and works fine but the ic40 is in standby mode (2 green lights on power and flow) but no lights on sanitation and more/less buttons disabled. Is there a way to get ic40 to work as standalone? Thanks
 
 
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There may be a way without using a separate power center. It sounds like the SWCG is powered. Hopefully through the LOAD side of the pump/filter relay. If so, you need to trace the RS485 wires that come from the SWCG to the ET8 via the unified cable, and disconnect the RS485 control. That will allow the SWCG to be controlled (% generation) at the SWCG itself. Check the left side of the ET8 box, the low voltage wire run, for those RS485 wires. They should terminate at the surge card which is in the top section of the ET8 behind the control panel.
 
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Mark,

Tell me about your com problem..

Do you have ScreenLogic or a wireless Pentair remote?

Do you have an EasyTouch with the built-in power center, or do you have an external power center for your SWCG?

The com problem could be the main card, but it could also be any of the RS-485 com port devices..

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
mknauss said:
There may be a way without using a separate power center. It sounds like the SWCG is powered. Hopefully through the LOAD side of the pump/filter relay. If so, you need to trace the RS485 wires that come from the SWCG to the ET8 via the unified cable, and disconnect the RS485 control. That will allow the SWCG to be controlled (% generation) at the SWCG itself. Check the left side of the ET8 box, the low voltage wire run, for those RS485 wires. They should terminate at the surge card which is in the top section of the ET8 behind the control panel.
Click to expand...
Thanks for suggestion. Yes I did disconnect and also tried to terminate rs485 with a 100ohms but buttons still won’t work. I’m guessing ic40 needs some kind of command through the rs486 to unlock and be used manually. And that’s what the power center would provide.
 
Jimrahbe said:
Mark,

Tell me about your com problem..

Do you have ScreenLogic or a wireless Pentair remote?

Do you have an EasyTouch with the built-in power center, or do you have an external power center for your SWCG?

The com problem could be the main card, but it could also be any of the RS-485 com port devices..

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
I have easy touch 8 with a faulty rs485. IC40 powered through the load center. Don’t have external center. Thanks
 
marksammut said:
Yes I did disconnect
Click to expand...

Show us pictures of what you disconnected.

marksammut said:
and also tried to terminate rs485 with a 100ohms but buttons still won’t work.
Click to expand...

Terminate where? I think that may have shorted out the RS-485 comm in the cell electronics.
marksammut said:
I’m guessing ic40 needs some kind of command through the rs486 to unlock and be used manually.
Click to expand...

It does not. There is no command to lock or unlock the cell buttons.

Simply putting the EasyTouch in SERVICE mode and turn on the filter pump relay to power the cell drops the RS-485 comm heartbeat and the cell goes into manual mode.

marksammut said:
And that’s what the power center would provide.
Click to expand...
The Power Center provides no communication with the cell. It only provides DC power to the cell.

Show us pictures of your surge board and EasyTouch RS-485 wiring.
 
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to clarify the RS485 on the ET8 is faulty. It’s not communicating with the pump (which I’ve set schedule manually) nor with the remote and IC40.
If possible I’m planning to use a WIFI PLC with relays as timer to just control the on/off of the IC40 and the other pool accessories.
 

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What is COM3 connected to?

Pull that connector off the surge board.

1729862939930.png
 
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marksammut said:
by disconnect I meant I just connected the red and black wires coming from the IC40. (Disconnected the white and green).
Click to expand...

I don’t see any disconnected wires in your pics.

marksammut said:
Maybe IC40 needs some sort of reset?
Click to expand...
There is no reset to do.

The IC40 resets itself when powered up.
 
Mark,

I agree with Allen,

Just unplug J3 from your Surge card and reboot your EasyTouch and the cell should be standalone.

What pump do you have?

Why not just fix the Com issue??

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
marksammut said:
Cables go to VR pump and ET wired remote that shows No Comm. But at this stage I just need to salt cell to work.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Disconnect the ET wired remote and there is a good chance your pump comm will work.

I hope you are powering the ET off when disconnecting and connecting the wires.
 
ajw22 said:
Disconnect the ET wired remote and there is a good chance your pump comm will work.

I hope you are powering the ET off when disconnecting and connecting the wires.
Click to expand...
I replaced $1.50 RS485 chip under the display and comm working as well now.

My panel says easytouch 8 and it has 8 outputs to relays. But then only 4 relays connected.

However I’ll change control to a standard wifi PLC to control relays. I don’t like the pentair closed box rs485 protocols. Plus I’d like to control through Alexa/etc

Thanks for all your help!
 

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