iAqualink and a Pool Heater

[atxjmy512]

I have a brand new pool and a little confused on what to expect when controlling the heater (I have a Raypak heater).

I can turn the heater on and off via without issue, but I'm not sure what's supposed to happen though though when controlling the temperature (beyond the obvious). In the iAqualink app it'll save the temperature setting however the heater doesn't seem to reflect that and continues to to say "Remote Pool XX F" on its integrated display with XX being whatever the heater was manually set at when last in manual mode.

What's actually supposed to happen? Should the heater display match iAqualink and update temp on its integrated display to match whatever I set in the app? Or, does iAqualink just power the heater on / off until the temperature i set in the app is registered via its own internal water temp sensors? I suspect the later is the case given that I only see hot, neutral and ground wiring coming from the heater.

Similar question with Spa heat... I can turn on spa heat when in spa mode via the app, though the heater continues to say Remote Pool (though all valves remotely dump that water into the spa).

Im just confused as to what the user experience is supposed to be and I'm not sure if my iaqualink / heater have been wired incorrectly or are operating as designed.

 

[ajw22]

Should the heater display match iAqualink and update temp on its integrated display to match whatever I set in the app?

No, The Aqualink does not communicate with the heater display panel.

Or, does iAqualink just power the heater on / off until the temperature i set in the app is registered via its own internal water temp sensors? I suspect the later is the case given that I only see hot, neutral and ground wiring coming from the heater.

The Aqualink turns the heater on and off using its own water temperature sensor using the "firemans switch".

Heater Control with Automation - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Similar question with Spa heat... I can turn on spa heat when in spa mode via the app, though the heater continues to say Remote Pool (though all valves remotely dump that water into the spa).

The heater does not know or care if you are heating the spa or pool. It just knows the AQualink is telling it to run and heat the water.


What model heater do you have?

 

[atxjmy512]

No, The Aqualink does not communicate with the heater display panel.



The Aqualink turns the heater on and off using its own water temperature sensor using the "firemans switch".

Heater Control with Automation - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

The heater does not know or care if you are heating the spa or pool. It just knows the AQualink is telling it to run and heat the water.


What model heater do you have?

Thanks for the response. This is kind of what I though - it turns it on and off based on the aqualink sensor (that shows me water temp when the pump is running), and relies on the appropriate valves to be open or closed (i.e. spa mode) to route heated water to either the pool or the spa. Do I have that right? I have a Raypak 406A.

 

[ajw22]

Thanks for the response. This is kind of what I though - it turns it on and off based on the aqualink sensor (that shows me water temp when the pump is running), and relies on the appropriate valves to be open or closed (i.e. spa mode) to route heated water to either the pool or the spa. Do I have that right?

Correct.

 

[atxjmy512]

Correct.

This is likely an obvious follow up but that means that i can either heat the pool or i can heat the spa and not both at the same time, correct? Said another way - if I'm heating the pool to say 85 F I cannot heat the spa to 102 F at the same time?

 

[ajw22]

This is likely an obvious follow up but that means that i can either heat the pool or i can heat the spa and not both at the same time, correct? Said another way - if I'm heating the pool to say 85 F I cannot heat the spa to 102 F at the same time?

Correct.

Although you can heat the spa with the spillover on. That will pull cold water from the pool and return it to the spa. Both bodies of water will heat slowly though.

What I do is get my pool up to desired temperature. Your pool will heat about 2-3 degrees/hour. So it will take some time. While the spa will heat over 30 degrees/hour.

Once pool is to desired temperature then switch to heating spa. The pool is not going to lose very much heat in the hour or less it takes you to heat the spa.

 

[atxjmy512]

Correct.

Although you can heat the spa with the spillover on. That will pull cold water from the pool and return it to the spa. Both bodies of water will heat slowly though.

What I do is get my pool up to desired temperature. Your pool will heat about 2-3 degrees/hour. So it will take some time. While the spa will heat over 30 degrees/hour.

Once pool is to desired temperature then switch to heating spa. The pool is not going to lose very much heat in the hour or less it takes you to heat the spa.

Yeah, that makes sense. I can heat the spa and pool to the pool's 85 F at the same time, and then switch over to spa if / when I want. Appreciate the help!